A recent Arizona State University clinical trial found formulations using corn flour plus corn bran can lower LDL cholesterol concentrations by 5-13.3% in just four weeks.
The findings of the randomized crossover clinical trial, available online now and slated to appear in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Nutrition, compared the impact of whole-grain corn meal, refined corn meal, and a blend of refined corn meal plus corn bran.
Researchers found that 70% of the participants who consumed the blend saw significant reductions in LDL cholesterol concentrations. Those eating the other corn flours saw neither a decrease nor increase in their LDL or total cholesterol levels.
Corrie Whisner, lead researcher and associate professor in the College of Health Solutions at Arizona State University, said the team intentionally centered the study around avoiding dramatic dietary changes.
“People often think that dietary changes must be robust and significant to have a real impact on cardiovascular health and metabolic regulation. The bottom line is this: Corn is unique and underappreciated. The art and science of refining grains and making full use of corn bran can result in delicious foods that, in this case, also happen to produce real results for heart health."
To create a realistic intervention that could be easily folded into a regular diet, researchers provided study participants with baked goods in order to control type and quantity of corn flour. Study participants did not increase or decrease their grain food intake during the study.
“Surprisingly,” the report notes, the findings did not reveal significant or consistent changes to gut microbiota diversity, which aligns with the fact that study participants reported no digestive discomforts or changes during the interventions.
The 36 study participants were all located in Phoenix and spanned in age from 18-67. They included a mix of women (58%) and men, all entered the study with mild-to-moderately elevated LDL cholesterol levels, and none was taking cholesterol-lowering medications during the study.
The Arizona State team did receive funding from the Corn Division of the North American Millers' Assn., a member of the Grain Foods Foundation, although NAMA did not provide any oversight over the study design, collection, analysis, and interpretation of data, nor writing and revising the manuscript for publication.
