Recently, a new study conducted by the Second University of Naples showed that apple polyphenol extract can increase cholesterol excretion in healthy people by 35%. The study has been published in PharmaNutrition magazine. The study used Italian Annurca apples. A new type of nutraceutical formulated with phenol extract (researchers call it AMD).

Using in vitro experiments, it was found that apple extract reduced the micellar solubility of cholesterol by 86%. In a subsequent randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study, 50 healthy men and women ate a high-cholesterol diet for 10 consecutive days. Some diets contained apple extract while others did not. This is followed by a 7-day "cleaning" period, and then crossover to another group.

The results showed that compared with placebo, apple extract can increase the excretion of cholesterol in feces by about 35%. When evaluating potential bioactive components in apple extracts, NMR data showed that dimeric proanthocyanidins can interact with bile acid micelles through phosphatidylcholine (PC) to precipitate cholesterol. Clinical data shows that when healthy subjects adopt a high-cholesterol diet, AMD can increase the excretion of cholesterol in feces. Current research suggests using AMD as an effective drug to reduce cholesterol absorption in healthy subjects.

Currently, cholesterol-lowering product formulations on the market usually contain sterols and stanols. A large number of clinical trials conducted in a controlled environment have shown that daily consumption of 1.5-3 grams of food-derived plant sterols/stanols can reduce total cholesterol levels by 8-17%, thereby significantly reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. The health claim approved by the US FDA states that daily intake of 1.3 grams of plant sterols as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol can reduce the risk of heart disease. (For plant stanols, the daily dose can be increased to 3.4 grams)

This new study shows that microencapsulated apple extract encapsulated in maltodextrin may provide developers with another option. The study found that apple polyphenol extract can reduce the solubility and absorption rate of cholesterol in the intestine, and can be used as a natural solution for cholesterol management and cardiovascular health support. Due to its polar microencapsulation formula, AMD can reach the micellar target through a better carrier dimer proanthocyanidin. In addition, the product can be regarded as a powerful tool to reduce the solubility of duodenal cholesterol and reduce its intestinal bioavailability. This is the first report on the effect of apple polyphenol extract on intestinal cholesterol absorption, and it also opens up new directions for the application of apple polyphenol extract.

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