Red Palm Olein and Cardiovascular Health

September 13, 2016 updated by: Malaysia Palm Oil Board
Red palm oil is obtained from crude palm oil through a novel low-temperature process. Owing to this special process, RPO possesses a special flavour and aroma, and is rich in phytonutrients that include carotenes, vitamin E, phytosterols, phospholipids, squalene, phenolic acids, flavonoids and co-enzyme Q10. These phytonutrients are the main constituents through which palm oil exhibits its nutritional properties. Among the major health promoting properties are anti-cancer, cardio-protection, anti-angiogenesis, cholesterol inhibition, brain development and neuro-protective properties, antioxidative defence mechanisms, provitamin A activity and anti-diabetes. As red palm oil has variety of phytonutrients and health benefits, the potential of improved cardiovascular health should be considered to understand better and thus treasure more our golden oil.

Study Overview

Status

Unknown

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

The oil palm Elaeis guineesis, is the source of palm oil - the 'tropical golden oil'. Malaysia is the world's largest exporter of this golden oil. Triglycerides constitute the major component of crude palm oil, with smaller proportions of diglycerides and monoglycerides. The oil also contains other minor constituents, such as free fatty acids and phytonutrients. This composition determines the oil's physical, chemical and physiological characteristics. In food application, palm oil not only imparts functional properties as a heating medium (as in frying of foods) and in having spreadability (as in formulations for solid fat products like margarines and shortenings), but is also a good source of phytonutrients. Although the phytonutrients constitute only about 1% of its weight in crude palm oil, these are the main constituents through which palm oil exhibits its nutritional properties. Among the major health promoting properties shown to be associated with the various types of phytonutrients present in palm oil are anti-cancer, cardio-protection and anti-angiogenesis, cholesterol inhibition, brain development and neuro-protective properties, antioxidative defence mechanisms, provitamin A activity and anti-diabetes. Red palm oil (RPO) is obtained from crude palm oil through a novel low-temperature process. Owing to this special process, RPO possesses a special flavour and aroma, and is rich in phytonutrients that include carotenes (thus giving the oil a bright red colour), vitamin E, phytosterols, phospholipids, squalene, phenolic acids, flavonoids and co-enzyme Q10.

Little is known about the physiological effects of red palm oil. The link between dietary fats and cardiovascular diseases has always been controversial in the context of palm oil. Narang et al., 2004 demonstrated that the anti-oxidant vitamins in palm olein play a vital role in the protection of the rat's heart against oxidative stress induced by ischemic-reperfusion injury. The unique isomeric position of its fatty acids and the presence of tocotrienols cause the endogenous cholesterol level to drop. Besides palm oil could reduce the risk of arterial thrombosis and atherosclerosis, inhibit endogenous cholesterol biosynthesis, platelet aggregation, and reduce blood pressure. The composition of palm oil with an unsaturated-to-saturated fatty acid ratio close to one and rich in antioxidants vitamins could attenuate the progression of salt-induced hypertension and mortality in rats by modulation of endothelial function and reduction in oxidative stress. In Chinese diet preparation, Zhang et al.,2003 demonstrated that red palm oil is a good source of carotenoids and vitamin E, and it could significantly increase plasma concentration of alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lycopene and alpha-tocopherol. Following a chronic human study, Scholtz et al., 2004 observed that red palm olein had less detrimental effects on the lipid profile and decreased tissue plasminogen activator antigen as compared to palm olein. As red palm oil has variety of phytonutrients and health benefits, the potential of improved cardiovascular health should be considered to understand better and thus treasure more our golden oil. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of consumption of red palm olein on inflammatory and metabolic risk markers

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

53

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Malaysia
    • Selangor
      • Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia, 50720
        • Malaysia Palm Oil Board

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

16 years to 58 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Abdominally obese males and females (waist circumference > 90 cm for male, > 80 cm for female), age between 20-60 years and BMI ≥18.5kgm2 will be recruited.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Medical history of myocardial infarction, angina, thrombosis, stroke, cancer or diabetes
  • Blood glucose; >7.0 mmol/L
  • Serum triacylglycerol; >4.5 mmol/L
  • Serum total cholesterol; >6.5 mmol/L
  • Body mass index <18.5 kg/m2
  • Current use of antihypertensive or lipid lowering medication
  • Alcohol intake exceeding a moderate intake (>28 units per week)
  • Breastfeeding or pregnant
  • Consume supplement such as herbs and hormone pills
  • Smoking

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: red palm olein(labelled A)
red palm olein (labelled A)
Dietary supplement: Red Palm Olein
Red Palm Olein contains corresponding fatty acids like Palm Olein except having more phytonutrients (carotenoids and vitamin E)
Other Names:
  • Carotino
Placebo Comparator: palm olein(labelled B)(control)
Dietary supplement: Palm Olein
Palm Olein contains corresponding fatty acids like Red Palm Olein except having less phytonutrients (no carotenoids and less vitamin E)
Other Names:
  • Carotino

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Changes in plasma Interleukin-6 status
Time Frame: 3 years
3 years

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Changes in inflammatory response
Time Frame: 3 years
3 years
Changes in endothelial function
Time Frame: 3 years
3 years
Changes in lipid profile
Time Frame: 3 years
3 years
Changes in plasma antioxidant status
Time Frame: 3 years
3 years

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Malaysia Palm Oil Board

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Radhika Loganathan, Masters, Malaysia Palm Oil Board

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

January 1, 2013

Primary Completion (Actual)

December 1, 2015

Study Completion (Anticipated)

December 1, 2017

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

September 22, 2014

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

October 8, 2014

First Posted (Estimate)

October 13, 2014

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

September 14, 2016

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

September 13, 2016

Last Verified

September 1, 2016

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

  • PD164/12

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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