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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Boston, Massachusetts » Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #212937
Title: Effects of consuming foods containing oat beta-glucan on blood pressure, carbohydrate metabolism, and biomarkers of oxidative stress in men and women with elevated blood pressure

Author
item MAKI, KEVIN - RADIANT RESEARCH, CHICAGO
item GALANT, RON - RADIANT RESEARCH, CHICAGO
item SAMUEL, PRISCILLA - THE QUAKER OATS COMPANY
item TESSER, JOHN - RADIANT RESEARCH, PHOENIX
item WITCHGER, MARYSUE - RADIANT RESEARCH, CHICAGO
item Ribaya-Mercado, Judy
item Blumberg, Jeffrey
item GEOHAS, JEFFERY - RADIANT RESEARCH, CHICAGO

Submitted to: European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/14/2006
Publication Date: 12/6/2006
Citation: Maki, K.C., Galant, R., Samuel, P., Tesser, J., Witchger, M., Ribaya-Mercado, J., Blumberg, J., Geohas, J. 2006. Effects of consuming foods containing oat beta-glucan on blood pressure, carbohydrate metabolism, and biomarkers of oxidative stress in men and women with elevated blood pressure. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 61:786-795.

Interpretive Summary: In this study, men and women >40 years of age, with elevated systolic blood pressure (between 130-179 mm Hg), and/or diastolic blood pressure (between 85-109 mm Hg), were assigned to consume for 12 weeks 3 servings per day of oat-containing foods or of control foods consisting of low-fiber wheat-based cereals. Blood pressure, insulin, and glucose values before and after standard breakfast meals, and 4 biomarkers of oxidative stress (serum oxidized LDL, plasma malondialdehyde, plasma protein carbonyls, and whole blood glycosylated hemoglobin) were measured at baseline and after 12 weeks. There were no differences in systolic or diastolic blood pressures between the 2 groups at any point during the study. However, among obese subjects with body mass index above the median value, those in the oat group showed decreases in systolic and diastolic blood pressures of 5.6 mm Hg and 2.1 mm Hg, respectively, whereas those in the control group showed increases of 2.7 mm Hg and 1.9 mm Hg, respectively. Insulin levels after a meal decreased in the oat group, whereas they were essentially unchanged in the control group. Glucose peak levels after a meal, although lower in oat compared to control group, were not significantly different between the 2 groups. Changes in the 4 biomarkers of oxidative stress were also not significantly different between the 2 groups. The results of this trial add to evidence from other studies that consuming oat foods may favorably alter blood pressure in obese subjects, possibly through insulin-mediated alterations in carbohydrate metabolism.

Technical Abstract: Objective: To assess the effects of consuming foods containing oat beta-glucan on blood pressure, carbohydrate homeostasis and biomarkers of oxidative stress. Design: A randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial. Setting: The trial was conducted at two clinics. Subjects and interventions: Ninety-seven men and women with resting systolic blood pressure 130-179 mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure 85-109 mm Hg were randomly assigned to consume foods containing oat beta-glucan or control froods for 12 weeks. Resting blood pressures, insulin, and glucose values before and after standard breakfast meals, and four biomarkers of oxidative stress were measured before and at the end of the treatment period. Results: Changes from baseline to week 12 in mean peak insulin and incremental area under the insulin curve differed significantly between groups (P = 0.037 and 0.034, respectively), with the beta-glucan group showing declines and the control group remaining essentially unchanged. Blood pressure responses were not significantly different between groups overall. However, in subjects with body mass index above the median (31.5 kg/m2), both systolic (8.3 mm Hg, P = 0.008) and diastolic (3.9 mm Hg, P = 0.018) blood pressures were lowered in the beta-glucan group compared to controls. No significant differences in biomarkers of oxidative stress were observed between treatments. Conclusions: The results of the present trial suggest beneficial effects of foods containing beta-glucan from oats on carbohydrate metabolism, and on blood pressure in obese subjects.