[The lipid lowering effect of a new guar-pectin fiber mixture in type II diabetic patients with hypercholesterolemia].

The lipid-lowering effect of a new mixture of fiber consisting in guar and apple-pectin in combination with apple-pomaces has been estimated in 15 female type 2-diabetics [age mean = 62 (52-70) yr] with hypercholesterolemia (total-chol > 240 mg/dl and LDL-chol > 130 mg/dl). After a dietetic run-in-phase of 3 weeks the patients received the fiber mixture (1 package of 17 g with about 5.9 g water-soluble fiber) dissolved in 250 ml water for the next 9 weeks: during the first 3 weeks 2 portions per day, the next 3 weeks twice 1/2 portion and the last 3 weeks one 1/2 portion daily. The fiber mixture had to been consumed 30 minutes before taking a main meal. Regular intake of the fiber product led to a significant decrement in blood lipids, and this improvement under 2 portions daily has been maintained for the most part with the reduced dosage. The total-chol levels decreased by 11.3% during the first 3 weeks of fiber intake (p < 0.05) and by -12.6% during the next 3 weeks (p < 0.05), the decrease during the last 3 weeks under the reduced fiber intake was -9.6% (ns). The HDL-chol levels remained approximately the same during the whole period of observation. The triglyceride concentrations in serum could be lowered by -15.5% during the first 3 weeks of fiber intake, and by -19.2% during the next 3 weeks (p < 0.05), finally the decrease was -12.3% (ns). The atherogenic index (Chol-/HDL-chol) could be reduced on an average of 14.3% in relation to the initial value.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)