Orange juice fortified with plant sterols lowers bad cholesterol
(SACRAMENTO, Calif. USA) – Plant sterols — recognized for their cholesterol-lowering power when added to margarines, salad dressings and other fats — are just as effective in reducing low-density lipoprotein, or ‘bad’ cholesterol’ levels, when added to orange juice, say researchers at UC Davis School of Medicine and Medical Center.
The results, based on a 10-week study of 72 healthy volunteers with mildly elevated cholesterol levels, are published in the March 8 issue of the American Heart Association’s journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology (available online at http://www.atvbaha.org).
‘Lowering LDL cholesterol is a well-accepted means of reducing the likelihood of heart disease,’ said Sridevi Devaraj, an assistant professor of pathology and investigator in the Laboratory for Atherosclerosis and Metabolic Research at UC Davis Medical Center who led the sterol study.
‘Fortifying orange juice with plant sterols is an easy and effective way to boost a diet’s LDL-fighting power in individuals with mildly elevated cholesterol levels.
‘Fifty percent of Americans have mildly elevated cholesterol levels, defined as having a total cholesterol reading of more than 200 mg/dL. The inclusion of sterols in orange juice offers an important treatment option without increasing saturated fat and at the same time providing vitamin C, flavonoids and other essential nutrients.’
The American Heart Association and National Cholesterol Education Program recommend a diet that is low in saturated fat and cholesterol and rich in soluble fiber and plant sterols to help individuals reduce their risk of heart disease. Read more
High Levels Of Type Of Cholesterol Not Routinely Screened Linked To Heart Attacks
A genetic analysis from three studies of people living in Denmark found that those who had higher levels of a cholesterol known as lipoprotein (a) due to genetic reasons were at higher risk of heart attack. The researchers suggested that although their findings were strong enough to support the idea that higher levels of lipoprotein (a) due to genetic reasons very probably cause higher risk of heart attack, only randomized clinical trials that show fewer heart attacks occur when lipoprotein (a) is reduced through therapy can prove it.
The study was the work of Dr Pia R Kamstrup, of Herlev Hospital, Copenhagen University Hospital in Herlev, Denmark, and colleagues, and is published in the 10 June issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, JAMA.
Despite the fact that statins are now routinely used to lower levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad” cholesterol), myocardial infarction (MI or heart attack) remains a leading cause of illness and death, wrote the authors.
There is a need to identify other risk factors as targets for treatment they said. Lipoprotein (a), a cholesterol that is not included in routine cholesterol screening, has been suggested as a potential candidate, but there is not enough evidence of how closely it is linked to heart attack risk. Read more