Abstract
BACKGROUND Blending of oil combines the potency of two edible oils and offers a balance of fatty acids. Various cooking preparations existing across different ethnicities and regions subject oil to different cooking temperatures thereby causing deterioration of the oil due to oxidative stress. In order to prevent the oxidative damage of unsaturated fatty acid, a blend of rice bran oil (RBO) and safflower oil (SO) (70:30) with an antioxidant technology was designed. A controlled trial was carried out to assess the efficacy of the blend on different biomarkers including lipid parameters and some important inflammatory markers that have the potency to lead to various lifestyle diseases. STUDY DESIGN A prospective, double-blind, randomized, parallel group study (on 80 adult hyperlipidemic patients) was conducted for 3 months. During the study, all the subjects were recommended lifestyle modifications, which included, exercise regime and diet counseling; oil quantity consumed was 1 L/person/month for both the groups. The subjects were divided into two groups; one group, continued with their regularly consumed oil whereas, the other was given the test oil. Biomarkers assessed were lipid profile and seven other inflammatory markers were assessed. RESULTS Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) the primary marker for cardiovascular diseases showed a decrease of 56.07 ± 04.31 mg/dL and 31.98 ± 03.81 mg/dL (P < 0.001 by analysis of variance [ANOVA]) from baseline in test and control group, respectively, during 3 months. Similar reduction trends were observed for total cholesterol where -52.31 ± 13.04 mg/dL and 31.98 ± 04.12 mg/dL (P < 0.001 by ANOVA, between the groups) were seen in test and control group, respectively. Oxidized LDL and high sensitivity C-reactive protein showed a reduction of 2.23 ± 1.3 units/dL and 0.87 ± 2.85 mg/L in test group whereas; an increase of 1.04 ± 1.73 units/dL and 0.44 ± 2.37 mg/L was seen in the control group, respectively (P < 0.05 by Student's t-test, between the groups). CONCLUSION The study showed that the blend of RBO and SO with antioxidant technology along with other lifestyle changes helps lowering of blood lipids and stated inflammatory biomarkers and thus, in turn may help prevent lifestyle diseases.
