RESUMO
Hyperlipidemia is one of the leading causes of death and requires lipid-lowering treatment to reduce morbidity and mortality. Effective and safe alternative and adjunctive therapies could be beneficial for patients with hyperlipidemia. To assess the effect of a fiber-multivitamin combination product on the lipid parameters low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and apolipoprotein B (Apo B) in patients with hypercholesterolemia, we conducted a double-blind, randomized, parallel-group study. Forty-one out of 50 randomized hypercholesterolemic participants recruited between August 2016 and March 2018 completed the trial. The participants were assigned to receive either test product (treatment group, n = 20) or placebo (placebo group, n = 21) for 4 weeks following a 6-week dietary intervention (based on education from a dietitian) run-in period. The primary outcome was LDL-c levels and the secondary outcomes were HDL-c, TC, TG, and Apo B levels. All of the outcomes were measured at baseline and week 4 after the completion of run-in period. Participants in both groups had similar LDL-c levels (142 ± 15.7 vs. 143 ± 19.3 mg/dL). After 4 weeks of exposure to test product, participants in the treatment group demonstrated a 17.25 ± 22.26 reduction in LDL-c (p < .05 vs. placebo). This improvement in LDL-c was accompanied by amelioration in TC and Apo B levels, without any detrimental effects on HDL and TG concentration. Results of the present study suggest that fiber-vitamin combination has potential to be used as an adjunct therapy for the management of hypercholesterolemia.