Pecans lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in people with normal lipid levels.

What Was Tested

This randomized controlled trial looks at Magnesium and Nuts.

To compare serum lipid profiles and dietary intakes of people with normal lipid levels who consumed pecans and those who did not consume nuts.

Why It Was Studied

Comparisons were made using analysis of variance or paired t test.

Pecans can be included in a healthful diet when energy intake and potential weight gain are addressed.

Who Took Part

The abstract describes 7 women taking part.

By PubMed's age tags, the people studied were adults and middle-aged adults, both men and women.

Eight-week, randomized, controlled study of pecan treatment group vs control group.

Nineteen people with normal lipid levels completed the study; 10 had been randomly assigned to the pecan treatment group (7 women, 3 men, mean age = 45 +/- 10 years) and 9 to the control group (8 women, 1 man, mean age = 37 +/- 12 years).

How the Study Was Run

The design is described as randomized.

The women were allocated by chance, so the Magnesium group and the comparison group should start out alike.

The control group avoided nuts and consumed self-selected diets.

What Was Measured

Comparisons were made using analysis of variance or paired t test.

The subject headings attached to it are Cholesterol, Cholesterol, HDL, Cholesterol, LDL, Copper, Coronary Disease, Diet and Diet Records.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized study of Magnesium and Nuts in 7 women.

With fewer than 40 people, it is a small study, so it is better read as an early signal for further research than as a settled answer.

The abstract goes on to report its results in about 6 sentences; this page does not restate them, so read the paper for the findings and their limits.

The publication is from 2000 (Journal of the American Dietetic Association), a journal based in United States.

More context: the related Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc library page, all human trials.