NCT00938340

Postprandial Effects of Walnut Components Versus Whole Walnuts on Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) Risk Reduction

Postprandial Effects of Walnut Components vs Whole Walnuts on Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, Platelet Function, and Endothelial Function in Volunteers With Moderate Hypercholesterolemia

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 20 (actual)
• Sponsor: Penn State University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 21 Years – 60 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the acute, postprandial effects and mechanism of action of various walnut components (separated nut skins, de-fatted nut meat, nut oil) versus whole walnuts on oxidative stress, inflammation and measures of platelet and endothelial function in healthy adults with moderately elevated cholesterol levels.

Detailed description

Walnuts contain high contents of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), particularly linoleic acid and linolenic acid. The high PUFA content has been suggested to reduce CVD risk through decreasing total and LDL-cholesterol concentrations, and increasing HDL-C concentrations. In addition, walnuts are rich in substances such as ellagic acid (a polyphenol), antioxidants, vitamin E, fiber, essential fatty acids, flavanoids, and phenolic acids. Polyphenolic compounds are believed to have multiple biological effects influencing oxidative stress, platelet function, inflammation, and cancer initiation and propagation. There is interest in identifying foods with these and other favorable compounds to test their efficacy in real world settings to further understand their role in the human diet. Despite positive benefits found in consumption of the walnuts, it is not known which specific component of the walnut (i.e., whole walnut, walnut skin, defatted walnut, or walnut oil) is most beneficial to health. The investigators hypothesize that maximum improvements in oxidative stress, inflammatory markers, platelet and endothelial function will be observed following consumption of the whole nut versus isolated walnut components, thereby leading to a recommendation to consume walnuts. In addition, results from the research proposed will provide new information about the antioxidant, inflammatory, platelet activity and endothelial effects of the different walnut components and the synergistic effects these components have in the postprandial state.

Conditions

• Cardiovascular Disease

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT	Walnut "meat"	Separated, ground walnut de-fatted nut meat incorporated into inert food carrier
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT	Walnut Oil	Walnut oil extracted from nut meat and incorporated into inert food carrier
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT	Walnut Skins	Separated, ground walnut skins incorporated into inert food carrier
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT	Whole walnut	85g whole walnuts, ground, incorporated into inert food carrier

Timeline

• Start date: 2007-08-01
• Primary completion: 2009-02-01
• Completion: 2009-05-01
• First posted: 2009-07-13
• Last updated: 2023-08-21
• Results posted: 2018-10-29

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States