Study on the Effect of the Intake of a Calcium-bicarbonate Water on Cholesterol Levels

Sponsored, Randomized, Double-blind, Single-center Study on the Effect of the Intake of a Calcium-bicarbonate Water (Lete) on Cholesterol Levels

The goal of this study is to evaluate the hypolipidemic effect (reduction of Low Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol "LDL-C" values) of calcium-bicarbonate mineral water "Lete" (alkaline water, high in bicarbonate and calcium ions and low in sodium) compared to control oligomineral water "Sorgesana" on healthy volunteers

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Hypercholesterolemia
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Water; Other: Water

Detailed Description

This sponsored, monocentric and interventional study will consist of a screening visit, a baseline visit, a phone contact one month after the baseline visit and two follow-up visits in person, two and four months after the baseline visit. After signing the informed consent and verifying the eligibility criteria, 160 healthy subjects will be randomized in a 1:1 double-blind ratio to one of two study arms. During the baseline visit, informations regarding the patient's medical history, demographic, anthropometric and blood pressure data and concomitant medications will be collected and the patient will be asked to complete a questionnaire related to physical activity assessment and to undergo an evaluation test for proper nutrition. Then, a blood sample will be taken for hematochemical analysis to evaluate the study endpoints. Finally, during the two follow-up visits, treatment adherence will be assessed, a blood sample will be taken for hematochemical analysis and the patient will be asked to complete the questionnaire and to undergo the evaluation test for proper nutrition. Additionally, at the second follow-up visit, anthropometric and blood pressure data will be collected

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 160
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Italy
  • Italy
    • Milan, Italy, Italy, 20132
      • Hospital San Raffaele

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• healthy subjects
• age 18-60 years
• LDL-C values > 116 mg/dl
• not already being treated with cholesterol-lowering medications (e.g. statins, ezetimibe, monoclonal antibodies, bempedoic acid) and/or supplements (e.g. fermented red rice, coenzyme Q, folic acid, berberine, vitamin E, polyphenols from olive oil, etc.)

Exclusion Criteria:

• BMI < 20 and > 30 kg/m2
• diabetes mellitus
• arterial hypertension
• gastrointestinal (e.g. gastro-duodenal ulcer, ulcerative colitis, diverticulosis of the colon, etc.), liver or renal diseases
• familial hypercholesterolemia
• treatment with drugs that could influence lipid metabolism (estrogen replacement hormone therapy, corticosteroid therapy, insulin therapy)
• Consumers of fortified foods that could influence lipid metabolism (containing n-3 fatty acids or phytosterols)

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: "Lete" group; Calcium-bicarbonate mineral water "Lete"	Other: Water; Calcium-bicarbonate mineral water "Lete"; Other: Water; Oligomineral water "Sorgesana"
Active Comparator: "Sorgesana" group; Oligomineral water "Sorgesana"	Other: Water; Calcium-bicarbonate mineral water "Lete"; Other: Water; Oligomineral water "Sorgesana"

