Physiological Effects of Concentrated Barley β-Glucan in Mildly Hypercholesterolemic Adults Diets containing barley significantly reduce lipids in mildly hypercholesterolemic men and women. Randomized controlled crossover study of the effect of a highly beta-glucan-enriched barley on cardiovascular disease risk factors in mildly hypercholesterolemic men. Effect of high beta-glucan barley on serum cholesterol concentrations and visceral fat area in Japanese men--a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial. The effects of concentrated barley beta-glucan on blood lipids in a population of hypercholesterolaemic men and women. Postprandial lipid, glucose, insulin, and cholecystokinin responses in men fed barley pasta enriched with beta-glucan. Barley and wheat foods: influence on plasma cholesterol concentrations in hypercholesterolemic men. Beta-glucan- or rice bran-enriched foods: a comparative crossover clinical trial on lipidic pattern in mildly hypercholesterolemic men Oat beta-glucan reduces blood cholesterol concentration in hypercholesterolemic subjects. Effect of oat consumption on lipid profiles in hypercholesterolemic adults.
Objective : Barley fiber rich in beta-glucans lowers serum lipids , but is difficult to incorporate into products acceptable to consumers . We investigated the physiological effects of two concentrated barley β-glucans on cardiovascular disease ( CVD ) endpoints and body weight in human subjects . Methods : Hypercholesterolemic men and women ( n = 90 ) were r and omly assigned to one of two treatments : low molecular weight ( low-MW ) or high molecular weight ( high-MW ) concentrated barley β-glucan consumed as a daily supplement containing 6 grams beta-glucan/day . Fasting blood sample s were collected at baseline and week 6 and analyzed for total cholesterol , HDL cholesterol , LDL cholesterol , triglycerides , glucose , insulin , homocysteine and C-reactive protein ( CRP ) . Dietary intakes , body weights , blood pressure , hunger ratings , and gastrointestinal symptoms were measured at baseline and 6 weeks . Results : The only difference between treatments in lipid outcomes at week 6 was a reduction of the cholesterol/HDL ratio in the low-MW group and a small increase in the high-MW group . No changes were found in blood pressure , glucose , insulin , and gastrointestinal symptoms . Body weight decreased from baseline to 6 weeks in the high-MW group while body weight increased in the low-MW group . Levels of hunger decreased slightly in the low-MW group and decreased significantly in the high-MW group ( P = 0.02 ) Conclusion : Overall , supplementation with isolated barley β-glucans of different molecular weights had small effects on cardiovascular disease markers . Molecular weight of the barley fiber did alter effects on body weight with the high-MW fiber significantly decreasing body weight BACKGROUND Barley has high amounts of soluble fiber but is not extensively consumed in the US diet . OBJECTIVE This study investigated whether consumption of barley would reduce cardiovascular disease risk factors comparably with that of other sources of soluble fiber . DESIGN Mildly hypercholesterolemic subjects ( 9 postmenopausal women , 9 premenopausal women , and 7 men ) consumed controlled American Heart Association Step 1 diets for 17 wk . After a 2-wk adaptation period , whole-grain foods containing 0 , 3 , or 6 g beta-glucan/d from barley were included in the Step 1 diet menus . Diets were consumed for 5 wk each and were fed in a Latin-square design . Fasting blood sample s were collected twice weekly . RESULTS Total cholesterol was significantly lower when the diet contained 3 or 6 g beta-glucan/d from barley than when it contained no beta-glucan ; the greatest change occurred in the men and postmenopausal women .  HDL and triacylglycerol concentrations did not differ with the 3 amounts of dietary beta-glucan . Large LDL and small VLDL fractions and mean LDL particle size significantly decreased when whole grains were incorporated into the 3 diets . Large LDL and large and intermediate HDL fractions were significantly higher , mean LDL particle size was significantly greater , and intermediate VLDL fractions were significantly lower in the postmenopausal women than in the other 2 groups . A group-by-diet interaction effect was observed on LDL fractions and small LDL particle size . CONCLUSION The addition of barley to a healthy diet may be effective in lowering total and LDL cholesterol in both men and women BACKGROUND Soluble-fiber beta-glucan derived from oats can reduce cardiovascular disease ( CVD ) risk through reductions in total and LDL cholesterol .  