Resistant starch (RS) includes the sum of
starch and degradation products of
starch that resist small intestinal digestion and enter the colon. This study was planned to examine the effect of
resistant starch on hypolipidemic actions,
blood glucose,
insulin levels and humoral immune responses in healthy
overweight subjects. Healthy
overweight subjects (over 120% of their ideal body weights) were fed either 24 g/d of resistant corn
starch (RS) or regular corn
starch (CS) for 21 d with their regular meals. Although this double-blind feeding regiment resulted in no significant changes in their weights or other physical parameters for the relatively acute period of intakes, there were significant lowering effects of serum total
cholesterol (p < 0.05) and serum
LDL-cholesterol (p < 0.05) in subjects supplemented RS. Compared with the control
starch group, the RS supplementation also reduced the mean fasting serum
glucose concentrations (p < 0.05).
Resistant starch supplement resulted in the increase in serum
immunoglobulin G (
IgG) concentrations. Serum
insulin and
complement 3 (C3) were unaffected. Tested
resistant starch supplementation was reported to be palatable with minimal bowel discomfort. These results suggest that RS supplementation improves the blood
lipid profile and controls the
blood glucose levels in healthy
overweight subjects without bowel discomfort. Therefore, RS has a potential to be used as one of the promising
food ingredients for reducing risk factors involved in the development of
atherosclerosis and
type 2 diabetes in
overweight individuals. However, in order to prove RS as a novel therapeutic agent of
cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, controlled trials with larger sample sizes and longer duration are warranted.