Sixteen weeks of supplementation was also found to not affect coenzyme Q10 levels, unlike statin therapy, which deplete CoQ10 to detrimental levels, report scientists from KGK Synergize (Canada), The Princeton Longevity Center (NJ, USA), Daiichi Fine Chemical Co (Japan), and Kyowa Hakko USA.
“This study demonstrated that the [Therapeutic Lifestyle Change (TLC)] diet alone did not significantly affect lipid profiles but in conjunction with pantethine supplementation, significantly decreased lipid levels,” they wrote in Vascular Health and Risk Management.
“Supplementation with pantethine may therefore be considered as an optional adjunctive therapy for patients with low to moderate CVD risk.”
Heart health
High cholesterol levels, hypercholesterolemia, have a long association with many diseases, particularly cardiovascular disease (CVD), the cause of almost 50% of deaths in Europe and the US.
A report from the American Heart Association predicted a tripling of direct medical costs of cardiovascular disease from $272.5 billion to $818.1 billion between 2010 and 2030 (Circulation, March 2011, Vol. 123, pp. 933-944).
Study co-author Danielle Citrolo, Pharm D from Kyowa Hakko USA said the new study is significant, “because it highlights the ability to reduce several cardiovascular risk markers with a safe and comprehensive dietary supplement.”
Study details
The researchers, led by Malkanthi Evans from KGK Synergize, recruited 32 North Americans deemed eligible for statin therapy according to NCEP (National Cholesterol Education Program) to participate in their triple-blinded, placebo-controlled study. Participants were randomly assigned to pantethine (600 mg/day from weeks 1 to 8 and 900 mg/day from weeks 9 to16) or placebo.
Results showed that, compared with placebo, pantethine supplementation was associated with a significant decrease in total cholesterol at 16 weeks and LDL-C at both eight and 16 weeks.
An 11% decrease in LDL-C from baseline was seen in participants on pantethine, at weeks 4, 8, 12, and 16, while participants on placebo showed a 3% increase at week 16.
No changes were observed for homocysteine levels for both groups, while Co Q10 levels significantly increased from the start of the study to week four, and then remained high until the end of the study in both groups.
Commenting on the potential mechanism of action of pantethine to reduce lipid levels, the researchers said that, while this is still to be clarified, it may be related to inhibition of enzymes involved in lipoprotein metabolism. Another possibility was that the vitamin B5 derivate may enhance of blood flow and gut motility, which would both impact heart health. A final possibility is the effect of pantethine on specific populations of bacteria in the gut, including Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, which may help to reduce in lipids levels in adults.
“These results, together with results of the human studies on pantethine, suggest the possible linkage of multiple mechanisms of actions in the various health benefits of pantethine,” they wrote.
Source: Vascular Health and Risk Management
2014, Volume 10, Pages 89-100
“Pantethine, a derivative of vitamin B5, favorably alters total, LDL and non-HDL cholesterol in low to moderate cardiovascular risk subjects eligible for statin therapy: a triple-blinded placebo and diet-controlled investigation”
Authors: M. Evans, J.A. Rumberger, I. Azumano, J. Napolitano, D. Citrolo. T. Kamiya