[Lipid-lowering effect of sodium alginate in patients with hypercholesterolemia].

Objective: To investigate the effects of sodium alginate(SA) on serum total cholesterol(TC) levels in individuals with hypercholesterolemia.

Methods: A randomized double-blind controlled trial was conducted on hypercholesterolemic patients(TC≥5.2 mmol/L, n=84), who were divided into a control group and an SA intervention group. General demographic and physical examination data were collected. Serum levels of TC, triglycerides(TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C) were measured before and after the intervention. Changes in TC, TG, LDL-C, and HDL-C were calculated as baseline values minus post-intervention values(28 days), followed by comparative analyses.

Results: SA showed no significant effects on body weight or body mass index(BMI). However, SA reduced lipid levels: the ΔTC, ΔTG, and ΔLDL-C in the SA intervention group were higher compared to the control group(P<0.05). The lipid-lowering effects increased with higher baseline TC levels(r=0.476, P<0.001). The participants with TC ≥6.2 mmol/L demonstrated significantly higher ΔTC and ΔLDL-C compared to the control group(P<0.01).

Conclusion: Sodium alginate significantly reduces serum TC and LDL-C levels in hypercholesterolemic patients, with particularly pronounced effects in patients with TC≥6.2 mmol/L.