OLESTRA AFFECTS SERUM CONCENTRATIONS OF ALPHA-TOCOPHEROL AND CAROTENOIDS BUT NOT VITAMIN-D OR VITAMIN-K STATUS IN FREE-LIVING SUBJECTS

Normal, healthy, free-living adults ingested either 18 g/d olestra, wi th or without 1.1 mg tocopheryl acetate/g olestra, or 18 g/d triglycer ide placebo, for 16 wk in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Se rum concentrations of alpha-tocopherol, alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein/zeaxanthin, retinol and cholesterol were measured bi weekly, Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration, prothrombin time, par tial thromboplastin lime and plasma concentration of functional prothr ombin (Simplastin-Ecarin assay) were measured at wk 0, 8 and 16. Relat ive to the placebo group, serum alpha-tocopherol concentration was red uced 6% for the group given 18 g/d olestra. Addition of tocopheryl ace tate to olestra partially offset the effect of olestra. For the group given 18 g/d olestra plus 1.1 mg tocopheryl acetate/g olestra, serum a lpha-tocopherol concentration was 4% less than the placebo value. Oles tra reduced serum concentration of beta-carotene by 27%; the other car otenoids were similarly affected. Serum cholesterol concentration was reduced similar to 4.5% in the olestra groups, relative to placebo, bu t the differences were not significant. Serum triglycerides, serum 25- hydroxyvitamin D, prothrombin lime, partial thromboplastin time or the plasma concentration of under-gamma-carboxylated prothrombin were una ffected by olestra, Clinical observations and laboratory measures indi cated no health-related effects of olestra; mild-to-moderate transient gastrointestinal symptoms such as bloating, cramping, loose stools an d diarrhea were reported by all groups.