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Nutrition, Metabolism, and... Aug 2023The main objective was to assess if foods fortified with phytosterols (PS), including plant sterols and plant stanols, reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
AIMS
The main objective was to assess if foods fortified with phytosterols (PS), including plant sterols and plant stanols, reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) concentrations. The secondary objective was to determine the impact of different factors related to PS administration.
DATA SYNTHESIS
The search was carried out in MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus and The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) databases up to March 2023. The meta-analysis was registered in the PROSPERO database (CRD42021236952). From a total of 223 studies, 125 were included. On average, PS lowered LDL-C 0.55 mmol/L [95% confidence interval (CI) = 10.82-12.67], and this decrease was significantly maintained for all analysed subgroups. A greater reduction in LDL-C levels was detected in relation to a higher daily PS dosage. The food format "Bread, biscuits, cereals", conditioned a lower decrease of 0.14 mmol/L (95%CI -8.71 to -2.16) in LDL-C levels, compared to the predominant food format group of "butter, margarine, spreads". No significant differences were detected with the other subgroups (treatment duration, intake pattern, number of daily intakes and concomitant statin treatment).
CONCLUSION
The present meta-analysis supported that the use of PS-fortified foods had a beneficial effect on LDL-C lowering. In addition, it was observed that the factors that influence a decline LDL-C levels were PS dose as well as the food format in which they were consumed.
Topics: Humans; Phytosterols; Cholesterol, LDL; Food, Fortified; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors
PubMed: 37225641
DOI: 10.1016/j.numecd.2023.04.014 -
International Journal of Sports Medicine Sep 2023The use of plant steroids to improve physical health and performance is becoming increasingly popular. One of these plant steroids is diosgenin, which is mainly... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
The use of plant steroids to improve physical health and performance is becoming increasingly popular. One of these plant steroids is diosgenin, which is mainly available in fenugreek. As a result, some studies have been conducted to improve physical health. Fenugreek extracts are also becoming increasingly popular in the context of athletic performance. Based on these assumptions, a systematic review with meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the promoting effects of fenugreek on strength performance, body composition, and hormone concentration. Four databases were screened according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The current version of ReviewManager (RevMan) was used for the statistical evaluation. Seven studies with 449 participants (378 male, 71 female) met the inclusion criteria. A small effect of fenugreek was detected for total testosterone (standard mean difference (SMD): 0.32; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.09 0.55), free testosterone (SMD: 0.24; 95% CI: -0.04, 0.52), lean body mass (SMD: 0.19; 95% CI: -0.10, 0.49), fat mass (SMD: -0.19; 95% CI: -0.44, 0.05), and leg press performance (SMD: 0.22; 95% CI: -0.02, 0.47), in male athletes. The meta-analysis shows that chronic application of fenugreek has performance-enhancing and anabolic effects in male athletes, but no statements can be made for female athletes.
Topics: Humans; Anabolic Agents; Trigonella; Testosterone; Athletes; Phytosterols
PubMed: 37253363
DOI: 10.1055/a-2048-5925 -
Critical Reviews in Food Science and... Nov 2023Over the last 30 years, thousands of articles have appeared examining the effects of soaking and germinating brown rice (BR). Variable germination conditions and...
Over the last 30 years, thousands of articles have appeared examining the effects of soaking and germinating brown rice (BR). Variable germination conditions and methods have been employed to measure different health-beneficial parameters in a diverse germplasm of BR. Research results may therefore appear inconsistent with occasional anomalies, and it may be difficult to reach consensus concerning expected trends. Herein, we amassed a comprehensive review on germinated brown rice (GBR), attempting to codify 133 peer-reviewed articles regarding the effects on 164 chemical parameters related to health and nutrition in BR and in value-added food products. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA-2020) approach was used to direct the flow of the literature search. A pair-wise comparison t-test was performed to deliver an overall approach indicating when a given compound has been found to significantly increase or decrease through germination, which was grouped into GABA and polyamines, γ-Oryzanol and phytosterols, phenolic compounds, vitamins, proteins and amino acids, starchy carbohydrates, free sugars, lipids, minerals and phytic acid. This resource will stimulate interest in germinating rice and optimistically help increase both production and consumption of highly nutritious, health-beneficial rice with pigmented bran.
