Effect of a high-fiber diet vs a fiber-supplemented diet on C-reactive protein level.

BACKGROUND Diets high in fiber are associated with lower levels of inflammatory markers. This study examined the reduction in inflammation from a diet supplemented with fiber compared with a diet naturally high in fiber. METHODS Randomized crossover intervention trial of 2 diets, a high-fiber (30-g/d) Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet or fiber-supplemented diet (30 g/d), after a baseline (regular) diet period of 3 weeks. There were 35 participants (18 lean normotensive and 17 obese hypertensive individuals) aged 18 to 49 years. RESULTS The study included 28 women and 7 men; 16 (46%) were black, the remainder white. The mean (SD) fiber intake on baseline diets was 11.9 (0.3) g/d; on the high-fiber DASH diet, 27.7 (0.6) g/d; and on the supplemented diet, 26.3 (0.4) g/d. Overall, the mean C-reactive protein (CRP) level changed from 4.4 to 3.8 mg/L (-13.7%; P = .046) in the high-fiber DASH diet group and to 3.6 mg/L (-18.1%) in the fiber-supplemented diet group (P = .03). However, CRP levels decreased in the 18 lean normotensive participants in either intervention diet group (2.0 mg/L [baseline] vs 1.4 mg/L [high-fiber DASH] vs 1.2 mg/L [supplemented]); P<.05) but did not change significantly (7.1 mg/L [baseline] vs 6.2 mg/L [high-fiber DASH] vs 6.5 mg/L [supplemented]; P>.05) in obese hypertensive participants. Neither age nor race influenced the response of CRP levels to the diets. No evidence of a crossover effect was detected. CONCLUSIONS The results demonstrate that fiber intake of about 30 g/d) from a diet naturally rich in fiber or from a supplement can reduce levels of CRP. Further research is needed to more clearly elucidate the differential effect seen in lean vs obese individuals and whether modification of dietary fiber may be helpful in modulating inflammation and its consequent cardiovascular consequences.

[1]  B. Egan,et al.  Relation of dietary fat and fiber to elevation of C-reactive protein. , 2003, The American journal of cardiology.

[2]  Nancy R Cook,et al.  Comparison of C-reactive protein and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in the prediction of first cardiovascular events. , 2002, The New England journal of medicine.

[3]  J. Manson,et al.  C-reactive protein, interleukin 6, and risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus. , 2001, JAMA.

[4]  Ose,et al.  Comparison of C-reactive protein and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in the prediction of first cardiovascular events* , 2002 .

[5]  A. Aljada,et al.  Contemporary Reviews in Cardiovascular Medicine Metabolic Syndrome A Comprehensive Perspective Based on Interactions Between Obesity, Diabetes, and Inflammation , 2022 .

[6]  P. Ridker,et al.  Prospective study of C-reactive protein and the risk of future cardiovascular events among apparently healthy women. , 1998, Circulation.

[7]  Nancy R Cook,et al.  C-Reactive Protein, the Metabolic Syndrome, and Risk of Incident Cardiovascular Events: An 8-Year Follow-Up of 14 719 Initially Healthy American Women , 2003, Circulation.

[8]  L. V. Van Horn Fiber, lipids, and coronary heart disease. A statement for healthcare professionals from the Nutrition Committee, American Heart Association. , 1997, Circulation.

[9]  A. Mainous,et al.  Fiber and C-reactive protein in diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. , 2005, Diabetes care.

[10]  D. King Dietary fiber, inflammation, and cardiovascular disease. , 2005, Molecular nutrition & food research.

[11]  L. Horn Fiber, Lipids, and Coronary Heart Disease A Statement for Healthcare Professionals From the Nutrition Committee, American Heart Association , 1997 .

[12]  Alessandro Pontillo,et al.  Effect of weight loss and lifestyle changes on vascular inflammatory markers in obese women: a randomized trial. , 2003, JAMA.

[13]  A. Willan,et al.  Carryover and the two-period crossover clinical trial. , 1986, Biometrics.

[14]  A. Poullis,et al.  Bowel Inflammation as Measured by Fecal Calprotectin , 2004, Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention.

[15]  K. Sung,et al.  C-reactive protein concentrations are related to insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome as defined by the ATP III report. , 2004, International journal of cardiology.

[16]  Gary L Myers,et al.  Markers of inflammation and cardiovascular disease: application to clinical and public health practice: A statement for healthcare professionals from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Heart Association. , 2003, Circulation.

[17]  P. Ridker,et al.  C-reactive protein and the risk of developing hypertension. , 2003, JAMA.

[18]  C Guijarro,et al.  High-sensitivity C-reactive protein: potential adjunct for global risk assessment in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. , 2001, Circulation.

[19]  E. Ford Body mass index, diabetes, and C-reactive protein among U.S. adults. , 1999, Diabetes care.

[20]  D. Giugliano,et al.  Diet and inflammation: a link to metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. , 2006, European heart journal.

[21]  S. Devaraj,et al.  ATVB In Focus Nutrition and Atherosclerosis , 2006 .

[22]  P. Macfarlane,et al.  The prognostic value of the electrocardiogram in the west of Scotland coronary prevention study , 2002 .