Sesame supplementation does not improve cardiovascular disease risk markers in overweight men and women.
OBJECTIVE
Pre-clinical studies suggest that sesame and its lignans induce beneficial changes in risk factors related to cardiovascular disease and increase the bioavailability of mammalian lignans. However, only very few intervention trials have investigated the potential bioactivities of sesame in humans. We aimed to investigate the effects of sesame supplementation in humans on blood lipids, blood pressure, systemic oxidative stress, inflammatory biomarkers and mammalian lignan metabolism.


RESULTS
We conducted a randomized, placebo-controlled cross-over intervention trial at a university research centre. Overweight or obese men and women (n=33) consumed 25g/d of sesame ( approximately 50mg/d of sesame lignan) and an iso-caloric placebo matched for macronutrient composition for 5 wks each. Each intervention period was preceded by a 4-wk washout period. Blood lipid profiles, day time ambulatory blood pressure, oxidative stress and inflammatory biomarkers and urinary mammalian lignans were measured before and after each intervention. Results are presented as the effect of sesame supplementation relative to placebo. Urinary excretion of the mammalian lignans, enterolactone and enterodiol, increased by approximately 8-fold (P<0.001). Blood lipids and blood pressure were not altered. In addition, markers of systemic inflammation (C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha) and lipid peroxidation (F(2)-isoprostanes) were not affected.


CONCLUSIONS
Supplementation with 25g/d of sesame can significantly increase the exposure to mammalian lignans. However, this did not cause any improvement in markers of cardiovascular disease risk in overweight or obese men and women.
School of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia, PO Box X2213 GPO, Perth WA 6847, Australia. jwu@meddent.uwa.edu.au
J H Y
JH
Wu
J M
JM
Hodgson
I B
IB
Puddey
R
R
Belski
V
V
Burke
K D
KD
Croft
D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood; D017705:Lignans / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000652:urine; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D008517:Phytotherapy; D012307:Risk Factors; D012639:Seeds; D031685:Sesamum; D013997:Time Factors
D015415:Biomarkers; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D017705:Lignans; D008055:Lipids