Investigating Effects of a Novel Nutraceutical on Hypercholesterolaemia in Australian Adults

NCT04783714 | Completed DMC

• 1 other identifier: SNC-001
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 42
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

To evaluate the effects of daily consumption of 3 capsules of Swisse Nutra+ Cholesterol Balance on serum LDL-cholesterol in adults with hypercholesterolaemia compared to placebo over four months. This is a single-centre, randomised, double-blind, placebo controlled, parallel study. Applicants will be eligible to participate if they have hypercholesterolemia, defined by fasting LDL-cholesterol 2.5mmol/L and ≤5 mmol/L confirmed at screening visit. Participants who are otherwise healthy will be included in the study; individuals with a history of cardiovascular disease are excluded from this trial. Following pre-screening telephone assessment, applicants will attend an in-clinic screening visit and following informed consent, their general health and eligibility for inclusion into the study will be assessed. On Day 1 eligible participants will be randomly allocated to receive one of two study treatments (intervention or placebo). Participants will consume the assigned treatment daily for four months. Participants will return to the clinic at months 2 and 4 for assessment of primary and secondary outcomes. Compliance, adverse events and concomitant medication use will be assessed at these visits. In addition, participants will complete an online survey at months 1 and 3 to assess protocol compliance, adverse events and use of concomitant medications. Any queries that arise from the survey will be followed up by phone call. Dietary intakes will be assessed at the baseline and four-month visits. A final participant online survey and phone call (if needed) will be conducted one month after the 4-month visit for a final safety assessment.

Conditions

Hypercholesterolemia

Keywords

hypercholesterolemia; low-density lipoprotein; nutraceutical; bergamot; artichoke; phytosterols; hydroxytyrosol

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in LDL-cholesterol

  Low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) will be analysed using standardised methods. A Beckman AU480 clinical analyser (Beckman Coulter Inc, Brea, CA, USA) and relevant commercial enzymatic test kits will be used for analysis of serum LDL-cholesterol. Change in serum LDL-C (mmol/L) from baseline will be recorded.

  From baseline to 4 months

Secondary Outcomes (62)

• Serum lipid concentrations from baseline

  From baseline to 4 months

• Blood pressure changes from baseline

  From baseline to 4 months

• Changes in HbA1c from baseline

  From baseline to 4 months

• Changes in plasma ox-LDL

  From baseline to 4 months

• Changes in serum malondialdehyde

  From baseline to 4 months

Study Arms (2)

Active Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Active treatment comprises of 3 soft gel capsules daily (with food) of Swisse Nutra+ Cholesterol Balance, a novel combination nutraceutical containing bergamot juice extract, artichoke leaf extract, hydroxytyrosol and plant sterols, totaling a daily dose of 375 mg bergamot juice extract, 150 mg artichoke leaf extract, 50 mg hydroxytyrosol and 1.8 g sunflower phytosterols. Each capsule contains 125mg of bergamot juice extract, 50mg artichoke leaf extract, 16.67mg hydroxytyrosol and 600mg plant sterols. The intervention will be administered for 4 months (112 days).

Dietary Supplement: Swisse Nutra+ Cholesterol Balance

Placebo

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

3 soft gel capsules of matching placebo daily (total daily dose of 696 mg palm olein and 232 mg olive oil).

Dietary Supplement: Placebo

Interventions

Swisse Nutra+ Cholesterol Balance DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Swisse Nutra+ Cholesterol Balance is a multi-ingredient nutraceutical composition contained in a brown soft-gel capsule format. Three capsules are required per dose.Swisse Nutra+ Cholesterol Balance is a multi-ingredient formulation containing artichoke extract, bergamot juice extract, hydroxytyrosol, an antioxidant derived from olive oil and sunflower oil-derived phytosterols. All ingredients target cholesterol reduction by different and complementing mechanisms, as evidenced by human clinical trials. These ingredients have been chosen to work synergistically to alleviate hypercholesterolemia and/or dyslipidemia through multiple pathways, whereby each ingredient works via a different mechanism to lower LDL-cholesterol in the body.

Active Group

Placebo DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Matched brown soft-gel capsule placebo containing olive oil and palm olein - no therapeutic benefit.

Placebo

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 65 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Male or female aged 18-65 inclusive
• Fasting LDL-cholesterol ≥2.5mmol/L and ≤5mmol/L\* confirmed at screening visit
• Low cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk score (for individuals aged 45-65 years, inclusive) determined using Framingham Risk Equation \<10% absolute risk of CVD events over 5 years# as determined using a risk calculator (1) or in the event that this is not available using Australian cardiovascular risk charts (2)
• Body mass index (BMI) \>18.5 kg/m2 and \<35 kg/m2 confirmed during screening period and Day 1
• Willing to provide written Informed Consent

You may not qualify if:

• Serum LDL-cholesterol \>5 mmol/L\* at screening
• Use of omega-3 supplements at high dose (\>900 mg/day of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) / eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA))
• Use of and not prepared to abstain from lipid lowering medications, supplements or fortified foods containing substances that may, in the opinion of the medical investigator, affect lipid concentrations (e.g. statins, metformin, fibrates, cholesterol absorption inhibitors, nicotinic acid, or omega-3 supplements \<900 mg/day DHA/EPA) , soluble fibre, e.g. β-glucan/psyllium, plant sterols, curcumin/turmeric) within past 28 days of Day 1
• Previous diagnosis of chronic disease such as CVD, diabetes, cancer, familial hypercholesterolaemia, kidney disease
• Smoking (i.e. history of smoking within the last six months)
• Serum triglycerides \>4.5mmol/L (LDL-cholesterol concentrations are unreliable in the presence of high triglyceride levels)
• Women of childbearing potential (WOCBP) who:
• Are not currently using effective methods of contraception and
• Have not been using effective methods of contraception for 14 days prior to day 1 and
• Are not willing to use effective methods of contraception throughout the study
• WOCBP who have a positive urine dipstick pregnancy test at screening or Day 1, or currently pregnant or lactating
• Untreated hypertension (blood pressure ≥140/90mmHg)
• Aversion and/or intolerance/allergy to the study intervention products \^
• Unwilling or unable to maintain usual levels of physical activity for the duration of the study
• History of or known presence of alcohol abuse or illicit drug use, any surgical history, clinically significant conditions (i.e. renal, or urological disease, liver disease gastrointestinal disease or any other significant disease) or organ dysfunction that in the opinion of the investigator may affect the participant's ability to participate in the study or the study results

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Swisse Wellness Pty Ltd: lead
• Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organisation: collaborator
• BIONAP SRL: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

CSIRO Nutrition and Health Research Clinic

Adelaide, South Australia, 5000, Australia

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Stonehouse W, Benassi-Evans B, Louise J. The effects of a novel nutraceutical combination on low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and other markers of cardiometabolic health in adults with hypercholesterolaemia: A randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Atherosclerosis. 2025 Apr;403:119177. doi: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2025.119177. Epub 2025 Mar 22.

  PMID: 40147213 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Hypercholesterolemia

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Hyperlipidemias; Dyslipidemias; Lipid Metabolism Disorders; Metabolic Diseases; Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases

Study Officials

• Welma Stonehouse, PhD

  Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australia

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: QUADRUPLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, CARE PROVIDER, INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: Double-blind
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: INDUSTRY
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: Treatment arm and Placebo arm

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 11, 2021
• First Posted: March 5, 2021
• Study Start: April 30, 2021
• Primary Completion: October 22, 2021
• Study Completion: October 22, 2021
• Last Updated: March 11, 2022

Record last verified: 2021-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

AU (1)