Acute effects of oats and vitamin E on endothelial responses to ingested fat

Objective: To assess the effects of oats and vitamin E on endothelial funct ion following a high-fat meal in healthy adults as measured by brachial art ery reactivity studies (BARS). Methods: A total of 25 men and 25 women (N=50) were recruited from a commun ity population to participate in this randomized, crossover study. All subj ects were free of known vascular disease, and female subjects were postmeno pausal. Subjects underwent BARS before and after a high-fat meal (50 gm fat ) on three occasions 1 week apart, one each with, vitamin E 800 IU, oatmeal containing 3 gm beta -glucan, or a comparable bowl of wheat cereal serving as a placebo, in random sequence. The ultrasonographer was blinded to trea tment status. Results: Endothelial function, as measured by brachial artery peak flow dur ing one minute of post-occlusive hyperemia, declined significantly from bas eline when the high-fat meal was consumed with the wheat cereal (-13.4%; p= 0.02). There was no difference in brachial artery flow change before and af ter a high-fat meal with oats (+0.37%; p=0.77) or a high-fat meal with vita min E (+1.87%; p=0.42). No significant differences in flow-mediated vasodil ation before and after the high-fat meal were detected among the three supp lements. Conclusions: Endothelial dysfunction induced by acute fat ingestion in heal thy adults is apparently prevented by concomitant ingestion of oats or vita min E, but not wheat. Nutrient distribution and meal composition may have i mportant implications for cardiovascular health.