Effect of a standardized wheat bran preparation on serum lipids in young healthy males

Feeding of a chemically standardized coarse wheat bran product in a dose of 0.5 g/kg body weight per day over a period of 4 weeks in young healthy male volunteers did cause a significant reduction in total serum cholesterol as well as in total serum triglycerides of 10 and 24%, respectively. Very low density lipoprotein-, high density lipoprotein-, and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels tended to diminish during bran feeding. The most marked reduction was observed in the high density lipoprotein- cholesterol fraction. Although the duration of this study was relatively short, it is concluded, that these results could have therapeutic consequences for the dietary management of hyperlipidemia. However, the lowering of high density lipoprotein-cholesterol could also be interpreted as unfavorable since an inverse relationship between high density lipoprotien-cholesterol levels and the occurrence of coronary heart disease has been established.