Effects of oat and wheat cereals on endothelial responses.
BACKGROUND
This study was undertaken to determine the effects of month-long whole grain oat and wheat cereal supplementation on endothelial function following a fatty meal as measured by brachial artery reactivity studies.


METHODS
Fifty healthy adult subjects underwent brachial artery reactivity studies before and after a high-fat meal along with alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E), oats, or a comparable bowl of wheat cereal and were again tested after the high-fat meal following month-long supplementation with oat or wheat cereal in a random crossover with interim washout.


RESULTS
In the acute phase, the fatty meal attenuated the hyperemic brachial artery flow response when administered concurrently with wheat cereal (-13.4%; P = 0.02), whereas hyperemic flow was maintained by concurrent administration of either oatmeal or alpha-tocopherol. Following month-long supplementation, postprandial peak flow (wheat +3.88 +/- 5.62%; oat -10.78 +/- 7.15%), and peak diameter (wheat -1.40 +/- 0.96%; oat -0.86 +/- 0.88%) did not differ from preprandial values. Oat and wheat treatments did not differ when directly compared.


CONCLUSIONS
Month-long, daily supplementation with either whole-grain oat or wheat cereal may prevent postprandial impairment of vascular reactivity in response to a high-fat meal.
Katz
D L
DL
Yale Prevention Research Center, Derby, Connecticut 06418, USA. katzdl@pol.net
Nawaz
H
H
Boukhalil
J
J
Chan
W
W
Ahmadi
R
R
Giannamore
V
V
Sarrel
P M
PM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018554:Avena / Q000378:metabolism*; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000502:physiology*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000378:metabolism; D002523:Edible Grain / Q000378:metabolism; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019518:Postprandial Period; D014908:Triticum / Q000378:metabolism*
D004041:Dietary Fats; D006710:Homocysteine; D002784:Cholesterol