Grapefruit juice and serum lipids in healthy adults

Abstract

Background: Grapefruit juice has been reported to decrease serum cholesterol in patients with hyperlipidaemia. Whether grapefruit juice can influence serum lipids in healthy people had not been investigated. Objective: To investigate the effect of grapefruit juice on serum lipid levels in healthy adults by comparing grapefruit juice with apple juice in the same individuals. Design: In a cross-over study, 28 healthy volunteers took 250 ml grapefruit juice or apple juice daily for 3 weeks followed by a 3 week washout, and then the juices were swapped for the second intervention period. Serum samples for total, low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-, high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol and triglycerides were collected before and after each period, and analysed batchwise after the study. Results: In the grapefruit juice period LDL-cholesterol decreased by 6% (p=0.04). Serum lipids were not significantly affected by apple juice. There were no differences in lipid levels
between grapefruit juice and apple juice periods. During the whole 9 week study total and LDL-cholesterol decreased by 8% (p