Abstract
BACKGROUND: Recently, we reported that longer-term mixed nut intake significantly reduced serum total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, but these markers may not fully capture lipoprotein-related cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. OBJECTIVES: This randomized, controlled, single-blinded, crossover trial in older adults with overweight or obesity examined the effects of longer-term mixed nut consumption on lipoprotein particle size, number, and lipid distribution. METHODS: Twenty-eight participants (aged 65 ± 3 years; BMI 27.9 ± 2.3 kg/m ) completed two 16-week periods (control [no nuts] vs. mixed nuts (60 g/day: 15 g of walnuts, pistachios, cashews, and hazelnuts), separated by an 8-week washout. Plasma lipoprotein particle numbers, sizes, and lipid distributions across subclasses were analyzed using high-throughput nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. RESULTS: Mixed nut consumption significantly reduced Apolipoprotein B (ApoB) concentrations (-0.07 g/L; = 0.009), total cholesterol (-0.27 mmol/L; = 0.047), non-HDL cholesterol (-0.28 mmol/L; = 0.022), and total triacylglycerol (TAG) (-0.27 mmol/L; = 0.008). Total very large-density lipoprotein (VLDL) particle numbers decreased by 24 nmol/L ( < 0.001), with reductions observed across all VLDL subclasses. Total LDL particle numbers ( = 0.044), specifically intermediate-density lipoprotein (IDL) ( = 0.002) and large LDL particles ( = 0.015), were also reduced, while HDL particle numbers and sizes were unaffected. The mixed nut intervention significantly reduced cholesterol concentrations across all VLDL subclasses and IDL (all < 0.01), with no changes in LDL or HDL subclasses. TAG concentrations showed reductions across all lipoprotein subclasses (all < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Longer-term mixed nut consumption may lower CVD risk in older adults and favorable shifts in apoB-containing lipoprotein subclasses towards a less atherogenic profile.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 8 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | Nutrients |
Volume | 17 |
Issue number | 1 |
Early online date | 24 Dec 2024 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2025 |
Keywords
- apolipoproteins
- cardiovascular disease
- cholesterol
- lipids
- lipoprotein particles
- mixed nuts
- nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry
- triacylglycerol
- Humans
- Nuts
- Aged
- Male
- Female
- Cross-Over Studies
- Overweight/blood
- Obesity/blood
- Middle Aged
- Lipoproteins/blood
- Triglycerides/blood
- Single-Blind Method
- Cholesterol, LDL/blood
- Particle Size
- Apolipoproteins B/blood
- Cardiovascular Diseases/prevention & control blood