Effect of Oat Supplementation Interventions on Cardiovascular Disease Risk Markers - A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Sep 17, 2026

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Oat supplementation interventions (OSIs) may improve cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, while background diet can influence the magnitude of benefit. This systematic review evaluates OSIs in adults by analyzing effects on CVD risk markers across randomized clinical trials, explicitly accounting for different dietary backgrounds and types of control arms. Trials assessed oat, oat beta-glucan-rich extracts, or avenanthramides against non-oat controls and heterogeneous comparators.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages30

Reading Time1 h 16 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Introduction

Rationale and background

Materials and methods

Search strategy and study selection

European Journal of Nutrition [https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-021-02763-1](https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-021-02763-1) Effect of oat supplementation interventions on cardiovascular disease risk markers: a systematic review and meta‑analysis of randomized controlled trials Erand Llanaj1,2 · Gordana M. Dejanovic3 · Ezra Valido4 · Arjola Bano9,14 · Magda Gamba9,13 · Lum Kastrati10 · Beatrice Minder11 · Stevan Stojic4 · Trudy Voortman5,6 · Pedro Marques‑Vidal7,8 · Jivko Stoyanov4,9 · Brandon Metzger12 · Marija Glisic4,9 · Hua Kern12 · Taulant Muka9 Received: 1 July 2021 / Accepted: 30 November 2021 © The Author(s) 2021 Abstract Purpose Oat supplementation interventions (OSIs) may have a beneficial effect on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. However, dietary background can modulate such effect. This systematic review assesses the effects of OSIs on CVD risk markers among adults, accounting for different dietary backgrounds or control arms. Methods We included randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that assessed the effect of oat, oat beta-glucan-rich extracts oravenanthramides on CVD risk markers. Results Seventy-four RCTs, including 4937 predominantly hypercholesterolemic, obese subjects, with mild metabolic disturbances, were included in the systematic review. Of these, 59 RCTs contributed to the meta-analyses. Subjects receiving an OSI, compared to control arms without oats, had improved levels of total cholesterol (TC) [weighted mean difference and (95% CI) − 0.42 mmol/L,(− 0.61; − 0.22)], LDL cholesterol [− 0.29 mmol/L,(− 0.37; − 0.20)], glucose [− 0.25 nmol/L,(− 0.36; − 0. 14)], body mass index [− 0.13 kg/m2,(− 0.26; − 0.01)], weight [− 0.94 kg,(− 1. 84: − 0.05)], and waist circumference [− 1.06 cm,(− 1. 85; − 0.27)] . RCTs on inflammation and/or oxidative stress markers were scarce and withinconsistent findings. RCTs comparing an OSI to heterogeneous interventions (e.g., wheat, eggs, rice, etc.), showed lowered levels of glycated haemoglobin, diastolic blood pressure, HDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B. The majority of included RCTs (81 . 1%) had some concerns for risk of bias. Conclusion Dietary OSIs resulted in lowered levels of blood lipids and improvements in anthropometric parameters among participants with predominantly mild metabolic disturbances, regardless of dietary background or control. Further highquality trials are warranted to establish the role of OSIs on blood pressure, glucose homeostasis and inflammation markers. Keywords Oats · Supplementation · Interventions · Cardiovascular diseases · Risk markers · Cholesterol · Nutrition | Erand Llanaj and Gordana M. Dejanovic have contributed equally to this work. | | --- | | Hua Kern and Taulant Muka are last authors to all academic and professional effects, and that their names can be legitimately swapped in their respective publication list. | * Taulant Muka[taulant.muka@ispm.unibe.ch](taulant.muka@ispm.unibe.ch) Extended author information available on the last page of the article Introduction Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) represent one of the leading causes of global mortality among adults and lifestyle modifications have emerged as a great opportunity to reduce their health burden [1] . Hence, changes in diet have been encouraged, as they can have a beneficial impact on the prevention, management and disease trajectory of CVDs [2] . Among currently implemented dietary interventions, increased intake of whole grains and in particular oat components, such as oat fibre and oat bioactive constituents, has been suggested to affect CVD risk markers including blood cholesterol, blood glucose and body mass index (BMI), thus reducing the risk of coronary heart disease 1 3 [3–6] . There is growing evidence suggesting that oat products, when compared with similar wheat-based products ora glucose control, can have a positive effect on human glycaemic response [7]. Similar positive effects have been also reported for overall CVD risk [8], sa

FAQs

What is the main purpose of this systematic review?

To assess how oat supplementation interventions affect cardiovascular disease risk markers in adults, considering different dietary backgrounds and control arms.

Which types of interventions and outcomes were included?

Randomized clinical trials evaluating oat, beta-glucan-rich extracts, or avenanthramides, focusing on CVD risk markers such as blood lipids, glucose, and anthropometric measures.

What outcomes improved with oat supplementation compared with non-oat controls?

Levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, glucose, body mass index, weight, and waist circumference were lower in participants receiving OSIs versus control arms without oats.

Sep 17, 2026

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