Topics: Oryza; Antioxidants; Food Handling; Minerals; Seeds; Germination
PubMed: 35816149
DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2022.2094887 -
Clinical Nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland) Sep 2020Several reports have indicated a positive effect of phytosterols on blood pressure (BP), nevertheless these findings have been controversial. Therefore, a systematic... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Several reports have indicated a positive effect of phytosterols on blood pressure (BP), nevertheless these findings have been controversial. Therefore, a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was aimed to investigate the effects of phytosterol supplementation on BP. An online search was carried out in PubMed, Scopus, ISI Web of Science, Cochrane library and Google Scholar up to May 2019. Weighted Mean difference (WMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using a fixed-effects model. The present meta-analysis of 19 RCTs showed that supplementation with phytosterols can decrease both systolic BP (WMD: -1.55 mmHg, 95% CI: -2.67 to -0.42, p = 0.007) and diastolic BP (WMD: -0.84 mmHg, 95% CI: -1.60 to -0.08, p = 0.03). Dose-response analysis revealed that phytosterol intake change SBP significantly based on treatment dose in nonlinear fashion. Subgroup analysis based on duration showed a significant effect of phytosterol on SBP and DBP in subsets of <12 weeks. In addition, a significant effect of phytosterol was observed in dosage of ≥2000 mg for SBP and <2000 mg for DBP. Based on current findings supplementation with phytosterol may be a beneficial adjuvant therapy in hypertensive patients as well as a complementary preventive option in prehypertensive and normotensive individuals. However, this issue is still open and requires further investigation in future studies.
Topics: Antihypertensive Agents; Blood Pressure; Dietary Supplements; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Humans; Hypertension; Phytosterols; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 31902603
DOI: 10.1016/j.clnu.2019.12.020 -
Nutrition, Metabolism, and... Nov 2019Although some earlier studies have indicated the effect of phytosterol (PS) supplementation on serum lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) and free fatty acid (FFA) concentration,... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Impact of phytosterol supplementation on plasma lipoprotein(a) and free fatty acid (FFA) concentrations: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
BACKGROUND AND AIM
Although some earlier studies have indicated the effect of phytosterol (PS) supplementation on serum lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) and free fatty acid (FFA) concentration, findings are still conflicting. We aimed to assess the impact of PS supplementation on serum Lp(a) and FFA concentration through a systematic review and meta-analysis of available RCTs.
METHODS AND RESULTS
We performed a systematic search of all available RCTs conducted up to 21 February 2019 in the following databases: PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane. The choice of fixed- or random-effect model for analysis was determined according to the I statistic. Effect sizes were expressed as weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Pooling of 12 effect sizes from seven articles revealed a significant reduction of Lp(a) levels following PS supplementation (MD: -0.025 mg/dl, 95% CI: -0.045, -0.004, p = 0.017) without significant heterogeneity among the studies (I = 0.0%, p = 0.599). Also, PS supplementation significantly lowered FFA (MD: -0.138 mg/dl, 95% CI: -0.195, -0.081, p = 0.000) without significant heterogeneity among the studies (I = 0.0%, p = 0.911). The results for meta-regression and sensitivity analysis were not significant.
CONCLUSION
The meta-analysis suggests that oral PS supplementation could cause a significant reduction in serum Lp(a) and FFA.
Topics: Adult; Biomarkers; Dietary Supplements; Down-Regulation; Dyslipidemias; Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; Female; Humans; Hypolipidemic Agents; Lipoprotein(a); Male; Middle Aged; Phytosterols; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 31582198
DOI: 10.1016/j.numecd.2019.07.011 -
Clinical Nutrition ESPEN Oct 2023The exploration of lipid-lowering resources, such as phytosterols, for the complementary nutritional treatment of hypercholesterolemia is relevant to reduce...
