To Your Health:

Phytosterols Help Fight High Cholesterol

By Nancy DiMarco, Ph.D.

High cholesterol is one of the most important risk factors in the development of heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States. For 52 percent of adults who have high cholesterol (more than 100 million Americans), there are dietary solutions for managing the condition, especially LDL cholesterol that has been linked to the formation of plaque and clogged arteries. 

A healthy diet that's low in animal fats, high in mono and polyunsaturated fat, low in cholesterol, has an abundance of fruits and vegetables and whole grains, plus regular physical activity is the first line of defense against heart disease. But another arrow in the quiver is phytosterols, including plant sterols and stanols, which in studies since the 1950s have been proven to reduce LDL cholesterol.

Simply, plant phytosterols decrease blood cholesterol by inhibiting absorption of cholesterol in the digestive tract. 

Plant sterols occur as minor components of vegetable oils, such as sunflower oil, and are a natural part of our diet. Plant stanols are the hydrogenation products of their corresponding sterol and occur in even smaller amounts in nature.

Although we have made significant progress in educating consumers and patients about healthy eating, changes in behavior are still difficult for most Americans. 

Recent studies recommend that at least 1 gram of plant sterols be consumed daily to have a cholesterol-lowering benefit. But the average intake of plant sterols, coming predominantly from cooking oils and margarines, in an American diet is 200-400 milligrams per day, with vegetarians having slightly higher intakes. Natural plant stanol intake is even lower. So even though we eat these natural cholesterol-lowering compounds, the amount is not enough to have a significant effect. 

Enter the food manufacturers.

Enriching foods, such as margarines, with plant phytosterols is an easy way to create a functional, commonly used, heart-health food. The best known of these enriched products are Benecol, a margarine containing plant stanols; Benecol softgels, a dietary supplement containing plant stanols; and Take Control, a margarine containing plant sterols.

These margarines are available in your local grocery store in both "regular" and "light" spread varieties. The regular products can be used in cooking and baking in one-to-one substitutions for other fats and oils. The light products should not be used for baking or cooking but only as spreads.

More than 25 studies on products containing plant stanols, reported in such publications as the New England Journal of Medicine and the American Journal of Cardiology, have shown that they will reduce total and LDL cholesterol by 8 to 13 percent, with the reduction beginning in as little as two weeks. However, children and women who are breast feeding should not use the products.

Additionally, plant stanols increase the benefit of statin drugs, such as Pravachol, Zocor, Lescol and Lipitor, which lower cholesterol levels. In a recent study, participants taking a statin drug and using a margarine containing plant stanols had a 17 percent reduction in their LDL cholesterol level, compared to a 13 percent reduction without the margarine. 

The message here: A little TLC (therapeutic lifestyle change) can make a big impact on health and longevity. Modest lifestyle changes, such as incorporating two servings of products like Benecol into your daily diet, can help decrease LDL cholesterol, a major risk factor for heart disease.

Dr. Nancy DiMarco is a research professor in the Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, the nutrition coordinator for the Institute for Women's Health and coordinator of the master's program in Exercise and Sports Nutrition at Texas Woman's University. She can be reached at ndimarco@twu.edu.

For Further Information Contact:

Roy Kron
Director of News and Information
Tel: (940) 898-3456
e-mail: rkron@twu.edu