A high intake of dietary fiber influences C-reactive protein and fibrinogen, but not glucose and lipid metabolism, in mildly hypercholesterolemic subjects

• DOI: 10.1007/s00394-013-0496-8
• Publication Date: 2013-02-06T07:19:42Z
• Authors: Anna Johansson-Pe...; Matilda Ulmius; Lieselotte Cloetens; Toni Karhu; Karl-Heinz Herzig; Gunilla Önning
• Keywords: Adult; Blood Glucose; Dietary Fiber; Male; Hypercholesterolemia; Inflammatory markers; Body Mass Index; Rye; 03 medical and health sciences; Humans; Single-Blind Method; Aged; 2. Zero hunger; 0303 health sciences; Cross-Over Studies; Sugar beet; Cholesterol, HDL; Fibrinogen; Cholesterol, LDL; Lipid; Middle Aged; Lipid Metabolism; Dietary fiber; Healthy Volunteers; 3. Good health; Glucose; C-Reactive Protein; Cardiovascular Diseases; Cytokines; Female; Oat; Human

The aim of the study was to investigate how a diet high in dietary fiber, with several fiber sources included, modulates glucose and lipid metabolism and the inflammatory response in humans.Subjects (n = 25) aged 58.6 (1.1) years (mean and SD) with a BMI of 26.6 (0.5) kg/m(2) and a total cholesterol (TC) of 5.8 (0.1) mmol/L (mean and SEM) were given a high fiber (HF) and low fiber (LF) diet, in a randomized controlled 5-week crossover intervention, separated by a 3-week washout. The HF diet consisted of oat bran, rye bran, and sugar beet fiber incorporated into test food products; one bread roll, one ready meal, and two beverages consumed daily. Equivalent food products, without added fibers, were provided in the LF diet.Total dietary fiber intake was 48.0 g and 30.2 g per day for the HF and LF diet, respectively. Significant reduction in C-reactive protein (CRP) was observed between the diets (P = 0.017) and a significant reduction in fibrinogen within the HF diet (P = 0.044). There were no significant effects in other measured circulating cytokines or in glucose, insulin, and lipid levels.Our study suggests that a 5-week high dietary fiber intake of oat bran, rye bran, and sugar beet fiber might reduce the low-grade inflammatory response measured as CRP which could, together with reduced fibrinogen, help to prevent the risk of cardiovascular disease.