Effects of oat and wheat cereals on endothelial responses

This study was undertaken to determine the effects of month-long whole grain oat and wheat cereal supplementation on endothelial function following a fatty meal as measured by brachial artery reactivity studies.

Fifty healthy adult subjects underwent brachial artery reactivity studies before and after a high-fat meal along with alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E), oats, or a comparable bowl of wheat cereal and were again tested after the high-fat meal following month-long supplementation with oat or wheat cereal in a random crossover with interim washout.

In the acute phase, the fatty meal attenuated the hyperemic brachial artery flow response when administered concurrently with wheat cereal (-13.4%; P = 0.02), whereas hyperemic flow was maintained by concurrent administration of either oatmeal or alpha-tocopherol. Following month-long supplementation, postprandial peak flow (wheat +3.88 +/- 5.62%; oat -10.78 +/- 7.15%), and peak diameter (wheat -1.40 +/- 0.96%; oat -0.86 +/- 0.88%) did not differ from preprandial values. Oat and wheat treatments did not differ when directly compared.

Month-long, daily supplementation with either whole-grain oat or wheat cereal may prevent postprandial impairment of vascular reactivity in response to a high-fat meal.