Potential of dried bread enriched with red palm oil to improve lipid profile, and control oxidative stress: An experimental study in adult men with dyslipidaemia

Dyslipidaemia is an abnormality of lipid metabolism, characterised by the increased levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides, and decreased levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), which cause antioxidant enzymes to decrease, and trigger oxidative stress, characterised by an increase in lipid peroxidation. The present work examined the effect of consumption of dried breads enriched with red palm oil (RPO) to improve serum lipid profiles, and control oxidative stress in adult men with dyslipidaemia. This randomised double-blind controlled trial involved adult men with an abnormal lipid profile, and had a body mass index between 18.5 and 26.9 kg/m(2) . Each subject consumed two pieces of dried bread per packet as a snack for eight weeks. Subjects were randomly assigned into two groups: those who consumed dried breads with RPO (experiment), and those who consumed dried breads without RPO (control). Serum levels of lipid profile parameters (total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL-C, HDL-C) and control oxidative stress markers [superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzyme, malondialdehyde (MDA), oxidised LDL (oxLDL), and beta-carotene serum] were measured before and after the intervention. In subjects who consumed dried breads with RPO, there was a significant decrease in total cholesterol and LDL-C levels (p = 0.020 and 0.041, respectively); whereas serum triglyceride and HDL-C levels were not significantly affected (p = 0.083 and 0.233, respectively). Further, the consumption of dried breads with RPO significantly (p = 0.018) increased SOD activity which led to a significant decrease in MDA and oxLDL levels (p = 0.036 and 0.047, respectively), but non-significant on the increase in beta-carotene serum levels (p = 0.166). Therefore, daily consumption of 60 g dried breads with RPO has the potential to be a functional food that can be used as a snack that efficiently lowers total and LDL cholesterol levels in adult men with dyslipidaemia, but without deleterious effects on biomarkers of oxidative stress. (C) All Rights Reserved