PSYLLIUM HUSK FIBER SUPPLEMENTATION TO THE DIETS RICH IN SOYBEAN OR COCONUT OIL - HYPOCHOLESTEROLEMIC EFFECT IN HEALTHY HUMANS

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of psyllium husk fiber supplementation to the diets of soybean and coconut oil on serum lipids in normolipidemic humans. A 28-day study was divided into four 7-day experimental periods. Dietary periods were soybean oil (SO ), soybean oil plus psyllium fiber (SO + PF), coconut oil (CO) and coc onut oil plus psyllium fiber (CO + PF), and were arranged to a randomi zed cross over design. Ten subjects consumed controlled diet containin g 30% fat calories (20% from test oils and 10% from controlled diet) a nd 20 g per day of psyllium during fiber supplementation periods. SO PF diet significantly reduced serum cholesterol compared with SO diet (P < 0.001). CO + PF diet significantly reduced serum cholesterol com pared with CO diet (P < 0.014). Hypocholesterolemic response was great er with SO + PF compared with CO + PF (0.36 mmol l(-1) vs 0.31 mmol l( -1)). Reductions in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and apol ipoprotein (ape) B were parallel to reductions of serum cholesterol. S O diet decreased, while CO diet increased serum cholesterol, LDL chole sterol and apo B. Very-low density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-densi ty lipoprotein cholesterol and apo A-1 were unaffected by psyllium fib er and saturation of fat. Reduction of serum cholesterol was due to re duction of LDL cholesterol. Psyllium fiber supplementation lowered ser um cholesterol regardless of saturation level of dietary fat.