Hydroxypropylmethylcellulose significantly lowers blood cholesterol in mildly hypercholesterolemic human subjects

Objective: To determine the cholesterol-lowering efficacy of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) in mildly hypercholesterolemic humans. Subjects: Trial one: entry mean (range) total serum cholesterol values of eight female and four male subjects were 6.48 (5.57-7.51) mmol l(-1) (250 (215-290) mg dl(-1)) and 6.60 (5.57-7.64) mmol l(-1) (255 (215-295) mgdl(-1)), respectively. Trial two: corresponding values for 20 women and 20 men were 5.96 (5.43-6.48) mmol l(-1) 230 (210-250) mgdl(-1)) and 6.05 (5.46-6.63) mmol l(-1) 233 (211-256) mg dl(-1)), respectively. Results: Trial one: HPMC decreased (P <= 0.05) total and LDL-cholesterol 9.3 and 15.3% (medium), 16.9 and 23.5% (high) and 13.8 and 19.4% (ultra-high), respectively, over placebo. Trial two: total and LDL-cholesterol decreased (P <= 0.05) throughout the 8 weeks, with mean (weeks 4-8) reductions of 7 and 8% at 5 g day(-1), and 12 and 15% at 15 g day(-1), respectively, over placebo. Adverse effects were minimal. Trial one: medium, high and ultra-high viscosity HPMC at 15 g day(-1) for 1 week each; 1-week wash-out between treatments. Trial two: ultra-high viscosity HPMC at 5 or 15 g day(-1) for 8 weeks. Conclusions: HPMC soluble fiber, especially high-viscosity grades, significantly lowers cholesterol at well-tolerated doses, showing promise as a treatment of hypercholesterolemia.