| Beta glucan Lowers Blood Lipids | | | | weight (LMW) or high molecular weight (HMW) barley |
| BERLIN-Barley beta-glucan reduces serum lipid levels, | | | | beta-glucan (from Cargill) twice daily, in cereal and |
| according to research presented in April at the First | | | | juice. |
| International Congress on Pre-Diabetes and Metabolic | | | | Posttreatment assessment of blood lipids and other |
| Syndrome. | | | | CVD biomarkers revealed improvements in |
| In the six-week study, 76 men and 79 women with | | | | low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, triglycerides, |
| hypercholesterolemia, aged | | | | markers of glycemic control |
| 25 to 73, completed a four-week lowfat diet prior to | | | | (glycosylated hemoglobin, HOMA model) and a key |
| baseline. At the beginning of the trial, test subjects | | | | marker of inflammation |
| were randomly allocated to one of four treatment | | | | (hs-CRP). |
| groups or a control group and assayed for blood lipids | | | | The researchers concluded both doses of LMW and |
| and other cardiovascular disease (CVD) biomarkers. | | | | HMW barley beta-glucan improved blood lipids over a |
| During the course of the study, test groups were | | | | six-week treatment period. |
| administered 3 g and 5 g doses of low molecular | | | | |