Barley-derived beta-glucan may also improve serum cholesterol , but large quantities are required for clinical significance . OBJECTIVE This trial investigated whether a beta-glucan-enriched form of barley can favorably modify cholesterol and other markers of CVD and diabetes risk . DESIGN Eighteen mildly hyperlipidemic ( + /- SD : 4.0 + /- 0.6 mmol LDL cholesterol/L ) men with a mean ( + /- SD ) body mass index ( in kg/m(2 ) ) of 27.4 + /- 4.6 were r and omly assigned in this single-blind , 2 x 4-wk trial to either the treatment arm [ 8.1 - 11.9 g beta-glucan/d ( scaled to body weight ) ] or the control arm ( isoenergetic dose of 6.5 - 9.2 g glucose/d ) . After a washout period of 4 wk , dietary regimens were crossed over . The trial took place in a long-stay metabolic facility , and all foods were provided ( 38 % of energy from fat ) . Fasted blood sample s were collected on days 0 , 1 , 7 , 14 , 21 , 28 , and 29 in both study arms . An oral-glucose-tolerance test was carried out on days 0 and 29 . RESULTS There was no significant change ( Delta ) in total ( Delta = -0.08 mmol/L , -1.3 % ) , LDL ( Delta = -0.15 mmol/L , -3.8 % ) , or HDL ( Delta = 0 mmol/L ) cholesterol or in triacylglycerol ( Delta = 0.18 mmol/L ) , fasting glucose ( Delta = -0.05 mmol/L ) , or postpr and ial glucose when analyzed between treatments ( P > 0.05 ; ANOVA ) . CONCLUSION The effect of beta-glucan-enriched barley on lipid profile was highly variable between subjects , and there was no evidence of a clinical ly significant improvement in CVD risk across this group of mildly hyperlipidemic men This study investigated whether the consumption of a diet in which high-beta-glucan barley replaced rice would reduce the visceral fat area as well as the serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( LDL-C ) and total cholesterol ( TC ) in hypercholesterolemic Japanese men . A r and omized , double-blinded , placebo-controlled intervention study was conducted in 44 hypercholesterolemic Japanese men with a body mass index ( BMI ) > 22 kg/m2 . The subjects were r and omly assigned to groups consuming either rice ( placebo group ) or a mixture of rice and pearl barley with a high beta-glucan content ( test group , 7.0 g beta-glucan per day ) for 12 weeks . Blood sample s were taken , and CT scan obtained before the trial and every four weeks during the trial . The pearl barley intake significantly reduced serum concentrations of LDL-C ( P = 0.041 ) and TC ( P = 0.037 ) during the trial . Significant differences between the test and placebo groups were found for the visceral fat ( P = 0.039 ) , BMI ( P = 0.015 ) , and waist circumference ( P = 0.011 ) at the end point . The consumption of pearl barley with a high beta-glucan content reduces not only LDL-C but also visceral fat area Barley , like oats , is a rich source of the soluble fibre beta-glucan , which has been shown to significantly lower LDL-cholesterol ( LDL-C ) . However , barley foods have been less widely studied . Therefore , we evaluated the LDL-C-lowering effect of a concentrated barley beta-glucan ( BBG ) extract as a vehicle to deliver this potential health benefit of barley . In a 10-week blinded controlled study , subjects were r and omized to one of four treatment groups or control . Treatment groups included either high molecular weight ( HMW ) or low molecular weight ( LMW ) BBG at both 3 and 5 g doses . Treatment was delivered twice per day with meals in the form of two functional food products : a ready-to-eat cereal and a reduced-calorie fruit juice beverage . Levels of total cholesterol , LDL-C , HDL-cholesterol ( HDL-C ) , and TAG were determined at baseline and after 6 weeks of treatment . The study group comprised 155 subjects . All treatments were well tolerated and after 6 weeks of treatment the mean LDL-C levels fell by 15 % in the 5 g HMW group , 13 % in the 5 g LMW group and 9 % in both the 3 g/d groups , versus baseline . Similar results were observed for total cholesterol . HDL-C levels were unchanged by treatment . Concentrated BBG significantly improves LDL-C and total cholesterol among moderately dyslipidaemic subjects . Food products containing concentrated BBG should be considered an effective option for improving blood lipids BACKGROUND Fiber regulates the rate and site of lipid and carbohydrate digestion and absorption and thus can modify the alimentary responses to a meal . When fiber sources containing viscous