BACKGROUND
The exploration of lipid-lowering resources, such as phytosterols, for the complementary nutritional treatment of hypercholesterolemia is relevant to reduce cardiovascular risk. The use of phytosterols in capsules or tablets can bring advantages in the context of diet therapy, but such format is still less studied when compared to fortified foods.
OBJECTIVE
Systematically review randomized clinical trials on the effects of phytosterol supplementation, in capsules or tablets, on the lipid profile and its use in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia in adults.
DESIGN
A systematic review was carried out in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis, with a PROSPERO protocol registered under number CRD42021249539. The process was conducted by two independent reviewers. Only randomized clinical trials with phytosterol supplementation in adult individuals with hypercholesterolemia were included. The terms were searched in the databases: PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Library/CENTRAL, Embase, LILACS and Web of Science, without restriction of time and language. The manual search was also performed through the list of references of articles included in this review.
RESULTS
The searches resulted in 977 articles. 22 articles were selected, whose full text was read, and according to the eligibility criteria 10 were incorporated into the review. The studies were separated into groups according to the association of the intervention with changes in lifestyle and the characteristics extracted from the studies were summarized and displayed in tables. Most studies have revealed a positive association between phytosterol supplementation and cholesterol reduction, despite the short duration of interventions.
CONCLUSION
The analyzed studies showed that phytosterol supplements can be useful to modulate the lipid profile, helping to reduce the plasma concentration of LDL cholesterol. However, more research with the aforementioned supplementation in such pharmaceutical formats should be encouraged.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Hypercholesterolemia; Phytosterols; Capsules; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Tablets; Dietary Supplements
PubMed: 37739728
DOI: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2023.08.022 -
RSC Advances Sep 2020For centuries, species of the genus (Ranunculaceae) have been extensively utilized for their extremely high ornamental and medicinal values. Phytochemical... (Review)
Review
For centuries, species of the genus (Ranunculaceae) have been extensively utilized for their extremely high ornamental and medicinal values. Phytochemical investigations of species have revealed the presence of multiple active ingredients, including diterpenoid alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolic acids, phytosterols, fatty acids, and volatile constituents. These chemical constituents are of great research significance due to their novel structures and broad biological activities. This review addresses, for the first time, the chemical constituents of plants and the biological activities of these compounds to facilitate future research.
PubMed: 35515663
DOI: 10.1039/d0ra06811j -
Journal of the American Dietetic... May 2010Plant sterols and stanols are plant steroids with a similar chemical structure and cellular function to human cholesterol, and are recommended as dietary modifiers of... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Plant sterols and stanols are plant steroids with a similar chemical structure and cellular function to human cholesterol, and are recommended as dietary modifiers of serum lipids. Plant sterols have a higher degree of absorption than plant stanols, suggesting differential efficacy between the two.
DESIGN
A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials was performed to summarize direct comparisons between the effect of plant sterols vs plant stanols on serum lipid levels in healthy patients and patients with hypercholesterolemia.
METHODS
A systematic literature search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane CENTRAL, and the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database was conducted from January 1950 through January 2009. Trials were included in the analysis if they were randomized controlled trials evaluating the effect of plant sterols vs plant stanols in healthy patients or patients with hypercholesterolemia who reported efficacy data on total, low-density lipoprotein, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterols or triglycerides. The weighted mean difference (WMD) of the change from baseline (in mg/dL) with 95% confidence interval was calculated as the difference between the means in the plant sterol and plant stanol groups using a random-effects model.
