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Related Experiment Videos

Phytosterols and vascular disease.

Saji John1, Alexey V Sorokin, Paul D Thompson

  • 1Section of Preventive Cardiology, Division of Cardiology, The Henry Low Heart Center, Hartford Hospital, Hartford, Connecticut 06102, USA.

Current Opinion in Lipidology
|January 16, 2007
PubMed
Summary

Phytosterols and stanols effectively lower LDL cholesterol. While concerns exist about increased cardiovascular risk, current evidence suggests this is unlikely, though further research is needed.

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Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Science
  • Nutritional Biochemistry

Background:

  • Phytosterols and stanols, plant derivatives, inhibit cholesterol absorption.
  • They are used as food additives to reduce serum cholesterol.
  • Concerns exist regarding potential cardiovascular risk from phytosterol/stanol supplementation, linked to phytosterolemia.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the relationship between phytosterol/stanol supplementation and cardiovascular risk.
  • To evaluate the safety of phytosterol/stanol use for cholesterol reduction.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing human and animal studies on phytosterol/stanol supplementation.
  • Analysis of data on serum phytosterol levels and atherosclerotic risk.

Main Results:

  • Phytosterol supplementation leads to minimal increases in human blood phytosterol levels.
  • Animal studies (Apo-E deficient mice) suggest phytosterols may reduce atherosclerosis.
  • Human studies provide mixed evidence regarding atherosclerotic risk from serum phytosterol levels.

Conclusions:

  • Phytosterols are effective in lowering low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol.
  • Current evidence does not indicate an increased atherosclerotic risk with phytosterol supplementation.
  • Further research is necessary to definitively address potential cardiovascular risks.

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