Skip to main content
Evidence-Based Supplement Research
Evidence-Based Supplement Research
Pillser
Search
Sign UpLog In

rice bran and Increased HDL Cholesterol Levels

Research synthesisLow evidenceMixed effect size3 studies · 2 beneficial · 1 neutral · 0 harmful

Across 3 studies, 2 reported beneficial effects of rice bran or rice bran oil on HDL cholesterol levels, with effect sizes ranging from small to large, while 1 meta-analysis found no significant effect. The median study duration was 42 days, suggesting effects may be observed within 4–8 weeks. Doses varied, with one study using 30 g/day of rice bran oil and another using fortified bread providing an unspecified dose of defatted rice bran.

Caveats: Evidence base is small (only 3 studies) — conclusions should be considered preliminary. One of the three studies is a meta-analysis that pooled data from 8 RCTs and found no significant effect, which contradicts the two individual RCTs showing benefit; this inconsistency may reflect differences in dose, form (rice bran oil vs. defatted rice bran), or population (healthy adults vs. those with metabolic syndrome). Publication bias cannot be ruled out given the limited number of studies.

Generated Jun 12, 2026
Doses used in studies
  • g/day: 30 (median 30, IQR 30–30) — 1 study
  • slices/day: 3–4 (median 3.5, IQR 3–4) — 1 study
Time to effect
Median: 6 weeks · IQR 5 weeks–7 weeks · Range 4 weeks–8 weeks — Reported in 2 of 3 studies
Safety in these studies
3 of 3 papers
Back to top