Changes in serum lipids and postprandial glucose and insulin concentrations after consumption of beverages with beta-glucans from oats or barley: a randomised dose-controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate side by side the effects on serum lipoproteins and postprandial glucose and insulin concentrations of beverages enriched with 5 or 10 g of beta-glucans from oats or barley.


METHODS
An 8-week single blind, controlled study with five parallel groups carried out at two centres under identical conditions.


METHODS
A total of 100 free-living hypercholesterolaemic subjects were recruited locally and 89 completed the study.


METHODS
During a 3-week run-in period all subjects consumed a control beverage. For the following 5-week period four groups received a beverage with 5 or 10 g beta-glucans from oats or barley and one group continued with the control beverage. Blood samples in weeks 0, 2, 3, 7 and 8 were analysed for serum lipids, lipoproteins, glucose and insulin. Postprandial concentrations of glucose and insulin were compared between control and the beverage with 5 g of beta-glucans from oats or barley.


RESULTS
Compared to control, 5 g of beta-glucans from oats significantly lowered total-cholesterol by 7.4% (P<0.01), and postprandial concentrations of glucose (30 min, P=0.005) and insulin (30 min, P=0.025). The beverage with 10 g of beta-glucans from oats did not affect serum lipids significantly in comparison with control. No statistically significant effects compared to control of the beverages with barley beta-glucans were found.


CONCLUSIONS
A daily consumption of 5 g of oat beta-glucans in a beverage improved the lipid and glucose metabolism, while barley beta-glucans did not.
Biörklund
M
M
Biomedical Nutrition, Center for Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
van Rees
A
A
Mensink
R P
RP
Onning
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G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D018554:Avena; D001628:Beverages; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005527:Food, Fortified; D001467:Hordeum; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000178:diet therapy; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D019518:Postprandial Period / Q000187:drug effects*; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013548:Sweden; D047071:beta-Glucans / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D008055:Lipids; D047071:beta-Glucans