Phytosterols are a type of phytonutrient that differ from their relative, cholesterol, in that they promote health. The differences between the chemical structure of phytosterols and the chemical strucure of cholesterol are small but significant. These phytonutrients can be found in most vegetables, edible fruits, nuts, seeds, cereals and legumes. B-sitosterol, campesterol, and stigmasterol and some of the most commonly occurring phytosterols.

Phytosterols perform much like cholesterol performs in animals and humans, in that they function to regulate the fluidity of cell membranes in plants. Researchers have paid a great amount of attention to phytosterols, since they are known for having the ability to help people maintain healthy blood cholesterol concentrations, healthy cardiovascular systems and healthy hearts. Phytosterols are able to reduce the availability of cholesterol to the body and could also inhibit a percentage of dietary cholesterol absorption because they interfere with intestinal recycling of cholesterol that is produced by the liver. This is most likely due to the fact that phytosterols are structurally similar to cholesterol. Some research shows that plant sterols can be effective regardless of when they are taken, however, other research shows that if they are divided in doses the beneficial effect they have will be greater. The most effective way of ingesting plant sterols is likely to be with or near a meal.

Essentially all of the research conducted on phytosterols – including mathematical analyses of this research – show strong affiliations between phytosterol intake and the promotion of healthy blood cholesterol concentrations, healthy cardiovascular systerms and healthy hearts.

U.S. FDA: “Phytosterols Lower LDL-Cholesterol”

The US Food and Drug Administration came to a few conclusions after they conducted and extensive and intensive review of “the totality of publicly available scientific evidence.” They concluded that 1)”there is significant scientific agreement to support a relationship between consumption of plant sterol esters (especially ß -sistoserol, campesterol, and stigmasterol) and reduction in the risk of developing heart disease”; 2) “plant sterol esters reduce blood total and/or LDL (the “bad” cholesterol) levels to a significant degree”; 3) blood HDL(the “good” cholesterol) levels are not decreased by the consumption of plant sterol esters; and 4) these benefits can be obtained by individuals with either elevated blood cholesterol levels or normal healthy blood cholesterol levels. Also, the blood cholesterol-lowering response occurs no matter what else is consumed in the diet.

New Scientific Research: “Phytosterols Lower LDL-Cholesterol”

New research findings have mentioned the conclusions reached by the US Food and Drug Administration, and have been published since the government’s decisions. One such example is a study published in the Journal of Nutrition, showing that the cardiovascular health of men and women with blood LDL cholesterol concentrations within the “normal” range (blood LDL cholesterol concentration less than 100 mg/dL) received additional support after phytosterols were added to their daily diets, regardless of the nature of their diets. In a study of men and women with initially elevated blood cholesterol concentrations, similar results and benefits were experienced. Studies persistently have shown that phytosterols that are taken in amounts of 2 to 3 grams per day are able to lower LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol levels by approximately 10 percent. Furthermore, besides their beneficial effects on blood lipid levels, phytoserols can also normalize the inflammatory response of the immune system.

A comprehensive meta-analysis published earlier this year (2009) analyzed the results of 84 clinical trials using phytosterols.6 The authors concluded that their rigorous analysis confirmed the ability of phytosterols to significantly lower LDL cholesterol levels. The ability of phytosterols to reduce LDL concentrations was found to be dose-dependent. Again, they concluded that approximately 2 grams of phytosterols taken on a daily basis seemed to reduce LDL cholesterol by nearly 10%.

Phytosterols can be added to the diet as peanut oil, extra virgin olive oil, sesame oil, soybean oil, raw or roasted peanuts, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, flax seed, cashews, almonds, pecans, pistachios, sunflower seeds, walnuts or as a high-quality dietary supplement.

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