Work

Chemometrics-guided plasma lipidomics insights underlying the decrease of plasma total cholesterol and LDLc in children with hypercholesterolemia following habitual intake of an EVOO-based phytosterols-enriched spreadable cream

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Higher LDL cholesterol levels are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, and early intervention in children and regular follow-up are keystones for its prevention. Hypercholesterolemia can be partially delayed adopting healthy lifestyles, including healthy diets such as the Mediterranean diet and physical activity. Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), the main edible oil in the Mediterranean diet, has demonstrated cardiovascular benefits. OBJECTIVE: The present randomized double-blind crossover clinical study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the daily consumption of a spreadable cream based on extra virgin olive oil enriched in phytosterols (0.04-0.06 g plant sterols/kg of body weight/day) for 8 weeks separated by a wash-out period of 4 weeks on children (6-18 years old) with hypercholesterolemia. METHODS: Fifty children were included although only 23 reported at least 70% of compliance and were used for final analyses. We used a dual approach combining the determination of anthropometric and biochemical plasma parameters and the lipidomics profile of plasma samples. RESULTS: Spreadable cream enriched in phytosterols consumption led to a decrease in total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol plasma levels. Multivariate analysis of the lipidomic plasma profile indicated that phospholipids and sphingolipids were mostly involved in modulating the observed effects. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, this study provides a multi-level integrated approach for the characterization of a novel functional food to counteract hypercholesterolemia from a nutritional perspective. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRY: Clinical Trial Registry number and website where it was obtained https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05460208.

Source: Metabolomics

DOI: 10.1007/s11306-025-02368-3