title: Whole grain rye intake, reflected by a biomarker, is associated with favorable blood lipid outcomes in subjects with the metabolic syndrome--a randomized study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Few studies have explored the possible plasma cholesterol lowering effects of rye consumption. The aim of this secondary analysis in the SYSDIET study was to investigate the association between plasma alkylresorcinols (AR), a biomarker for whole grain wheat and rye intake, and blood lipid concentrations in a population with metabolic syndrome. Furthermore, we analyzed the associations between the AR C17:0/C21:0 ratio, a suggested marker of the relative intake of whole grain/bran rye, and blood lipid concentrations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were 30-65 years of age, with body mass index (BMI) 27-40 kg/m2 and had metabolic syndrome. Individuals were recruited through six centers in the Nordic countries and randomized either to a healthy Nordic diet (ND, n = 93), rich in whole grain rye and wheat, as well as berries, fruits and vegetables, rapeseed oil, three fish meals per week and low-fat dairy products, or a control diet (n = 65) for 18/24 weeks. Associations between total plasma AR concentration and C17:0/C21:0 homologue ratio and blood lipids were investigated in pooled (ND + control group) regression analyses at 18/24 weeks adjusted for baseline value for the dependent variable, age, BMI and statin use.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When adjusted for confounders, total plasma AR at 18/24 weeks was not significantly associated with blood lipids but the AR ratio C17:0/C21:0 was inversely associated with LDL cholesterol concentrations (B (95% CI): -0.41 (-0.80 to -0.02)), log LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio (-0.20 (-0.37 to -0.03)), log non-HDL cholesterol (-0.20 (-0.37 to -0.03)), log apolipoprotein B (-0.12 (-0.24 to 0.00)) and log triglyceride concentrations (-0.35 (-0.59 to -0.12)).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased proportion of whole grain rye, reflected by a biomarker, in the diet is associated with favorable blood lipid outcomes, a relationship that should be further investigated.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00992641.
authors.affiliation: Unit for Nutrition Research, Landspitali -The National University Hospital of Iceland and Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland.
authors.forename: Ola Kally
authors.initials: OK
authors.lastname: Magnusdottir
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, BioCenter, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden; Division of Nutritional Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Rikard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Landberg
authors.affiliation: Unit for Nutrition Research, Landspitali -The National University Hospital of Iceland and Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland.
authors.forename: Ingibjorg
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gunnarsdottir
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Nutrition, Pure and Applied Biochemistry, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Lieselotte
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cloetens
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Nutrition, Pure and Applied Biochemistry, Lund University, Lund, Sweden; Department of Clinical Nutrition, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Björn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Åkesson
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Fredrik
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rosqvist
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland; Institute of Clinical Medicine, Internal Medicine, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schwab
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedicine, Department of Physiology and Biocenter, Oulu University, Oulu, Finland and Department of Psychiatry, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: Karl-Heinz
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Herzig
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Biocenter, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland and Clinical Research Center, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Janne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hukkanen
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Biocenter, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland and Clinical Research Center, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Markku J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Savolainen
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Internal Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: Lea
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Brader
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Internal Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: Kjeld
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hermansen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland; VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Espoo and Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: Marjukka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kolehmainen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland; VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Espoo and Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: Kaisa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Poutanen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland; Research Unit, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: Matti
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uusitupa
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Ulf
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Risérus
authors.affiliation: Unit for Nutrition Research, Landspitali -The National University Hospital of Iceland and Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland.
authors.forename: Inga
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Thorsdottir
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000178:diet therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012118:Resorcinols / Q000097:blood*; D012434:Secale; D000067348:Whole Grains
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D008055:Lipids; D012118:Resorcinols; D002784:Cholesterol