Journal Name:
British Journal of Nutrition
Article Title:
High-oleic rapeseed (canola) and flaxseed oils modulate serum lipids and inflammatory biomarkers in hypercholesterolaemic subjects
Date Written:
2011
Volume:
105
Number:
NA
Page:
417
Author(s):
Gillingham, L.G; Gustafson, J.A; Han, S.Y; Jassal, D.S; Jones, P.J.H.
Article:
Considerable interest has been focused on the influence of dietary fatty acids on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, with attention being centred on the value of dietary fat quality. Evidence from prospective cohort studies and controlled clinical trials supports the use of dietary unsaturated fatty acids for the reduction of CVD risk factors. Therefore, dietary guidelines with a focus on cardiovascular health have recommended replacing saturated fatty acids (SFA) with unsaturated fats. Increased consumption of novel dietary oils rich in monounsaturated fats (MUFA) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) may improve the fatty acid imbalance of modern Western diets that are high in SFA and have a high n-6/n-3 ratio.
Thirty-nine individuals took part in a randomized, single blind crossover, controlled diet clinical trial with three 28 day phases with a washout period in between all phases. Subjects were between 18-65 years old with serum LDL cholesterol 3.0 mmol/l and BMI between 22 and 36 kg/m2. The three oils tested included high oleic canola oil (HOCO), and a 1:1 blend of the high oleic canola oil and flaxseed oil (FXCO), and a blend of oils typical of a Western diet (WD) including butter, extra virgin olive oil, vegetable lard and sunflower oil.
Compared with the WD control, both the HOCO and FXCO diets substantially reduced total cholesterol, with the FXCO diet further reducing the TC beyond that of the HOCO diet. LDL-cholesterol was also reduced with the HOCO and FXCO diets. As has been seen in other studies, the FXCO diet reduced HDL-cholesterol from the baseline level. The WD control and HOCO diet did not reduce HDL-cholesterol from baseline. The FXCO diet reduced E-selectin compared with the WD control and the HOCO diet, but no reductions in other inflammatory biomarkers were observed. It has been previously shown that effective lipid-lowering intervention reduced plasma E-selectin concentrations in dyslipidaemic subjects; however, the lipid-lowering effect was not associated with a reduction in VCAM-1 or ICAM-1 concentrations. Therefore, the authors speculate that the acute effects of FXCO consumption on E-selectin concentrations may be attributed to the magnitude of reductions in circulating lipids. The authors conclude that consumption of novel high oleic canola oil alone or when blended with flaxseed oil is cardioprotective through lipid-lowering effects. The incorporation of flaxseed oil may also target inflammation by reducing plasma E-selectin.
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