polysaccharides are included in a meal , a slower rate of carbohydrate and lipid absorption will modify the alimentary hormone and lipid responses . OBJECTIVE We investigated in 11 healthy men the response of insulin , glucose , cholecystokinin , and lipid to 2 test meals containing beta-glucan . DESIGN One of the meals was high in fiber ( 15.7 g ) and the other meal was low in fiber ( 5.0 g ) . The low-fiber meal contained pasta made with wheat flour . The high-fiber meals contained pasta prepared by replacing 40 % of the wheat with 2 types of barley flour : barley naturally high in beta-glucan and the other a flour enriched in beta-glucan during processing . RESULTS Plasma glucose and insulin concentrations increased significantly after all meals but the insulin response was more blunted after the barley-containing meals . The test meals were low in fat ( 25 % of energy ) but elicited an increase in plasma triacylglycerol and cholecystokinin . Cholecystokinin remained elevated for a longer time after the barley-containing meals . After the low-fiber meal , plasma cholesterol concentrations did not change significantly ; however , 4 h after the barley-containing meals , the cholesterol concentration dropped below the fasting concentration and was significantly lower than that after the low-fiber meal . CONCLUSIONS Carbohydrate was more slowly absorbed from the 2 high-fiber meals . Consumption of the barley-containing meals appeared to stimulate reverse cholesterol transport , which may contribute to the cholesterol-lowering ability of barley Twenty-one mildly hypercholesterolemic men aged 30 - 59 y were provided with comparable barley and wheat foods for each of 4 wk in a crossover- design ed experiment . The purpose of the study was to examine the influence of two sources of dietary fiber ( nonstarch polysaccharides , NSP ) on blood lipids and glucose concentrations .  Barley contains beta-glucan as a source of soluble dietary fiber ( DF ) whereas wheat contains the largely insoluble cellulose and hemicellulose fiber . Total dietary fiber increased from a previous intake of 21 - 38 g/d during the period of study for the two groups . Consumption of barley relative to wheat foods was associated with a significant fall in both plasma total cholesterol ( 6 % , P less than 0.05 ) and in low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol ( 7 % , P less than 0.02 ) whereas triglyceride and glucose concentrations did not change significantly . It is concluded that barley dietary fiber is more effective than wheat dietary fiber at lowering blood cholesterol in hypercholesterolemic men Background / Objectives : There has been growing interest in using dietary intervention to improve the lipid profile . This work aims at analyzing the effects and the comparison of the enrichment of a diet with beta-glucans or rice bran in mildly hypercholesterolemic men . Subjects/ Methods : The subjects initially consumed a 3-week Step 1 American Heart Association diet with rice bran-enriched foods . After this adaptation period , volunteers were r and omly assigned to follow a crossover , controlled trial that consisted of two treatment with beta-glucan- or rice bran-enriched foods , each of 4 weeks , with a 3-week wash-out , like the adaptation period , between periods . Fasted blood sample s were collected on days 0 , 21 , 49 , 70 and 98 in both study arms for measuring low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol ( primary outcome ) , total cholesterol , high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol , triglycerides , apolipoprotein ( apo ) A-I , apo B and glucose levels . Results : Twenty-four men ( mean age : 50.3±5.3 , mean body mass index : 24.9±1.9 ) completed the 14-week trial . Subjects in the 3-week adaptation period experienced significant reductions in the mean level of LDL cholesterol , total cholesterol , total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol , LDL cholesterol/HDL cholesterol , apo A-I , apo A-I/apo B and glucose . During the intervention diet periods , a difference was found between treatment groups for the mean change in LDL ( 0.21 ( 95 % confidence interval ( CI ) : 0.02–0.40 ) , P=0.033 ) and total cholesterol ( 0.34 ( 95 % CI : 0.20–0.47 ) , P<0.001 ) . Other parameters evaluated were not significantly affected by the diet consumed . Conclusions : The results of the present crossover clinical trial showed that beta-glucan-enriched foods are more effective in lowering serum LDL levels , compared with rice bran-enriched foods OBJECTIVE Several