Evaluation of a functional oil composed of medium chain triacylglycerols, phytosterols and n-3 fatty acids on the cardiovascular risk profile of overweight women

• Main Author: Bourque, Christine.
• Other Authors: Jones, Peter J. H. (advisor)
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: McGill University 2002
• Subjects: Functional foods.; Sterols > Physiological effect.; Omega-3 fatty acids > Physiological effect.; Overweight women.; Reducing diets.; Blood lipids.; Phytosterols.
• Online Access: http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=32765

We examined the effect of a functional oil (FctO), with potential weight-controlling and blood lipid-lowering attributes, vs beef tallow as control (C), on the cardiovascular risk profile of overweight women. The FctO comprised energy expenditure-enhancing medium chain triacylglycerols, cholesterol-lowering phytosterols and triacylglycerol-suppressing n-3 fatty acids. In a randomized, single-blind, crossover design, inpatient trial, 17 women consumed each oil as part of a controlled, supervised, energy-adjusted diet for 27 days. Body weight decreased similarly during both dietary periods. Plasma total and LDL cholesterol levels decreased by 4.8% and 10.4% following FctO, and were lower by 9.0% and 16.4% respectively, after FctO vs C. HDL cholesterol and circulating triacylglycerol levels were unaffected by treatment, though HDL:LDL and HDL:total cholesterol ratios increased by 19.5% and 9.4% on FctO. Plasma total homocysteine levels were higher on FctO vs C. Plasma glutathione increased with FctO supplementation. === We conclude that consumption of FctO improves the overall cardiovascular risk profile of overweight women.