RESULTS
Fourteen studies (n=531 patients) met the inclusion criteria. Upon meta-analysis, the results showed that there is no statistically or clinically significant difference between plant sterols and plant stanols in their abilities to modify total cholesterol (WMD -1.11 mg/dL [-0.0286 mmol/L], 95% confidence interval [CI] -4.12 to 1.90, P=0.47), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (WMD -0.35 mg/dL [-0.0091 mmol/L], 95% CI -2.98 to 2.28, P=0.79), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (WMD -0.28 mg/dL [-0.00073 mmol/L], 95% CI -1.18 to 0.62, P=0.54), or triglycerides (WMD -1.80 mg/dL [-0.0203 mmol/L], 95% CI -6.80 to 3.21, P=0.48).
CONCLUSIONS
Plant sterols and plant stanols do not have statistically or clinically relevant differing effects on total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or triglyceride levels. The selection of plant sterols vs plant stanols should then be based on potential differences in safety parameters and further study is required to elucidate such differences.
Topics: Anticholesteremic Agents; Cholesterol, HDL; Cholesterol, LDL; Humans; Hyperlipidemias; Lipid Metabolism; Phytosterols; Phytotherapy; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Sitosterols; Treatment Outcome; Triglycerides
PubMed: 20430133
DOI: 10.1016/j.jada.2010.02.011 -
Foods (Basel, Switzerland) Mar 2022Plant sterols/phytosterols (PSs) are molecules with a similar structure to cholesterol that have a recognized effect on elevated LDL concentrations (LDL-c). PSs are used... (Review)
Review
Plant sterols/phytosterols (PSs) are molecules with a similar structure to cholesterol that have a recognized effect on elevated LDL concentrations (LDL-c). PSs are used as a natural therapy against elevated LDL-c in combination with a healthy diet and exercise. A systematic review was performed to evaluate the efficacy of PS-enriched foods in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia. Randomized controlled clinical studies reporting the use of PS-enriched foods to reduce LDL-c among adult individuals were retrieved and assessed for risk of bias. Meta-analyses were performed to assess changes in LDL-c by treatment, food matrix, LDL-c range, sterols dosage and risk of bias (RoB). In the 13 studies analyzed, LDL-c in PS-treated participants decreased by an average of 12.14 (8.98; 15.29) mg/dL. PS administration was statistically more effective in patients with LDL-c ≥ 140 mg/dL and for PS dosages > 2 g/day. It can be concluded that PSs can be used as an important primary prevention measure for hypercholesterolemia and as tertiary prevention for cardiovascular events in patients who already have mild to moderate LDL-c. However, in severe hypercholesterolemia and in cases of familial hypercholesterolemia, it is necessary to combine dietary treatment with the use of statins.
PubMed: 35327262
DOI: 10.3390/foods11060839 -
Phytotherapy Research : PTR Sep 2019Plant derivatives such as carotenoids and phytosterols enrich foods have been shown to reduce plasma triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Plant derivatives such as carotenoids and phytosterols enrich foods have been shown to reduce plasma triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and cholesterol concentrations. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analyses study was to investigate the effects of saffron on lipid profiles, reported in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). We performed a systematic electronic search in PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane, and SCOPUS to identify RCTs and screening of relevant articles references up to October 12, 2018. There were no language restrictions. We performed this systematic review and meta-analysis according to the Preferred Items for Reporting of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. We identified and analyzed 14 eligible studies in this meta-analysis. Our study found a significant reduction in cholesterol and TG following saffron intervention (weighted mean difference [WMD]: -6.36 mg/dl, 95% confidence interval, CI, [-10.58, -2.18] and WMD: -5.37 mg/dl, 95% CI [-10.25, -0.48], respectively). There was no significant effect on weight and LDL concentration. A meta-regression analysis showed that long-term saffron intervention can increase the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels. In conclusions, our study findings indicate some benefits of saffron on cholesterol, HDL, and TG compared with placebo. However, we recommend the conduct of adequately powered, high-quality RCTs with short- and long-term follow-up, evaluating relevant clinical outcomes to allow for making definitive recommendations.
Topics: Cholesterol; Crocus; Humans; Lipids; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Triglycerides
PubMed: 31264281
DOI: 10.1002/ptr.6420