Effects of Corn Oil, Compared to Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Intake on Lipoprotein and Subfraction Cholesterol Levels in Men and Women: Results from a Randomized, Controlled Feeding Study

Abstract

The aim of this analysis was to compare the effects of consuming foods prepared with corn oil (CO) versus extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) on fasting lipoprotein and subclass cholesterol levels in adults with elevated (130–199 mg/dL) low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C) at baseline. A randomized, double blind, controlled‐feeding, crossover study design was used with an evaluable sample of 54 men and women with mean (SEM) baseline LDL‐C 147 (4.2) mg/dL. Subjects underwent two 21‐d controlled‐feeding periods, separated by a washout of ≥21 d. Feeding periods included 4 tbsp (~54 g) per day of CO or EVOO in 3 foods (muffin, dinner roll, yogurt). Fasting lipoprotein and subclass cholesterol levels were measured at baseline and at the end of each feeding condition. Density gradient ultracentrifugation (Vertical AutoProfile‐2 method, Atherotech Diagnostics Laboratory, Birmingham, AL) was used to assess total LDL‐C, small LDL3+4‐C, large LDL1+2‐C, intermediate‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (IDL‐C), total high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C), large HDL2‐C, small HDL3‐C, total very low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL‐C), large VLDL1+2‐C, and small VLDL3‐C. Total LDL‐C changed by a median of −8.6% during the CO condition versus −0.6% during EVOO feeding (P<0.0001). The larger reduction in total LDL‐C with CO was mainly attributable to changes (P<0.01 for CO vs. EVOO) in large LDL1+2‐C (−10.4%) and IDL‐C (−17.0%). CO feeding did not alter VLDL‐C, but EVOO raised the concentration by a mean of 10.7% (P<0.002 for CO vs. EVOO), due mainly to increased cholesterol in small VLDL3 particles (25.3%). Changes in both LDL‐C and VLDL‐C contributed to the more favorable median change in non‐HDL‐C with CO (−6.5%) compared with EVOO (0.8%; P<0.0001 for CO vs. EVOO). No significant differences between conditions in total HDL‐C, HDL2‐C or HDL3‐C responses were observed. In summary, foods made with CO produced more favorable effects than EVOO on atherogenic lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL, VLDL, non‐HDL) levels.Support or Funding InformationFunded by ACH Food Companies, Oak Brook, IL and PepsiCo., Purchase, NY