[Systematic review of the effects of inulin-type fructans on blood lipid profiles: a meta-analysis].

To conduct a systematic review on the efficacy of inulin-type fructans on lowering blood lipids, randomized controlled intervention trials on the analysis of plasma total cholesterol and triacylglycerol resulted from the treatment of dietary inulin-type fructans were selected from international journal databases and reference lists of relevant publications. The data of trials were extracted and identified by two independent reviewers. Only the qualified ones were included and evaluated. The results of 9 studies included in the systematic review indicated that the total cholesterol and triacylglycerol of subjects with hyperlipidemia could be significantly decreased by dietary inulin-type fructans, whereas the effects were absent in normal subjects. Blood lipids of subjects with hyperlipidemia could be decreased significantly by foods enriched with 17 g of inulin-type fructans per day.