| Summary: | Plant sterols (PS) lower total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and inflammatory markers, and decrease risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD). Exercise increases high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels and decreases triglycerides (TG) and inflammation, also reducing the risk of CVD. The study objective was to investigate the combined effects of PS and exercise on apolipoproteins (apo) A and B, adiponectin, growth hormone (GH) and ghrelin, in context of previously obtained lipid data. In an 8-wk, placebo-controlled, parallel-arm clinical trial, 84 subjects were randomly assigned to: (1) combination of PS and exercise, (2) exercise, (3) PS, or (4) control group. PS increased (P=0.04) adiponectin values by 15%. ApoA was associated with HDL and apoB with LDL values at baseline. ApoA %change was correlated to HDL %change in the exercise group. ApoB, GH and ghrelin were unchanged. The capability of PS to increase adiponectin values reinforce their role in preventing inflammation, atherosclerosis, and CVD.
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