Endocrinol Metab.  2020 Jun;35(2):298-307. 10.3803/EnM.2020.35.2.298.

Effects of a Portfolio-Mediterranean Diet and a Mediterranean Diet with or without a Sterol-Enriched Yogurt in Individuals with Hypercholesterolemia

• Ferro Y
• Mazza E
• Salvati M
• Santariga E
• Giampà S
• Spagnuolo R
• Doldo P
• Pujia R
• Coppola A
• Gazzaruso C
• Pujia A
• Montalcini T

• KMID: 2503260
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3803/EnM.2020.35.2.298

Abstract

Background
A growing number of functional foods have been proposed to reduce cholesterol levels and the Portfolio Diet, which includes a combination of plant sterols, fibres, nuts, and soy protein, reduces low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) from 20% to 30% in individuals with hyperlipidaemia. In this pilot study, the aim was to investigate whether a Mediterranean Diet incorporating a new and simple combination of cholesterol-lowering foods, excluding soy and nuts (namely the Portfolio-Mediterranean Diet), would reduce LDL-C levels, in the short-term, better than a Mediterranean Diet plus a sterol-enriched yogurt or a Mediterranean Diet alone.
Methods
We retrospectively evaluated 24 individuals on a Portfolio-Mediterranean Diet and 48 matched individuals on a Mediterranean Diet with or without a sterol-enriched yogurt (24 each groups) as controls.
Results
At follow-up (after 48±12 days), we observed an LDL reduction of 21±4, 23±4, and 44±4 mg/dL in the Mediterranean Diet alone, Mediterranean Diet plus yogurt and Portfolio-Mediterranean Diet respectively (P<0.001).
Conclusion
A Portfolio-Mediterranean Diet, incorporating a new combination of functional foods such as oats or barley, plant sterols, chitosan, and green tea but not soy and nuts, may reduce LDL of 25% in the short term in individuals with hypercholesterolemia.

Keyword

Cholesterol, LDL; Diet, Mediterranean; Yogurt; Anticholesteremic agents

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Clinical characteristics changes of participants according to the dietary treatment. (A) Weight change, (B) total cholesterol change, (C) high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) change, (D) triglycerides change, (E) low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) change, and (F) adjusted LDL-C change. MedDiet, Mediterranean Diet; SEY, sterol-enriched yogurt; P-MedDiet, Portfolio-Mediterranean Diet. aAdjusted for gender, age, weight change, follow-up duration, lipid disorders, and basal LDL (with General Linear Model analysis).

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  Fig. 2 Low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) reduction according to the dietary treatment. Adjusted for gender, age, weight change, follow-up duration, lipid disorders, and basal LDL (with General Linear Model analysis). MedDiet, Mediterranean Diet; SEY, sterol-enriched yogurt; P-MedDiet, Portfolio-Mediterranean Diet.

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