Polyphenol-rich sugarcane extract reduces circulating trans fatty acids, VLDL cholesterol, and triglycerides in healthy adults
Supplementation with polyphenol-rich sugarcane extract (500 mg/day, 90 days) reduced circulating trans fatty acid proportion, triglycerides, and VLDL cholesterol compared with placebo, with no effect on body weight, inflammatory, or glycaemic markers.
| Population | Healthy adults, 18–55 years, Australia (n=47; 36 female, 11 male) |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Polyphenol-rich sugarcane extract (PRSE) 500 mg/day oral capsules (2×250 mg), 90 days |
| Comparator | Maltodextrin capsules (placebo), 90 days |
| Outcome | Circulating trans fatty acids (%); Triglycerides; VLDL cholesterol; Inflammatory markers; Glycaemic markers; Gut microbiota diversity and composition; Microbial functional metabolic pathways (glycerol degradation III, pyruvate dehydrogenase, p-cresol degradation) |
Summary of findings
| Outcome | Effect | 95% CI | Certainty | Clinical relevance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Circulating trans fatty acids (%) | treatment x time effect significant; exact effect size and 95% CI not reported | — | Low | — | 1 studies |
| Triglycerides | treatment x time effect significant; exact effect size and 95% CI not reported | — | Low | — | 1 studies |
| VLDL cholesterol | treatment x time effect significant; exact effect size and 95% CI not reported | — | Low | — | 1 studies |
| Inflammatory markers | no significant effect after multiple comparison correction; exact values not reported | — | Low | — | 1 studies |
| Glycaemic markers | no significant effect after multiple comparison correction; exact values not reported | — | Low | — | 1 studies |
| Gut microbiota diversity and composition | no significant effect on overall diversity or community composition; exact values not reported | — | Low | — | 1 studies |
| Microbial functional metabolic pathways (glycerol degradation III, pyruvate dehydrogenase, p-cresol degradation) | treatment x time effect significant; exact effect size and 95% CI not reported | — | Low | — | 1 studies |
Context
Dyslipidaemia is a central cardiovascular risk factor; polyphenol-based dietary interventions are an active area of investigation. PRSEs are derived from sugarcane by-products and contain bioactive compounds with proposed metabolic activity. The interaction between polyphenols and gut microbiota adds a mechanistic dimension that remains poorly established in humans.
What the study showed
Significant treatment × time effects were observed for circulating trans fatty acids (%), triglycerides, and VLDL cholesterol, favouring PRSE over placebo. No significant effects were detected for body weight, inflammatory, or glycaemic markers after correction for multiple comparisons. Microbial functional pathways — glycerol degradation III, pyruvate dehydrogenase, and p-cresol degradation — were modulated by PRSE without changes in overall microbiota diversity or community composition. The provided text does not report absolute values, 95% CIs, or numerical effect sizes for primary outcomes.
How it was done
Fully remote, quadruple-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled crossover trial. N=47 healthy Australian adults; each arm lasted 90 days (total ~6 months including presumed washout). Blood and faecal samples were collected for biomarker and microbiome analyses; self-reported qualitative surveys assessed wellbeing.
Effect magnitude
The available full text does not report numerical effect sizes (MD, RR, SMD) or 95% CIs for any primary outcome; the magnitude of observed effects cannot be quantified from the provided material.
Risk of bias
Small sample (n=47) with sex imbalance (77% female), reducing statistical power and generalisability. Fully remote conduct limits adherence control, concurrent diet monitoring, and sample collection quality. The provided text does not describe a formal risk-of-bias tool (RoB 2) or an explicit washout period between arms, which is critical in crossover designs to prevent carry-over effects. Multiple exploratory microbiome outcomes increase type I error risk despite corrections.
What this study does NOT prove
This study does not prove that PRSE reduces cardiovascular risk or that lipid effects observed in healthy adults translate to individuals with dyslipidaemia or established disease. Causality between microbial pathway modulation and lipid outcomes is not established.
In clinical practice
Findings do not justify clinical recommendation of PRSE for dyslipidaemia management in healthy adults. Clinicians should await replication in larger, more heterogeneous populations with established cardiometabolic risk before any indication. The absence of effect on inflammatory and glycaemic markers must be considered when evaluating the supplement's benefit profile.
Limitations
Small sample (n=47) with sex imbalance (77% female), reducing statistical power and generalisability. Fully remote conduct limits adherence control, concurrent diet monitoring, and sample collection quality. The provided text does not describe a formal risk-of-bias tool (RoB 2) or an explicit washout period between arms, which is critical in crossover designs to prevent carry-over effects. Multiple exploratory microbiome outcomes increase type I error risk despite corrections.
What is still missing
Trials with larger samples, balanced sex representation, and populations with established dyslipidaemia are needed. Mechanistic studies are required to clarify PRSE–microbiota–lipid metabolism interactions.
Technical appendix
Version history
- 1.0 · 2026-09-18 — Auto-generated under Evidence Standard v1.0