Applied nutritional investigationStudy of the effects of a diet supplemented with active components on lipid and glycemic profiles

- The importance of prevention to reduce the incidence of pathologies.
- Study of effects of some food components that are recognized as beneficial to health for the prevention of metabolic disorders and, in turn, risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
- Administration of a diet containing foods enriched with ω-3 fatty acids, β-glucans, phytosterols, and vitamin E compared with a similar diet without these active ingredients.
- The novelty of the study is that during the treatment the participants followed their usual diet.
- The results show a statistically significant reduction across the lipid profile.
- A meal rich in β-glucans produces a glycemic response significantly lower than a nonenriched meal.

ObjectivesCurrently, there are numerous studies on risk factors for cardiovascular disease and the potential for functional foods to bring benefits or improve people's health. However, most of these studies are conducted with middle-aged individuals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of supplementing a typical diet with some functional components, which are substances that when consumed in small quantities can improve people's welfare.MethodsThe participants in this study were young; slightly overweight; had normal glucose tolerance; and had lipid values indicating dyslipidemia or close dyslipidemia. Following a 4-wk run-in phase, participants followed either a diet containing foods enriched with ω-3 fatty acids, β-glucans, phytosterols, and vitamin E or an isoenergetic diet without the active components. Sixteen individuals (age range 20 to 37 y) were randomly assigned to one of two groups. At the end of treatment, while fasting, plasma concentrations of triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and total cholesterol were measured. Furthermore, blood glucose was evaluated after fasting and after a meal enriched with β-glucans.ResultsThere was a statistically significant reduction (α < 0.05) across the lipid profile. A meal rich in β-glucans produced a glycemic response significantly lower than the nonenriched meal.ConclusionThe dietary supplements used in this work, based on the integration of functional components into the usual diet of the population, have proved effective in reducing peak levels of postprandial glucose and the risk for dyslipidemia. Therefore, these functional components proved a valuable aid in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases and metabolic disorders.

209