Phytosterols/Stanols Impact Severe Hypercholesterolemia

Phytosterols/Stanols Impact Severe Hypercholesterolemia

POTCHEFSTROOM, South Africa--Sterols and stanols from plants may be effective adjuncts to traditional therapy for people with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), a condition in which low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels are severe--higher than in normal and general hypercholesterolemia. Scientists from North-West University, Potchefstroom, systematically reviewed clinical trials to determine the efficacy of phytosterols/stanols in lowering total cholesterol (TC) and LDL concentrations in FH subjects.

The researchers selected sufficiently qualified, randomized controlled intervention trials through selected international journal databases and reference lists of relevant publications. In the studies chosen, the main outcome measures were differences between treatment and control groups for LDL, TC, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and triacylglycerol (TG) levels. They choose six of 13 possible studies, excluding two that featured sterols administered in granulate form at very high dosages (12 g/d and 24 g/d), compared to the other studies that used fat spreads as a vehicle, with dosages ranging from 1.6 g/d to 2.8 g/d.

They found daily consumption of fat spreads enriched with 2.3 ± 0.5 g phytosterols/stanols significantly reduced TC from 7 percent to 11 percent with a mean decrease of 0.65 mmol/L and lowered LDL from 10 percent to15 percent with a mean decrease of 0.64 mmol/L in 6.5 weeks (± 1.9 weeks) compared to control treatment, without any adverse effects. TG and HDL concentrations were not affected. They concluded phytosterols and stanols may offer an effective adjunct to the cholesterol lowering treatment strategy of FH patients.

The review was published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition (25, 1:41-48, 2006).