The effect of a low-fat spread with added plant sterols on vascular function markers: results of the Investigating Vascular Function Effects of Plant XXXX (INVEST) study.

@entity1 @entity9542 @entity753 @entity731 @entity384 @entity409 @entity3150 @entity453 @entity165 @entity9543
BACKGROUND: Plant @entity3150 (PSs) lower LDL @entity165 , an established risk factor for @entity453 ( @entity453 ). No direct evidence is available supporting a reduced risk of @entity453 for foods with added PSs. @entity409 is seen as an early indicator of @entity731 . OBJECTIVES: This study was primarily designed to investigate the effect of a low-fat spread with added PSs on brachial artery endothelial function as measured by @entity384 ( @entity384 ). Second, effects on arterial stiffness, blood pressure, serum lipids, and plasma PS concentrations were investigated. We hypothesized that PSs would not worsen @entity384 but would rather modestly improve @entity384 . DESIGN: This study had a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel design. After a 4-wk run-in period, 240 @entity753 but otherwise healthy @entity1 and @entity1 consumed 20 g/d of low-fat spread without (control) or with added PSs (3 g/d) during 12 wk. Pre- and postintervention, vascular function measurements and blood sampling were performed. RESULTS: In total, 232 @entity1 completed the study period. For the primary endpoint @entity384 , 199 @entity1 were included in the statistical analysis. PS intake did not affect @entity384 (+0.01 percentage points; 95% CI: -0.73, 0.75) compared with control. Measures of arterial stiffness (pulse wave velocity and augmentation index) and blood pressure were also not significantly changed compared with control. After PS intervention, LDL @entity165 significantly decreased on average by 0.26 mmol/L (95% CI: -0.40, -0.12) or 6.7% compared with control. Plasma @entity9542 and @entity9543 concentrations significantly increased in the PS group up to on average 11.5  mol/L and 13.9  mol/L (expressed as geometric means), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The intake of a low-fat spread with added PSs neither improved nor worsened @entity384 or other vascular function markers in @entity753 @entity1 and @entity1 . As expected, serum LDL @entity165 decreased, whereas plasma PSs increased after PS intake. This study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01803178.
