Nutritional intervention study with argan oil in man: effects on lipids and apolipoproteins

• Published in: Annals of nutrition and metabolism 2005-01, Vol.49 (3), p.196-201
• Main Authors: Derouiche, A., Cherki, M., Drissi, A., Bamou, Y., El Messal, M., Idrissi-Oudghiri, A., Lecerf, J.M., Adlouni, A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Apolipoprotein A-I - blood; apolipoproteins; Apolipoproteins B - blood; Argania spinosa; Biological and medical sciences; blood lipids; Blood pressure; body mass index; body weight; butter; Cardiovascular diseases; Cardiovascular Diseases - blood; Cardiovascular Diseases - epidemiology; cholesteremic effect; Cholesterol; Cholesterol - blood; cholesterol metabolism; Cholesterol, HDL - blood; Cholesterol, LDL - blood; college students; experimental diets; extra virgin olive oil; Fatty Acids - administration & dosage; Food analysis; food intake; Fruit - chemistry; Health risks; high density lipoprotein; Humans; Lipids; low density lipoprotein; Male; Medical sciences; men; Metabolic diseases; Morocco - epidemiology; nutritional intervention; Olive Oil; Original Paper; plant extracts; plant fats and oils; Plant Oils - administration & dosage; Plant Oils - chemistry; risk reduction; Sapotaceae - chemistry; Tocopherols - analysis; Trees; triacylglycerols; Triglycerides - blood; virgin argan oil
• ISSN: 0250-6807; 1421-9697
• DOI: 10.1159/000087072

Aim: To evaluate whether the consumption of virgin argan oil (VAO) is associated with a change in serum lipids and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease in healthy Moroccans. Methods: Sixty volunteers consumed butter (25 g/day) during 2 weeks (stabilization period) and were randomly divided into two groups: the treatment group received 25 g/day of VAO during 3 weeks (intervention period), and the control group received 25 g/day of extra virgin olive oil (EVO). Throughout the study, weight, blood pressure, and daily food intake were measured. Serum total cholesterol and low- and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and apolipoproteins A-I and B were measured at the end of each diet period. Results: Analysis of food intake showed that the daily diet is isocaloric for the butter regimen (2,537 +/- 244 kcal/day) as well as for the VAO and EVO regimens (2,561 +/- 246 and 2,560 +/- 253 kcal/day, respectively). Analysis of the lipid intake showed a reduction in saturated fatty acids with VAO and EVO regimens (27 +/- 1.4 and 26.4 +/- 3.4%, respectively) as compared with the stabilization period (41.6 +/- 2.4%). The analysis of serum lipids showed a significant increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and apolipoprotein A-I in both VAO group (8.4%, p = 0.012, and 5.2%, p = 0.027, respectively) and EVO group (17.3%, p = 0.001, and 5.9%, p = 0.036, respectively). However, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and apolipoprotein B (13.8%, p = 0.037, and 7.8%, p = 0.039, respectively) decreased significantly only in EVO group as compared with the stabilization period, while triglycerides decreased significantly by 17.5% (p = 0.039) only in VAO group. Conclusion: These results confirm the cholesterol-lowering effect of EVO and show for the first time the triglyceride-lowering effect of VAO in men.