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30, 2005 CONTACT:
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Abstract P 284
American Heart Association
meeting report:
Fiber supplements may lower
cardiovascular risk in type 2 diabetes
WASHINGTON,
D.C., April 30 – Fiber supplements lowered “bad” low-density lipoprotein (LDL
cholesterol) and increased “good” high-density lipoprotein (HDL cholesterol) in
people with type 2 diabetes, according to a study presented at the Sixth Annual
Conference on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology.
Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body is
unable to produce or properly use insulin to turn food into energy. Heart disease is the leading cause of
diabetes-related deaths. According to
the most recent statistics published by the American Heart Association, half of
all diabetics have high cholesterol, which is a major risk factor for heart
disease.
Supplements that increase dietary fiber
have been shown to reduce blood cholesterol levels, which led researchers at
Unicity International in Orem, Utah to study its effect on type 2 diabetes.
“The
remarkable observation is that this works on two sides: it decreased LDL and
increased HDL by significant amounts at 90 days,” said the study’s lead author,
Peter J. Verdegem, Ph.D., chief science officer at Unicity International. “This approach is virtually free of side
effects. It opens up an alternative treatment option.”
The
study is one of the first to examine the effect of fiber in heart disease risk
reduction for type 2 diabetes, said Verdegem.
The
78 participants in the open label trial had type 2 diabetes and an average age
of 59 years. Total blood cholesterol,
triglycerides, LDL and HDL were measured at baseline and again at 90 days.
Cholesterol is a soft, waxy fat that is
used by the body to form cell membranes and perform other important functions. Lipoproteins transport cholesterol through
the body. LDL escorts cholesterol
through the circulatory system; HDL carries it to the liver where it it can be
eliminated.
Elevated cholesterol levels can raise the
risk of hard deposits called plaques forming in the arteries, which likewise
increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.
LDL levels of 160 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) and above are
considered high.
Soluble fiber has been shown to help lower
blood cholesterol levels. However, most
adults in the United States do not consume enough dietary fiber. According to the American Heart Association,
average daily intake for adults is 15 grams, whereas 25 to 30 grams of fiber is
recommended.
“The
product was designed to fill that gap between the real intake and the advised
intake,” Verdegem said.
Study
participants received 10 to 15 grams of a fiber supplement called BiosLife 2,
an over-the-counter product manufactured by Unicity International. The drink contains both soluble and insoluble
fiber from guar gum, gum arabic, locust bean gum, pectin and oat fiber
dispersed in calcium carbonate. It was
administered in five-gram doses two to three times daily five to 10 minutes
before eating.
“When it is in the intestines, the fiber
decreases reabsorption of cholesterol from a meal,” said Verdegem.
At
the end of the study period, total cholesterol had dropped from 215 mg/dL to
184 mg/dL, a decrease of 14.4 percent.
Triglycercides also improved.
Levels dropped from 299 mg/dL to 257 mg/dL, a decrease of 14.0 percent.
LDL
decreased from 129 mg/dL to 92 mg/dL--a 28.7 percent improvement. HDL rose from 43 mg/dL to 55 mg/dL--a 21.8
percent increase.
“With
a normal pharmaceutical intervention you see a decrease in LDL but not an
increase in HDL to these levels,” Verdegem said. “It is usually only a one-sided effect.”
Statin
drugs are among the most commonly used cholesterol-lowering medications. Verdegem said the study demonstrates that
dietary fiber supplements are an alternative to statins for people with
moderately high cholesterol who are unable or unwilling to take statins.
Co-authors
are Steven H. Freed and David J. Joffe.
Statements
and conclusions of study authors that are presented at American Heart
Association scientific meetings are solely those of the study authors and do
not necessarily reflect association policy or position. The American Heart Association makes no
representation or warranty as to their accuracy or reliabili
NR05 – ???? (ATVB/Verdegem)
Contact Information: Dr. Verdegem can be reached
at (801) 714-1347;
CTNR Bios Life Diabetes in Control Study 1 profile_Bios Life Diabetes Association Abstract BiosLife 2
http://bit.ly/bW8GBN
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