A randomized controlled trial of dietary fiber intake on serum lipids.
OBJECTIVE
Clinical trials have indicated that water-soluble fiber from oats reduces serum cholesterol among hypercholesterolemic patients on a low-fat diet. We examined the effect of dietary fiber intake on serum lipids among persons without hypercholesterolemia.


METHODS
Randomized controlled trial.


METHODS
We recruited 110 participants who were aged 30-65 years and had a serum cholesterol level < 240 mg/dl from community.


METHODS
Study participants were randomly assigned to receive 8 g per day of water-soluble fiber from oat bran or a control intervention.


RESULTS
At baseline, the mean levels of serum cholesterol and other measured variables were comparable between the high-fiber and control groups. Over the 3-month intervention, mean changes (95% confidence interval (CI)) in total, HDL-, and LDL-cholesterol were -2.42 mg/dl (-8.90 to 4.05 mg/dl; P = 0.46), -0.24 mg/dl (-2.19 to 1.71 mg/dl; P = 0.81), and -1.96 mg/dl (-7.32 to 3.40 mg/dl; P = 0.47) in the fiber group and -0.02 mg/dl (-5.29 to 5.26 mg/dl; P = 0.99), 1.42 mg/dl (-0.74 to 3.59 mg/dl; P = 0.19), and -0.64 mg/dl (-5.30 to 4.03 mg/dl; P = 0.79) in the control group, respectively. The net changes (95% confidence interval) in total, HDL-, and LDL-cholesterol were -2.40 mg/dl (-10.6 to 5.81 mg/dl; P = 0.56), -1.66 mg/dl (-4.55 to 1.22 mg/dl; P = 0.26) and -1.33 mg/dl (-8.33 to 5.68 mg/dl; P = 0.71), respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study does not support the hypothesis that water-soluble fiber intake from oat bran reduces total and LDL-cholesterol in study participants with a normal serum cholesterol level.
Chen
J
J
Department of Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA.
He
J
J
Wildman
R P
RP
Reynolds
K
K
Streiffer
R H
RH
Whelton
P K
PK
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018554:Avena; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood* / Q000187:drug effects; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012995:Solubility
D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D002784:Cholesterol