Effects of low-fat stanol ester enriched margarines on concentrations of serum carotenoids in subjects with elevated serum cholesterol concentrations

Objective: To investigate the effects of low-fat stanol ester margarines on concentrations of serum carotenoids. Design: A randomized parallel double-blind study design consisting of a 4-week run-in (high-fat diet) and an 8-week experimental (low-fat, low-cholesterol diet) period. During the experimental diet period subjects consumed low-fat wood stanol ester (WSEM), vegetable oil stanol ester (VOSEM) or control (no stanol esters) margarine daily. The daily mean total stanol intake was 2.31 and 2.16 g in the WSEM and VOSEM groups, respectively. Setting: Outpatient clinical trial with free-living subjects. Subjects: Altogether, 60 hypercholesterolaemic subjects were selected for the study out of 91 originally screened. The study was completed by 55 subjects. Main outcomes measures: Serum alpha- and beta-carotene and lycopene determined by the HPLC. Results: Serum alpha-carotene concentration did not change significantly in either of the experimental groups, whereas beta-carotene concentration decreased significantly in the WSEM and VOSEM groups (P < 0.01), and the change differed significantly (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01,respectively) from that of the control group. Decrease in alpha+beta-carotene concentration was significantly greater (P < 0.05) in both experimental groups than in the control group. However, the change in alpha-, beta- or alpha+beta-carotene/total cholesterol ratio did not differ significantly among the groups. No significant changes were found in serum lycopene or lycopene/total cholesterol ratio in both experimental groups. Conclusions: Low-fat stanol ester margarines appeared to have little effect on serum concentrations of alpha-, beta- or alpha+beta-carotene, or lycopene.