Ma. Hallikainen et al., Effects of low-fat stanol ester enriched margarines on concentrations of serum carotenoids in subjects with elevated serum cholesterol concentrations, EUR J CL N, 53(12), 1999, pp. 966-969
Objective: To investigate the effects of low-fat stanol ester margarines on
concentrations of serum carotenoids.
Design: A randomized parallel double-blind study design consisting of a 4-w
eek run-in (high-fat diet) and an 8-week experimental (low-fat, low-cholest
erol diet) period. During the experimental diet period subjects consumed lo
w-fat wood stanol ester (WSEM), vegetable oil stanol ester (VOSEM) or contr
ol (no stanol esters) margarine daily. The daily mean total stanol intake w
as 2.31 and 2.16 g in the WSEM and VOSEM groups, respectively.
Setting: Outpatient clinical trial with free-living subjects.
Subjects: Altogether, 60 hypercholesterolaemic subjects were selected for t
he study out of 91 originally screened. The study was completed by 55 subje
cts.
Main outcomes measures: Serum alpha- and beta-carotene and lycopene determi
ned by the HPLC.
Results: Serum alpha-carotene concentration did not change significantly in
either of the experimental groups, whereas beta-carotene concentration dec
reased significantly in the WSEM and VOSEM groups (P < 0.01), and the chang
e differed significantly (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01,respectively) from that of
the control group. Decrease in alpha+beta-carotene concentration was signif
icantly greater (P < 0.05) in both experimental groups than in the control
group. However, the change in alpha-, beta- or alpha+beta-carotene/total ch
olesterol ratio did not differ significantly among the groups. No significa
nt changes were found in serum lycopene or lycopene/total cholesterol ratio
in both experimental groups.
Conclusions: Low-fat stanol ester margarines appeared to have little effect
on serum concentrations of alpha-, beta- or alpha+beta-carotene, or lycope
ne.