Effects of Oat Beta-Glucan Intake on Lipid Profiles in Hypercholesterolemic Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
Level 1 - systematic review of randomized trials
Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
PubMed 35631184 · doi:10.3390/nu14102043
What was done
A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials was performed to assess the effect of oat beta-glucan consumption on serum lipid profiles in adults with hypercholesterolemia. Databases searched from inception to February 28, 2022, included PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Embase. Primary outcomes were total cholesterol (TC), total triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c). Results were pooled as weighted mean differences (WMD) with 95% confidence intervals using random-effects or fixed-effects models depending on heterogeneity. Subgroup analysis and meta-regression were conducted to explore sources of heterogeneity.
What was found
Thirteen trials including 927 participants met inclusion criteria. Oat beta-glucan intake significantly reduced total cholesterol (pooled WMD = -0.24 mmol/L; 95% CI: -0.28 to -0.20 mmol/L) and LDL cholesterol (pooled WMD = -0.27 mmol/L; 95% CI: -0.35 to -0.20 mmol/L). It showed no significant effect on triglycerides (pooled WMD = -0.04 mmol/L; 95% CI: -0.13 to 0.05 mmol/L) or HDL cholesterol (pooled WMD = 0.00 mmol/L; 95% CI: -0.05 to 0.05 mmol/L). Subgroup analysis showed outcomes were influenced by disease severity, daily intervention dose, beta-glucan source, and intervention duration.
Why it matters
This review provides quantitative evidence that dietary oat beta-glucan modestly lowers circulating total and LDL cholesterol in hypercholesterolemic adults without unfavorable impacts on HDL cholesterol.
Limits
The total sample size across the 13 included trials was modest (927 participants total). Heterogeneity was present and influenced by baseline hypercholesterolemia severity, daily dose, beta-glucan source, and study duration. Hard cardiovascular outcomes, adverse events, and long-term maintenance were not reported in the abstract.