Effects of Breads Containing Flaxseeds on Serum Levels of Apelin and Lipids in Hyperlipidemic Patients

Hyperlipidemia is one of the most important factors in heart disease and mortality worldwide. Previous studies showed that flaxseeds included potencies to improve lipid profiles. The objective of the present study was to investigate effects of breads containing flaxseeds on serum levels of apelin and lipids in hyperlipidemic patients.

This study was a randomized controlled clinical trial study with 48 hyperlipidemic patients for six weeks. Patients were randomly divided into two intervention and control groups. The intervention group received two breads containing 20% of flaxseeds and the control group received plain breads every day. Lipid profile, apelin serum, blood pressure and anthropocentric indices of the volunteers were assessed at the beginning and the end of activities and food intakes of the two groups were recorded.

In the intervention group, serum apelin increased (p = 0.02), compared to the control group and cholesterol (p=0.046), triglycerides (p = 0.04) and blood pressure (p = 0/04) significantly decreased, compared to the control group. No significant differences were seen for body mass index,  weight and serum levels of LDL-C and HDL-C between the two groups. Serum apelin increased (255.9 pg/ml), compared to the beginning of the intervention. Moreover, cholesterol, triglycerides and systolic and diastolic blood pressures respectively decreased as 11.2 mg/dl, 19.9 mg/dl, 7.1 mmHg and 10 mmHg, compared to the beginning of the intervention.

Based on the findings, consumption of flaxseed breads included beneficial effects on increasing apelin and decreasing cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure. Further studies on flaxseed breads as useful therapeutic foods for decreasing hyperlipidemia are recommended.