American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 25, 470-475, Copyright © 1972 by The American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc.

Effects of simple and complex carbohydrates on serum lipids and atherosclerosis in nonhuman primates

¹ From the Department of Comparative Medicine, College of Medicine, The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center of The Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033

In male Cebus albifrons, Macaca arctoides, and Macaca mulatta, the response of serum lipid levels and atherosclerosis to diets containing large amounts (66%) of either simple or complex carbohydrates were studied for a period of 16 months. Although increases of serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels were observed in all species, the effects were different in each. In Macaca mulatta, the dextrin diet led to significantly higher levels of serum cholesterol and coronary artery atherosclerosis, whereas the sucrose diet was associated with significantly higher amounts of aorta cholesterol and significantly reduced glucose tolerance. In Cebus albifrons, the dextrin-fed animals had significantly more intimal proliferation of the coronary arteries than those fed sucrose. Both diets were equally atherogenic in the Macaca arctoides.