Plant Sterols in Orange Juice May Reduce LDL

Plant Sterols in Orange Juice May Reduce LDL

SACRAMENTO, Calif.Plantsterols are just as effective in reducing LDL (bad) cholesterol levelswhen added to orange juice as they are when given by themselves, according toresearchers at the UC Davis School of Medicine and Medical Center.

Approximately 70 subjects (ages 20 to 73) with mildly elevatedcholesterol levels were involved in the 10-week study. Subjects followed theirnormal diet, but drank one cup of orange juice along with their meal forbreakfast and dinner; half of the subjects drank the sterol-fortified orangejuice and half drank regular, non-fortified orange juice. Researchers found thatsubjects who drank the sterol-fortified juice had a 7.2-percent decrease intotal cholesterol, a 12.4-percent decrease in LDL cholesterol and a 7.8-percentdecrease in non-high-density lipoprotein levels compared to baseline and tosubjects who drank the non-fortified orange juice, according to UC Davis.

The inclusion of sterols in orange juice offers animportant treatment option without increasing saturated fat and at the same timeproviding vitamin C, flavonoids and other essential nutrients, said SrideviDevaraj, Ph.D., the studys lead researcher. Orange juice has wide appealsince it is consumed by individuals of all ages. ... And for individuals who donot want to take a drug for mildly elevated cholesterol, this may provide ahealthy and attractive alternative. The UC study is unique because it did notplace subjects on a special diet, according to the university, because it onlyrequired subjects drink orange juice with their normal meals.

The study was sponsored by the National Institutes of Health(NIH) and Minute MaidThe Coca Cola Co., and was published in the March issueof Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology (24, 3:e25-8,1 2004)(http://atvb.ahajournals.org).