studies have indicated that consumption of oat bran lowers blood cholesterol and this effect has been attributed specifically to oat bran 's soluble fiber ( beta-glucan ) . This study was design ed to test this hypothesis . DESIGN The purified fibre ( oat gum , 80 % beta-glucan ) was isolated , and agglomerated in the presence of maltodextrin to facilitate dispersion in a drink . Subjects consumed the oat gum ( 2.9 g beta-glucan ) , or maltodextrin placebo , twice daily for 4 weeks , in a r and omized , cross-over design with a 3 week wash-out between phases . Consumption was equivalent to a daily dose of about 70 g of oat bran . SETTING The study was with free-living individuals . SUBJECTS Twenty hypercholesterolemic male and female adults entered , and 19 completed , the study . INTERVENTIONS Blood lipids from fasting individuals were measured weekly throughout the study . Diet was monitored using 3 day food diaries . RESULTS There were no significant changes ( P > 0.05 ) in blood lipids during the placebo phase . Mean initial total cholesterol ( 6.76 + /- 0.13 mmol/l ) and low density lipoprotein ( LDL ) cholesterol ( 4.59 + /- 0.14 mmol/l ) levels fell throughout the oat gum phase , and at week 4 each was reduced 9 % relative to initial values ( P = 0.0004 and 0.005 respectively ) . When oat gum was discontinued , total and LDL cholesterol returned to initial levels . There were no significant changes in high density lipoprotein ( HDL ) cholesterol . Triglyceride levels also remained unchanged except for a singular decrease at week 4 of the oat gum phase relative to the initial value , but not compared to the placebo value . The lowered mean total and LDL cholesterol levels occurred in the absence of any dietary changes . CONCLUSIONS The main component of the soluble fibre of oats , beta-glucan , significantly reduced the total and LDL cholesterol levels of hypercholesterolemic adults without changing HDL cholesterol BACKGROUND Hypercholesterolemia is a strong risk factor in cardiovascular disease . Oat ( Avena sativa L. ) beta-glucan , the soluble fiber in oat , has been known to reduce blood cholesterol levels considerably . However , the effect of oat soluble fiber in the Thai population is unknown . OBJECTIVE To determine the effect of oat consumption on serum lipid profiles in Thai hypercholesterolemic adults . MATERIAL AND METHOD The present study was a r and omized , crossover design . Twenty-four hypercholesterolemic adults , male and female aged 30 - 60 years , were r and omly assigned into two groups of twelve each . Group 1 consumed 70 g ( 3 g beta-glucan ) of oatmeal daily through the first 4-week intervention , and then switched to 70 g rice porridge ( control product ) daily for the next 4-week intervention . Group 2 consumed rice porridge first and then oatmeal . Before and after each intervention period , lipid profiles including total cholesterol ( TC ) , triglycerides ( TG ) , high density lipoprotein cholesterol ( HDL-C ) , and low density lipoprotein cholesterol ( LDL-C ) of all subjects were measured . RESULTS Following daily oat consumption , total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels were significantly lower than baseline levels and lower than the levels observed with rice consumption . Oat consumption reduced total cholesterol by 5 % and LDL-cholesterol by 10 % from baseline levels . In addition , mean and percent changes were significantly different from the levels after consuming rice porridge ( p < 0.05 ) . CONCLUSION Oatmeal reduced serum total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels in hypercholesterolemic Thai adults . Hence , oat consumption is a reasonable recommendation for Thai individuals with hyperlipidemia
Conclusions : Pooled analyses show that barley β-glucan has a lowering effect on LDL-C and non-HDL-C. Inclusion of barley-containing foods may be a strategy for achieving targets in CVD risk reduction
Background / Objectives : There has been recent interest in barley as a therapeutic food owing to its high content of beta-glucan ( β-glucan ) , a viscous soluble fiber recognized for its cholesterol-lowering properties .
The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta- analysis of r and omized controlled trials ( RCTs ) investigating the cholesterol-lowering potential of barley β-glucan on low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( LDL-C ) , non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( non-HDL-C ) and apolipoprotein B ( apoB ) for cardiovascular disease ( CVD ) risk reduction .