Original Communication
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2005) 59, 1272–1281. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602240; published online 13 July 2005
Changes in serum lipids and postprandial glucose and insulin concentrations after consumption of beverages with 
-glucans from oats or barley: a randomised dose-controlled trial
Guarantor: G Önning.
Contributors: MB and AvR were responsible at each study centre for the study protocol, study recruitment, day-to-day running of the study and data analysis. MB also performed the statistical analysis, evaluated the results and wrote the manuscript. GÖ and RM designed and supervised the study and were involved in the evaluation of the results and writing of the manuscript.
M Biörklund1, A van Rees2, R P Mensink2 and G Önning1
- 1Biomedical Nutrition, Center for Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- 2Department of Human Biology, Nutrition and Toxicology Research Institute Maastricht (NUTRIM), Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
Correspondence: G Önning, Biomedical Nutrition, Centre for Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lund University, P.O. Box 124 SE-22100 Lund, Sweden. E-mail: gunilla.onning@kc.lu.se
Received 2 February 2005; Revised 24 May 2005; Accepted 3 June 2005; Published online 13 July 2005.
Abstract
Objectives:
To investigate side by side the effects on serum lipoproteins and postprandial glucose and insulin concentrations of beverages enriched with 5 or 10 g of 
-glucans from oats or barley.
Design and setting:
An 8-week single blind, controlled study with five parallel groups carried out at two centres under identical conditions.
Subjects:
A total of 100 free-living hypercholesterolaemic subjects were recruited locally and 89 completed the study.
Interventions:
During a 3-week run-in period all subjects consumed a control beverage. For the following 5-week period four groups received a beverage with 5 or 10 g -glucans from oats or barley and one group continued with the control beverage. Blood samples in weeks 0, 2, 3, 7 and 8 were analysed for serum lipids, lipoproteins, glucose and insulin. Postprandial concentrations of glucose and insulin were compared between control and the beverage with 5 g of -glucans from oats or barley.
Results:
Compared to control, 5 g of -glucans from oats significantly lowered total-cholesterol by 7.4% (P<0.01), and postprandial concentrations of glucose (30 min, P=0.005) and insulin (30 min, P=0.025). The beverage with 10 g of -glucans from oats did not affect serum lipids significantly in comparison with control. No statistically significant effects compared to control of the beverages with barley -glucans were found.
Conclusions:
A daily consumption of 5 g of oat -glucans in a beverage improved the lipid and glucose metabolism, while barley -glucans did not.
Sponsorship:
Founded by the European Commission (QLK1-CT-2000-00535).
Keywords:
-glucan, oats, barley, LDL-cholesterol, glucose, insulin
