Trial Information

The Preventive Effects of Lupin Kernel Fibre-enriched Food on Colon Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases in Moderate Hypercholesterolemic Subjects

Dietary fibre is suspected to effect the faecal concentration and excretion of bile acids by
binding the bile acids and by increasing the faecal mass. Bile acids, especially the
secondary bile acids, are potential risk factors for colorectal cancer. A high bile
acid-binding ability of fibre could lead to lower blood cholesterol concentrations by
interrupting the enterohepatic circulation. There is evidence that the consumption of lupin
kernel fibre, containing both soluble and insoluble fibre fractions, may beneficially modify
bowel health.

A total of 133 subjects were recruited for this study. Sixty moderate hypercholesterolemic
volunteers (total cholesterol > 5.2 mmol/L) fulfilled the selection criteria and were
randomly assigned three groups. Forty-five subjects (mean age of 47 years, 34 women and 20
men) completed the double-blind, randomized crossover trial.

The subjects consumed a high-fibre diet containing 25 g fibre (citrus- or lupin fibre) per
day and a low-fibre diet (placebo) for four weeks each. After baseline, each volunteer had
to pass all three periods in different order with a two-week wash-out period between each.

At the end of each intervention period, subjects consumed a standardized diet for three
days. Furthermore, a quantitative stool collection took place and fasting blood samples were
drawn.