Dietary beta-carotene reduces serum lipid concentrations in spontaneously hypertensive rats fed a vitamin A-fortified and cholesterol-enriched diet.

The effects of dietary beta-carotene on serum lipid concentrations were examined in spontaneously hypertensive (SH) rats. Groups of SH rats were fed a semipurified, vitamin A-fortified and cholesterol-enriched diet supplemented with 0, 125, 250 or 500 mg beta-carotene/kg diet for a period of 44 d. beta-Carotene supplementation resulted in significant dose-related decreases in serum total, LDL and HDL cholesterol concentrations and serum total, VLDL and LDL triacylglycerol concentrations. The ratio of HDL cholesterol to total cholesterol was unchanged or slightly increased by dietary beta-carotene. The study suggests that dietary beta-carotene has antihyperlipidemic effects in SH rats. The effects in humans and the mechanism of the effects remain to be investigated.