Supplementation with a β-glucan tablet has no effect on hyperlipidemia: a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial

Rioux-Labrecque V, Cossette M, Rufiange M, Bilodeau D, Guertin MC, Tardif JC

Published in Am J Clin Nutr, Vol. 117 (6), pp. 1232-1239

Methodology

Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in adults with LDL cholesterol above 3.37 mmol/L, treated or not with a statin, given a high-medium molecular weight beta-glucan tablet at 1.5, 3 or 6 g/day or placebo for 12 weeks.

Key Findings

263 participants. Change in LDL cholesterol from baseline was +0.08, +0.11 and -0.04 mmol/L in the 1.5, 3 and 6 g groups versus -0.10 mmol/L on placebo (P=0.23, 0.18, 0.72). Total cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol, apoB and hs-CRP also did not differ. Gastrointestinal adverse events: 23.4%, 34.8% and 66.7% of the three beta-glucan groups versus 36.9% on placebo.

Conclusions

A tablet formulation of beta-glucan did not lower LDL cholesterol or other lipid measures compared with placebo.

Limitations

Tablet form, not cereal; one molecular weight range; participants were not required to be statin-free; results may not generalise to oat or barley foods.