Compare Effects of a Soluble Fiber on Weight and Blood Cholesterol

The overall aim is to investigate the effectiveness of a soluble dietary fiber, FBCx®, on weight loss and/or weight management, and blood lipid levels in overweight humans.

Inclusion criteria

• 30 men and 30 women
• Age 18- 65 years
• BMI 25.0 - 32.0 Kg/m²
• fasting glucose <126 mg/dL
• Blood pressure < 140/85 mm Hg. Hypertension on stable drug regimen using 2 or fewer antihypertensives will be acceptable.
• Total plasma cholesterol <240 mg/dl, LDL-cholesterol <160 and triglycerides <400 mg/dl. Hyperlipidemia on a stable medication regimen using single anti-hyperlipidemic drug acceptable.

Exclusion criteria

• Pregnant women, women who plan to become pregnant during the study period
• Women who have given birth within the previous 12 months
• Lactating women
• History or presence of Type 2 diabetes; kidney disease; (creatinine >1.4); liver disease (X2 fold increase in AST or ALT); gout; cancer; untreated thyroid disease; gastrointestinal disease; other metabolic diseases or malabsorption syndromes
• Habitual low-fat intake (less than 20%)
• History of eating disorder
• Subjects who have lost 10% of body weight within the last 12 months or who plan to initiate a weight loss program
• Use of prescription or over-the counter anti-obesity medications or supplements (phenylpropanolamine, ephedrine, caffeine) for at least 6 months prior of study.
• Subjects with pacemakers will not participate in bioimpedance studies but will go through all the other testing.