Effects of Brussels Chicory and Concurrent Exercise Training on HDL Function and Subclass Profiles in Overweight College Students: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.
In overweight adults, sustained Brussels chicory supplementation, either alone or combined with concurrent exercise training, may yield comparable favorable changes in HDL-CEC from macrophages and HDL subclass profiles, though effect magnitudes appear modest in this pilot trial.
Key Findings
Results
All three lifestyle interventions comparably elevated HDL cholesterol efflux capacity (HDL-CEC) from macrophages compared to control.
Elevations in HDL-CEC from macrophages ranged from 1.18% to 1.78% across the three intervention groups
The difference from control was statistically significant (p < 0.001)
The three groups (Cho, Cho-CT, Cho-MeCT) were described as 'comparably' effective, with no significant differences between intervention arms
The study was an 8-week randomized controlled trial with 97 overweight college students
Results
All three lifestyle interventions were associated with reductions in pre-β-HDL and HDL3 concentrations and increases in HDL2 concentrations.
Changes in HDL subclass profiles accompanied the improvements in HDL-CEC from macrophages
Pre-β-HDL concentrations decreased across all three intervention groups
HDL3 concentrations decreased across all three intervention groups
HDL2 concentrations increased across all three intervention groups
These changes were observed relative to the control group
Results
No significant differences in plasma lipid profiles, apolipoprotein A-I, or plasma LCAT and CETP activities were found among the tested groups.
Plasma activities of lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) and cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) were assessed as enzymes involved in remodeling HDL subclass profiles
Neither LCAT nor CETP activities differed significantly among the Cho, Cho-CT, Cho-MeCT, and control groups
Apolipoprotein A-I levels did not differ significantly among groups
Standard plasma lipid profiles also showed no significant between-group differences
Results
Within intervention groups, changes in HDL-CEC from macrophages were positively correlated with changes in HDL2 levels, while weak negative correlations were observed for pre-β-HDL and HDL3.
Positive correlations between HDL-CEC changes and HDL2 changes were observed within the Cho, Cho-CT, and Cho-MeCT groups
Weak negative correlations were observed between HDL-CEC changes and both pre-β-HDL and HDL3 changes within intervention groups
The negative correlations for pre-β-HDL and HDL3 did not reach statistical significance
No comparable significant correlations were found in the control group
Methods
The study randomized 97 overweight college students to four groups across an 8-week intervention period.
Participants were randomized to one of four groups: Brussels chicory supplementation alone (Cho), chicory combined with supervised concurrent resistance exercise and high-intensity interval training (Cho-CT), chicory combined with mindfulness-enhanced concurrent resistance exercise and HIIT (Cho-MeCT), or control
The primary outcome was HDL-CEC from macrophages
Secondary outcomes included HDL subclass profiles (pre-β-HDL, HDL3, HDL2), plasma LCAT and CETP activities, plasma lipid profiles, and apolipoprotein AI
All outcomes were assessed at baseline and post-intervention
The paper is described as a pilot randomized controlled trial
What This Means
This research suggests that taking Brussels chicory supplements — a plant rich in phenolic acids — for 8 weeks can modestly improve how HDL ('good') cholesterol functions in overweight young adults. Specifically, the study measured how well HDL particles could pull cholesterol out of immune cells called macrophages, a process thought to be important for protecting arteries. All three intervention groups (chicory alone, chicory plus exercise, or chicory plus mindfulness-enhanced exercise) showed similarly small but statistically significant improvements of roughly 1.2–1.8% compared to a control group that received none of these interventions.
The improvements in HDL function were accompanied by favorable shifts in HDL particle types: levels of smaller, less mature HDL particles (pre-β-HDL and HDL3) decreased, while levels of larger, more mature HDL2 particles increased. However, the interventions did not significantly change standard cholesterol blood test results, a key HDL protein called apolipoprotein A-I, or two enzymes that help reshape HDL particles (LCAT and CETP). This suggests the benefits observed may operate through mechanisms not captured by routine lipid panels.
Because all three intervention groups performed similarly, adding structured exercise or mindfulness training to chicory supplementation did not appear to provide additional benefit for these specific HDL measurements in this short 8-week trial. The authors caution that the effect sizes were modest and that this was a pilot study, meaning the findings are preliminary and would need to be confirmed in larger trials before drawing firm conclusions about practical health benefits.
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Qu P, Zhu T, Chen G, Zhang Y, Wang Y, Xu Q, et al.. (2026). Effects of Brussels Chicory and Concurrent Exercise Training on HDL Function and Subclass Profiles in Overweight College Students: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.. Nutrients. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18162678