Skip to main content
Evidence-Based Supplement Research
Evidence-Based Supplement Research

Improved HDL, LDL and total cholesterol levels following a 3-month administration of Mentha spicata leaf extract and Amaranthus caudatus seed flour extracts, flavonoids and B vitamins. A placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized clinical trial.

  • 2026-03
  • Nutrition, metabolism, and cardiovascular diseases : NMCD 36(3)
    • Alessandro Di Minno
    • Maria Vittoria Morone
    • Marcello Cordara
    • Daniele Giuseppe Buccato
    • Lorenza Francesca De Lellis
    • Hammad Ullah
    • Roberto Piccinocchi
    • Danaé S Larsen
    • Alessandra Baldi
    • Gaetano Piccinocchi
    • Xiang Xiao
    • Roberto Sacchi
    • Maria Daglia

Study Design

Type
Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)
Sample size
n = 114
Population
114 Participants (18-70 years) with TC levels 200-239 mg/dL and LDL-C <159 mg/dL
Methods
Randomised into three groups to receive for 90 days the lowest dose of the food supplement, the highest dose, or placebo
Duration
90 days
Funding
Unclear
  • Large Human Trial

Background and aims

We have evaluated the efficacy and tolerability of two food supplements (FS) containing flavonoids (naringin and hesperidin); same doses of B3, B6, B9 and B12 vitamins, and two different doses of a blend of Mentha spicata leaf extract and Amaranthus caudatus seed flour, in subjects with borderline high total (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels.

Methods and results

114 Participants (18-70 years) with TC levels 200-239 mg/dL, (5.18-6.19 mmol/L) and LDL-C (<159 mg/dL) were randomised into three groups to receive for 90 days the lowest (n = 38, Treatment A), the highest dose of the FS (n = 38 - Treatment B), or placebo (n = 38). Treatment B was associated with a significant reduction in LDL-C (∼31.5 mg/dL;-22%) and TC (∼19.5 mg/dL; -9%), along with an increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). The greater efficacy of Treatment B containing the highest dose of vegetable extracts is likely attributable to its higher M. spicata extract content, as judged by high-resolution mass spectrometry analysis of the preparation.

Conclusion

The combination of different FS ingredients with different mechanisms of action can be a valuable strategy for improving lipid profiles in subjects with borderline high TC and LDL-C levels.

Research Insights

    Back to top