Fish-oil esters of plant sterols improve the lipid profile of dyslipidemic subjects more than do fish-oil or sunflower oil esters of plant sterols.
BACKGROUND
Fish-oil fatty acid esters of plant sterols (FO-PS) were shown to have hypotriglyceridemic and hypocholesterolemic properties in animal models.


OBJECTIVE
The objective of the study was to evaluate the hypolipidemic effects of FO-PS supplementation in healthy hypercholesterolemic persons fed an olive oil (OO)-based diet.


METHODS
Twenty-one moderately overweight, hyperlipidemic subjects participated in a semi-randomized, single-blind, 4-period crossover study including 4 experimental isoenergetic diets of 4 wk each and 4-wk intervening washout periods. Diets contained 30% of energy as fat, of which 70% was from extra-virgin OO, and differed only in the supplement oil: OO, fish oil, FO-PS, or sunflower oil esters of plant sterols (SU-PS). Both fish oil and FO-PS provided 5.4 g total eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids/d. FO-PS, SU-PS, and OO provided the equivalent of 1.7, 1.7, and 0.02 g free plant sterols/d, respectively.


RESULTS
Fish oil and FO-PS resulted in fasting and postprandial plasma triacylglycerol concentrations that were markedly lower than those observed with OO and SU-PS (P = 0.0001), but to a different extent. LDL cholesterol was significantly lower after supplementation with FO-PS and SU-PS than at the end of the control OO diet (P = 0.0031 and 0.0407, respectively). HDL cholesterol was not affected. FO-PS and SU-PS resulted in a lower ratio of total to HDL cholesterol and lower apolipoprotein (apo) B concentrations than did OO and fish oil. The ratio of apoB to apoA was significantly lower after SU-PS consumption than after consumption of OO (P = 0.0126) and fish oil (P = 0.0292). FO-PS and SU-PS resulted in similar ratios of apoB to apoA. HDL2 and the ratio of HDL2 to HDL3 were significantly higher at the end of the FO-PS treatment than at the end of the OO (P = 0.0006), fish oil (P = 0.0036), and SU-PS (P = 0.0016) treatments.


CONCLUSIONS
Supplementation of an OO-based diet with FO-PS may reduce cardiovascular disease risk more than does supplementation with fish oil or SU-PS.
Demonty
Isabelle
I
School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Canada.
Chan
Yen-Ming
YM
Pelled
Dori
D
Jones
Peter J H
PJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001055:Apolipoproteins B / Q000097:blood; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004952:Esters; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000069463:Olive Oil; D010840:Phytosterols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000074242:Sunflower Oil; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood*
D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D001055:Apolipoproteins B; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D004952:Esters; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D005395:Fish Oils; D000069463:Olive Oil; D010840:Phytosterols; D010938:Plant Oils; D000074242:Sunflower Oil; D014280:Triglycerides; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D002784:Cholesterol; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid