Oat beta-glucan and cholesterol in 28 trials
What it found
In 28 randomized trials in people, eating at least 3 g of oat beta-glucan a day lowered LDL cholesterol by 0.25 mmol/L and total cholesterol by 0.30 mmol/L compared with control.
It did not change HDL cholesterol or triglycerides.
What they found
Studies in people
LDL cholesterol
Oat beta-glucan lowered LDL cholesterol by 0.25 mmol/L compared with control. The effect was greater in people with higher starting LDL cholesterol.
Total cholesterol
Oat beta-glucan lowered total cholesterol by 0.30 mmol/L compared with control.
HDL and triglycerides
There was no significant effect on HDL cholesterol or triglycerides.
Dose and duration
Doses from 3.0 to 12.4 g a day and treatment lasting 2 to 12 weeks did not change the results. The authors say the effect can be achieved with the minimum dose of 3 g a day.
Diabetes
The effect on LDL and total cholesterol was greater in people with diabetes than in those without, but this was based on few studies.
Study quality
Trials that specifically mentioned blinding of outcome assessors showed a smaller effect on LDL and total cholesterol than other trials.
What the authors conclude
“We conclude that there is robust evidence that consuming oats or oat-containing food products containing at least 3 g OBG/d with MW ≥100 kDa reduces serum cholesterol in lean, overweight, or obese male and female adults without diabetes and those with type 2 diabetes.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that there is robust evidence that consuming oats or oat-containing foods with at least 3 g of oat beta-glucan a day reduces serum cholesterol in adults with and without type 2 diabetes.
- They call for high-quality studies to determine whether there is a dose-response effect and whether the effect lasts longer than 3 months.
- They say future studies need to consider the physical and chemical properties of beta-glucan in foods to ensure the intended effects.
How it was done
The authors wanted to update previous analyses because those included studies with less than 3 g of oat soluble fiber a day, and many new trials had been published since 2005. They also wanted to look at whether the molecular weight of oat beta-glucan mattered.
They combined 28 randomized controlled trials that compared at least 3 g of oat beta-glucan a day with a control for 2 to 12 weeks. The trials included healthy adults, people with high cholesterol, and people with type 2 diabetes.
What it can’t tell you
- The trials lasted only 2 to 12 weeks, so the results cannot show what happens over longer periods.
- The authors note that the greater effect in people with diabetes is based on few studies and should be interpreted with caution.
- The analysis cannot rule out that other unmeasured factors, such as the food source or processing, affected the results.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Lancaster University, United Kingdom (AW); University of Wollongong, Australia (EJB); University of Toronto, Canada (TMSW)
The paper
- Title
- Cholesterol-lowering effects of oat β-glucan: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
- Type
- Meta-analysis
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Whitehead A, Beck EJ, Tosh S, Wolever TM (2014). Cholesterol-lowering effects of oat β-glucan: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. The American journal of clinical nutrition. doi:10.3945/ajcn.114.086108Free full textPubMed 25411276DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error