[Significance of plant sterols in diabetes]

Plant sterols occur naturally in plants and vegetable oils. Sitosterol and campesterol are markers of cholesterol absorption. The ratio of cholesterol endogenous synthesis to its absorption may be assessed by sitosterol, campesterol and other non-cholesterol sterols (lathosterol and squalen) serum concentration measurements. In 38 Type 2 diabetics (59.9 years, BMI 29.8 kg/m2, HbA1c 7.6%, C-peptid 0.82 nmol/l) and in 40 non-diabetics (37.2 years, BMI 25.4 kg/m2, HbA1c 5.2%, C-peptid 0.85 nmol/l) plant sterols serum concentration were measured: lathosterol (diabetics 10.64, non-diabetics 6.04 mumol/l, p = 0.09), squalen (diabetics 3.42, non-diabetics 1.78 mumol/l, p < 0.01), sitosterol (diabetics 3.91, non-diabetics 3.80 mumol/l, p = 0.60) and campesterol (diabetics 7.91, non-diabetics 8.85 mmol/l, p = 0.09). In non-diabetics squalen positive correlates with C-peptid, lathosterol with triacylglycerols and campesterol with HbA1c. In diabetics correlates diabetes compensation with plant sterols value negative. It seems that plant sterols and probably also cholesterol absorption can be influenced negative by higher value HbA1c.