Lester’s Oil Clinical Study – Executive Summary
The effects of an encapsulated vitamin D, omega 3 fatty acid, Co-enzyme Q10,
Zeaxanthin, Lutein and Astaxanthin supplement (Lester’s Oil®) in comparison with a control, an encapsulated medium chain triglyceride, on healthy people.
Lynnette Ferguson, Gareth Marlow, Stephanie Ellett, Bobbi Laing, Amalini Jesuthasan, Shuotun Zhu, Mike Agnew, Janine Cooney, Tony McGhie, Jeff Greenwood, Dan Lock, Nicole Roy, William Laing.
University of Auckland, AgResearch, Plant and Food Research, Institute of Food Research UK4
31st March,
2015
Executive Summary
The effects of an encapsulated Vitamin D, Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, Co-enzyme Q10, Zeaxanthin, Lutein and Astaxanthin supplement (Lester’s Oil®) in comparison with an encapsulated medium chain triglyceride on Healthy people.
Introduction: Diet is a key component in the disease susceptibility of individuals. Vitamin D, omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, Co-enzyme Q10 and carotenoids are associated with immune regulatory functions. Vitamin D supplementation, omega 3 fatty acids and antioxidants have been shown to be beneficial in reducing inflammation especially in people with inflammatory disorders e.g. inflammatory bowel disease.
Study Design: Double blinded, randomised, with cross-over. The study population (n=30) was recruited from Auckland, New Zealand. The intervention or the control (the medium chain triglyceride-[MCT- 8+10 Triglycerides]) was for four weeks, followed by a washout of four weeks followed by the control or intervention for four weeks.
Methods Blood, urine and faecal samples were collected before and after each 4 week intervention from the participants and inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein and faecal calprotectin) transcriptomics, vitamin D:25-OH, plasma lipid metabolic profiling, lipid profiles, ubiquinone, carotenoids, lipid peroxidation, and full blood count measures were taken. A food variety score (FVS), Quality of Life (QoL) and stool questionnaires were also conducted. The QoL score was measured using a numeric scale from 1 – 10. The FVS was a list of foods and participants indicated which ones were eaten over each seven day time period. The stool
chart measured daily frequency, ease, volume and consistency of each stool on a number scale. The outcomes of interest were measured at baseline, and the end of each phase or at the end of the trial. Paired student t-tests were conducted to investigate the difference in levels of the measures of interest when taking
the supplement (Lester’s Oil®) or when taking the control, an encapsulated medium-chain triglyceride oil (MCT). No current smokers were in the trial.
Results: There were significant increases in serum vitamin D:25-OH, the fatty acids EPA, DHA, and DPA, the carotenoid lutein, HDL and Chol/HDL ratio for participants while they were taking Lester’s Oil. There were also significant decreases in palmitoleic, oleic and arachidic fatty acids and the carotenoid beta-carotene. There were no significant differences in the inflammatory markers between the two groups. Although 37 genes were differentially expressed with a fold change ±1.5 between Lester’s oil and control supplementation, these changes were not significant after multiple testing corrections were applied. For participants taking the control there were significant decreases in vitamin D:25-OH, the fatty acids EPA, DPA, DHA and beta-carotene. There was a significant increase in the fatty acid Myristic acid.
There were no significant differences in lipid peroxidation when participants took either Lester’s oil or the control, or in the QoL scores. However, there was a significant increase in the FVS for participants taking Lester’s Oil, but not when they took the control. There was also a significant increase in the volume of stool for those taking the control, but there were no other significant differences in the other stool measures, when participants took either the supplement or the control.
Conclusion: These results show that the supplement (Lester’s Oil®) was effective in improving serum vitamin D: 25-OH, the fatty acids EPA, DHA, and DPA, the carotenoids lutein and beta-carotene, HDL, Chol/HDL ratio and the FVS for participants. However the control was not neutral in its effect.
Principal Investigator: Prof. Lynnette R. Ferguson
Discipline of Nutrition, Faculty of Medical and Health Science
Interpretation of the Results
When the results from all participants were combined, there was noted a significant increase in High-density lipoprotein (HDL: the good fat) in the Lester's Oil supplemented group and a significant decrease in triglycerides when compared to the placebo. Changes in Cholesterol, LDL/Cholesterol ratio and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) were not significantly different between the two groups.
These results can be viewed in the density graphs below (Figures 1 -3). Differences between health scores received before and after each phase of the study have been calculated and where this difference has made a change there is a shift in the position of the graph. For HDL, CRP and Triglycerides the shift has been in the desired direction (as noted by the arrow) for Lester's Oil (dotted line) when compared against the placebo (solid line).
Figure1. Density graph showing C-Reactive Protein (CRP) scores after the consumption of Lester's Oil or the medium-chain triglyceride placebo.
Figure2. Density graph showing High-density Lipoprotein (HDL) scores after the consumption of Lester's Oil or the medium-chain triglyceride placebo
Figure3. Density graph showing Triglyceride scores after the consumption of Lester's Oil or the medium-chain triglyceride placebo
Appendix
Sourced from www.bpac.org.nz
Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance made in the liver from the fats and oils we eat. It is important for the production of hormones and bile and is incorporated into the cell wall of all cells. The body requires only a small amount of cholesterol to meet these needs, and when too much is present health problems such as heart disease may develop.
Cholesterol travels through the blood attached to special proteins called lipoproteins. Lipo-proteins are classified as high density, low density or very low density.
LDL Cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein) is often called “bad cholesterol”. When too much LDL cholesterol circulates in the blood, it can slowly build up in the inner walls of the arteries that lead to the heart and brain. This can eventually form a thick, hard deposit called a ‘plaque’. This increases the chance of a clot forming in the artery, which may then cause a heart attack or
stroke.
For most people who need to improve their lipid levels, LDL cholesterol is the main result to focus on, and it is usually best to get it as low as possible.
HDL Cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein) is often known as “good” cholesterol because high levels of HDL help to protect against heart attack. Medical experts think that HDL carries cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where it can be removed from the body. It is also thought that HDL
removes excess cholesterol from any developing plaque in the arteries and slows its build-up.
Higher levels of HDL are therefore better. However, it is usually easier to lower your
LDL levels than it is to increase your HDL levels.
A good way to remember the difference between LDL and HDL is that LDL is better to be Lower and HDL is better to be Higher.
Triglycerides are the main sort of fat we eat. They are an important source of energy but excess triglycerides can increase the likelihood of heart attack, stroke or obesity.
Cholesterol/HDL ratio is used to help calculate a person’s risk of a heart attack or stroke. Once the risk has been determined, it is the LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and triglyceride levels, which are more important.
Cholesterol and triglyceride levels are strongly influenced by the foods we eat, in particular fats and oils.www.bpac.org.nz
*At the time of publication and when rechecked in September 2026, to the best if our knowledge, Lester's Oil is the only multi-ingredient fish oil formula that has been through a clinical trial.
