Cholesterol Absorption Inhibition Study

Inclusion criteria

• Apparently healthy: no medical conditions which might effect study measurements (judged by study physician).
• Males aged 20 - 65
• BMI 20-27 kg∙m-2
• LDL-C levels between 3.0 - 5.0 mmol/L, triglycerides < 3.0 mmol/L
• Not more than 10 hours per week of strenuous exercise
• Ability to give informed consent.
• Ability to follow verbal and written instructions.
• Non-smoker (tobacco, marijuana).
• The ability to attend and to commute to the performance site for each of study day visit and follow-up throughout the study period are required.
• Willing to consume a breakfast in the morning of each study day.
• Willing to consume margarine on each study occasion.
• Having a general practitioner.
• No use of medication which interferes with study measurements (as judged by the study physician).
• Agreeing to be informed about medically relevant personal test-results after the screening visit by a physician.
• Consumption =< 21 alcoholic drinks in a typical week.
• No blood donation 1 month prior to pre-study examination or during the study.
• Has accessible veins on the forearm as determined by examination at screening.
• Not being an employee of Unilever.
• No reported participation in another nutritional or biomedical trial 3 months before the pre-study examination or during the study.
• No reported participation in night shift work during the study.

Exclusion criteria

• Unwilling to refrain from consumption of plant sterol or stanol containing products one week before and during the study..
• Plasma lipid profile which indicates deviating lipid / cholesterol homeostasis, to be judged by study physician.
• Evidence of severe cardiovascular, respiratory, urogenital, gastrointestinal/ hepatic, hemato¬logical/ immunologic, HEENT (head, ears, eyes, nose, throat), dermatological/ connective tissue, musculoskeletal, metabolic/nutritional, endocrine, neurological/ psychiatric diseases, allergy, major surgery and/or laboratory assessments which might limit participation in or completion of the study protocol.
• Gastrointestinal or hepatic disorders influencing gastrointestinal absorption or transit, including gallstones or biliary diseases.
• History of surgery related to the gastro-intestinal tract
• On a medically prescribed or weight reduction diet
• Recreational (intravenous) drug use.
• The use of psychotropic drugs, including: benzodiazepines or alcohol in excess of 21 units/ week for males
• Concomitant medication that may modulate gastro-intestinal secretions and pH (e.g. antacids, proton-pump-inhibitors, prostaglandins, anticholinergic agents, H2-receptor antagonists)
• Concomitant medication that can alter gastric emptying (e.g. metoclopramide, cisapride, domperidone and erythromycin, anticholinergics, tricyclic antidepressants, narcotic analgesics, adrenergic agents, calcium channel blockers)
• Concomitant medication that can alter intestinal transit (e.g. loperamide, chemical/ osmotic/bulk laxatives), or influence satiety/energy intake (e.g. sibutramine, gluco¬corticoids, anabolic steroids)
• Intolerance or allergy for test product.