A non-absorbable dietary fat substitute enhances elimination of persistent lipophilic contaminants in humans

For individuals contaminated with persistent lipophilic pollutants, there is an urgent need for a therapy to enhance contaminant elimination from the body and hence reduce long term exposure. This study investigated the possibility of enhancing the excretion of native chemical via the faeces by augmenting the lipophilic properties of the faeces with the non-absorbable lipid substitute olestra. The faecal excretion of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) was measured in 3 volunteers. The excretion while eating an olestra-free diet was compared with the excretion while eating a diet supplemented wit 25 g/d of olestra. The excretion while on the olestra diet was higher by a factor of 1.5 – 11, depending on the compound. This resulted from higher concentrations of the contaminants in the faeces and higher excretion of faeces dry mass due to the food additive. Using 2,3,7,8-Cl4DD as an example, it was estimated that ingestion of 25 g/d of olestra would more than double the overall rate of elimination of this compound from the body. It is concluded that regular consumption of olestra may provide a therapeutic approach for reducing the body burden of persistent lipophilic contaminants.