Effects of low-fat stanol ester enriched margarines on concentrations of serum carotenoids in subjects with elevated serum cholesterol concentrations

To investigate the effects of low-fat stanol ester margarines on concentrations of serum carotenoids. A randomized parallel double-blind study design consisting of a 4-week run-in (high-fat diet) and an 8-week experimental (low-fat, low-cholesterol diet) period. During the experimental diet period subjects consumed low-fat wood stanol ester (WSEM), vegetable oil stanol ester (VOSEM) or control (no stanol esters) margarine daily. The daily mean total stanol intake was 2.31 and 2.16 g in the WSEM and VOSEM groups, respectively. Outpatient clinical trial with free-living subjects. Altogether, 60 hypercholesterolaemic subjects were selected for the study out of 91 originally screened. The study was completed by 55 subjects. Serum alpha- and beta-carotene and lycopene determined by the HPLC. Serum alpha-carotene concentration did not change significantly in either of the experimental groups, whereas beta-carotene concentration decreased significantly in the WSEM and VOSEM groups (P