The hypolipidemic effect of locust bean gum food products in familial hypercholesterolemic adults and children.

Seventeen adults and 11 children, a group of 18 familial hypercholesterolemic (FHC) and 10 normal subjects, were fed products with and without locust bean gum (LBG) (8 to 30 g/day) to assess the hypolipidemic effect of LBG. Identical food products with and without LBG were consumed by two groups (A and B) of arbitrarily assigned patients using a cross-over design. Plasma cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides were measured at 2-wk intervals and compared to control feeding periods.