ARTINIA® Chitin-Glucan Cuts Oxidized LDL

LOUISVILLE, Ky.Daily supplementation with chitin-glucan reduced oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, reducing the risk of atherosclerosis (Eur J Clin Nutr. 2012 Sep 5. DOI: 10.1038/ejcn.2012.121). In the six-week study, subjects with high LDL cholesterol levels took 4.5 g/d of ARTINIA®, a chitin-glucan ingredient from Stratum Nutrition derived from the Aspergillus niger mycelium.

Elevated oxidized (LDL) promotes inflammation and is associated with increased risk of atherosclerotic coronary heart disease and worsening complications of diabetes.

he primary objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of chitin-glucan (CG), alone and in combination with a potentially anti-inflammatory olive oil (OO) extract, for reducing OxLDL in subjects with borderline to high LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) levels.

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluated 130 diabetes-free subjects free with fasting LDL cholesterol levels between 3.37 and 4.9 mmol/l. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either ARTINIA at either 4.5 g/d (n=33) or at 1.5 g/d (n=32), ARTINIA (1.5 g/day) plus olive oil extract (135 mg/d; n=30), or matching placebo (n=35).

Administration of 4.5 g/d of ARTINIA for six weeks significantly reduced oxidized LDL compared with placebo (P=0.035). At the end of study, ARTINIA was associated with lower LDL cholesterol levels relative to placebo, although this difference was statistically significant only for the ARTINIA 1.5 g/day group (P=0.019). ARTINIA did not significantly affect high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose or insulin levels. Adverse events did not substantively differ between treatments and placebo.

"These results are very supportive of previous results obtained in animal models regarding the beneficial effects of chitin-glucan on cardiovascular health, and provide a strong rationale to pursue additional research with this unique fiber ingredient," said Joseph L. Evans, Ph.D., executive manager, pharmacology for Stratum Nutrition and co-investigator on this study.

Stratum Nutrition is a Novus International Business.

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