Indication: Cholesterol absorption/levels

Source: Am J Clin Nutr, 2002;76:1272-1278.

Research: In this study, researchers asked 15 people with elevated cholesterol levels to eat four different dietary treatments, each for a 21-day period. Dietary treatments included 1.8 grams per day of unesterified plant sterols, hydrogenated sterols (stanols), a 50:50 mix of sterols and stanols and corn starch (as a placebo) mixed into butter. The total diet composition was precisely defined and provided to all subjects throughout the study.

Results: Sterols reduced absorption by 56%, compared with 34% and 49% for stanols and the 50:50 combination of sterols and stanols, respectively. The placebo had no significant effect. As compared to the placebo, total blood cholesterol levels declined by 8%, 12% and 13% and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels decreased by 11%, 13% and 16%, respectively, when the subjects consumed sterols, stanols and the combination. The reductions in total and LDL cholesterol levels were not statistically different among sterol treatments.