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Variation of LDL-C values after four months of treatment	Variation of LDL-C values (in mg/dl) after four months of treatment with the calcium-bicarbonate water in relation to baseline, for comparison with the control oligomineral water	Four months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Variation of the anthropometric data of weight after two and four months of treatment	Variation of the anthropometric data of weight (in kg) after two and four months of treatment with calcium-bicarbonate water in relation to baseline, for comparison with the control oligomineral water	Four months
Variation of the anthropometric data of Body Mass Index "BMI" after two and four months of treatment	Variation of the anthropometric data of BMI (in kg/m^2) after two and four months of treatment with calcium-bicarbonate water in relation to baseline, for comparison with the control oligomineral water	Four months
Variation of the anthropometric data of abdominal circumference after two and four months of treatment	Variation of the anthropometric data of abdominal circumference (in cm) after two and four months of treatment with calcium-bicarbonate water in relation to baseline, for comparison with the control oligomineral water	Four months
Variation of blood pressure values after two and four months of treatment	Variation of blood pressure values (in mmHg) after two and four months of treatment with calcium-bicarbonate water in relation to baseline, for comparison with the control oligomineral water	Four months
Variation of heart rate after two and four months of treatment	Variation of heart rate (in bpm) after two and four months of treatment with calcium-bicarbonate water in relation to baseline, for comparison with the control oligomineral water	Four months
Variation of LDL-C values after two and four months of treatment	Variation of LDL-C values (in mg/dl) after two and four months of treatment with calcium-bicarbonate water in relation to baseline, for comparison with the control oligomineral water	Four months
Variation of the parameters of total cholesterol after two and four months of treatment	Variation of the parameters of total cholesterol (in mg/dl) after two and four months of treatment with calcium-bicarbonate water in relation to baseline, for comparison with the control oligomineral water	Four months
Variation of the parameters of High Density Lipoprotein "HDL" cholesterol after two and four months of treatment	Variation of the parameters of HDL cholesterol (in mg/dl) after two and four months of treatment with calcium-bicarbonate water in relation to baseline, for comparison with the control oligomineral water	Four months
Variation of the parameters of triglycerides after two and four months of treatment	Variation of the parameters of triglycerides (in mg/dl) after two and four months of treatment with calcium-bicarbonate water in relation to baseline, for comparison with the control oligomineral water	Four months
Variation of the parameters of Lipoprotein a "Lp(a)" after two and four months of treatment	Variation of the parameters of Lp(a) (in mg/dl) after two and four months of treatment with calcium-bicarbonate water in relation to baseline, for comparison with the control oligomineral water	Four months
Variation of the parameters of Apolipoprotein B-100 after two and four months of treatment	Variation of the parameters of Apolipoprotein B-100 (in mg/dl) after two and four months of treatment with calcium-bicarbonate water in relation to baseline, for comparison with the control oligomineral water	Four months
Variation of the parameters of Apolipoprotein A1 after two and four months of treatment	Variation of the parameters of Apolipoprotein A1 (in mg/dl) after two and four months of treatment with calcium-bicarbonate water in relation to baseline, for comparison with the control oligomineral water	Four months
Variation of the parameters of creatinine after two and four months of treatment	Variation of the parameters of creatinine (in mg/dl) after two and four months of treatment with calcium-bicarbonate water in relation to baseline, for comparison with the control oligomineral water	Four months
Variation of the parameters of uric acid after two and four months of treatment	Variation of the parameters of uric acid (in mg/dl) after two and four months of treatment with calcium-bicarbonate water in relation to baseline, for comparison with the control oligomineral water	Four months
Variation of the parameters of blood glucose after two and four months of treatment	Variation of the parameters of blood glucose (in mg/dl) after two and four months of treatment with calcium-bicarbonate water in relation to baseline, for comparison with the control oligomineral water	Four months
Variation of the parameters of glycated hemoglobin "HbA1c" after two and four months of treatment	Variation of the parameters of HbA1c (in %) after two and four months of treatment with calcium-bicarbonate water in relation to baseline, for comparison with the control oligomineral water	Four months
Variation of the parameters of ASpartate Transaminase "AST" after two and four months of treatment	Variation of the parameters of AST (in U/l) after two and four months of treatment with calcium-bicarbonate water in relation to baseline, for comparison with the control oligomineral water	Four months
Variation of the parameters of ALanine Transaminase "ALT" after two and four months of treatment	Variation of the parameters of ALT (in U/l) after two and four months of treatment with calcium-bicarbonate water in relation to baseline, for comparison with the control oligomineral water	Four months
Variation of the parameters of gamma-Glutamyl Transferase "gamma-GT" after two and four months of treatment	Variation of the parameters of gamma-GT (in U/l) after two and four months of treatment with calcium-bicarbonate water in relation to baseline, for comparison with the control oligomineral water	Four months
Variation of the parameters of alkaline phosphatase after two and four months of treatment	Variation of the parameters of alkaline phosphatase (in U/l) after two and four months of treatment with calcium-bicarbonate water in relation to baseline, for comparison with the control oligomineral water	Four months
Variation of the parameters of lipase after two and four months of treatment	Variation of the parameters of lipase (in U/l) after two and four months of treatment with calcium-bicarbonate water in relation to baseline, for comparison with the control oligomineral water	Four months
Variation of the parameters of high sensitivity C-Reactive Protein "hs-CRP" after two and four months of treatment	Variation of the parameters of hs-CRP (in mg/l) after two and four months of treatment with calcium-bicarbonate water in relation to baseline, for comparison with the control oligomineral water	Four months
Variation of the parameters of sodium after two and four months of treatment	Variation of the parameters of sodium (in mg/dl) after two and four months of treatment with calcium-bicarbonate water in relation to baseline, for comparison with the control oligomineral water	Four months
Variation of the parameters of magnesium after two and four months of treatment	Variation of the parameters of magnesium (in mg/dl) after two and four months of treatment with calcium-bicarbonate water in relation to baseline, for comparison with the control oligomineral water	Four months
Variation of the parameters of potassium after two and four months of treatment	Variation of the parameters of potassium (in mg/dl) after two and four months of treatment with calcium-bicarbonate water in relation to baseline, for comparison with the control oligomineral water	Four months
Variation of the parameters of calcium after two and four months of treatment	Variation of the parameters of calcium (in mg/dl) after two and four months of treatment with calcium-bicarbonate water in relation to baseline, for comparison with the control oligomineral water	Four months
Variation of the parameters of Vitamin D after two and four months of treatment	Variation of the parameters of Vitamin D (in nmol/l) after two and four months of treatment with calcium-bicarbonate water in relation to baseline, for comparison with the control oligomineral water	Four months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Società Generale delle Acque Minerali S.p.A.
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Alberto Margonato, Hospital San Raffaele - Milano (Italy)

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): September 17, 2025
• Primary Completion (Actual): April 3, 2026
• Study Completion (Actual): April 3, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 30, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 10, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): June 18, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 11, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 8, 2026
• Last Verified: May 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Metabolic Diseases; Hyperlipidemias; Dyslipidemias; Lipid Metabolism Disorders; Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases; Hypercholesterolemia; Inorganic Chemicals; Anions; Ions; Electrolytes; Hydroxides; Alkalies; Oxides; Oxygen Compounds; Water
• Other Study ID Numbers: LDLete

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No