Plant Sterol

Question: How effective are plant sterol esters in reducing cholesterol? I've seen nutritional supplements that have plant sterol esters (I think I'm getting the terms right here), like soybean oil, that claim to help reduce cholest. But, you have to take a lot of it (preferrably before a meal) and I'm wondering how much this stuff really helps. (I know that a low-fat and high-fiber diet and excersise are far more important, but I'm wondering if there are other things I can do to help the bad cholesterol down). I'm suspicious of these supplements -- they're expensive and you have to take them a lot. Any advice? R

Answer: The general answer is that plant sterols alone can lower LDL (bad) cholesterol by as much as 15% without affecting HDL (good) cholesterol levels. Whether this is enough to achieve the target LDL levels for each of us depends on a range of factors. And the general wisdom is that plant sterols are more effective when taken in fortified foods as opposed to supplements. Plants produce plant sterols. Animals produce cholesterol. Structurally similar, both bind to sites in our intestines where the cholesterol produced in our livers and consumed in our foods are absorbed into our blood. Yet, our bodies have evolved the ability to distinguish between these types of sterols. On average, we absorb about 55% of cholesterol and less than 1% of the plant sterols. Plant sterols work to lower cholesterol by filling the "absorption gateways," thus blocking the cholesterol from entering the blood stream. Blocked cholesterol is execreted along with most of the plant sterols. In nature, small quantities of plant sterols can be found in a range of foods, particularly vegetable oils (sources of plant sterols). The average plant sterol intake in the U.S. is about 250 milligrams. Vegetarians consume in a range of 400 to 750 milligrams. Plant sterol intake in traditional diets has been estimated to be about 1g (1000mg). Medical studies have concluded that 2-3g (2000-3000mg) effectively lower cholesterol. Fortified foods are typically required to obtain these levels. The effectiveness of plant sterols will vary from person-to-person. Many people absorb cholesterol more effectively than others. For these individuals, the impact of plant sterols may be more significant. Overall, plant sterols are an important component of a nutritional system designed to promote healthier cholesterol and blood lipid levels. Achieving maximum benefits from natural cholesterol management may require other nutrients---including the soluble fibers found in oats, beans, fruit and psyllium, certain types of niacin, Omega-3s, monounsaturated fats in place of saturated fats----all in the context of balanced nutrition, calorie-mindfulness and physcial activity. A recent study, published in Food & Nutrition Research (January 2009), found that while sterols uniformly worked to lower LDL cholesterol, their power is affected by a number of factors. The study assessed 59 randomized clinical trials published from 1992 to 2006. Maximum results were found where patients: Consumed 2.5 grams of sterols or stanol per day. The FDA allows a health claim for products containing as little as .4 grams of plant sterols or .65 grams of plant sterol esters. As such, individuals will often need to take multiple servings of plant sterol products to attain the optimum daily intake. Consumption beyond 2.5 grams did not lead to further reductions ( Foods with Plant Sterols). Took plant sterols over the course of the day. Multiple servings were generally found to be more effective than a single serving. Not surprising, sterols lowered LDL cholesterol by more among individuals with high or very high cholesterol levels, but sterols also proved effective among individuals with optimal to borderline-high LDL cholesterol. The authors also sought to assess the power of sterols across different types of foods. While they generally found that foods with some fat content (greater than 3 grams per serving) and low-fat milks and yogurts may be somewhat better, the evaluation does not appear to control for other elements of diet, lifestyle and medications. More research in the role of plant sterols coupled with a broader approach to therapeutic nutrition for cholesterol management is merited.

Question: Has anyone used plant sterol and/or stanol esters to lower cholesterol? Did it work for you? In which form did you use it.....pill, food, drink...etc....??? Please give any info you have. Thanks!!

Answer: I used a plant sterol, it was a product called Core Complex, it is from Herbalife, and my cholesterol went down 60 points in 2 months. Here is where I got it: www.shopherbalife.com/tfward

Question: does anyone or even doctor frank know my question? can i take a plant sterol supplement instead of stanins, there are some good ones to be bought from pharnacy, will i get the same benifit and effect if i do , anything to get away from statins side effects the side effects i mainly mean are joint aches and pains. and also liver damage, and long term liver damage

Answer: The main problem is that plant sterols such as that included in Benecol, claim to reduce total cholesterol by a maximum of 10%. They are now actually more expensive,in the quantities needed to produce ANY significant effect than the NHS price of for example simvastatin,that has now been off patent for years. The market price for simvastatin 10 mg is 29p per pack, 20 mg is 39p/pack, and 40 mg is 96p/pack. This of course does not include the retailers profit. I was however able to find 10mg tablets for sale online at £1.95/month. This is a low dose,but it would be both cheaper and more effective than high dose plant sterols. EDIT Dr C.S. has again produced an odd suggestion. There are a large number of studies that indicate that in the real world patients,being human beings (my dear) can only maintain a 10% reduction in total cholesterol with diet alone, though initial reductions may be higher. The same has been shown to be true of patients who stop statins. As long ago as 1994 the 4S study showed that statins not only reduce cholesterol,they save lives.This is NOT only due to their lipid lowering effect but the fact that they change the nature of pre-existing plaque,changing it from 'crispy' to 'rubbery'. This reduces the risk of it breaking off and effectively producing cholesterol emboli. This feature cannot be mimicked by diet,however intensive. A number of more recent studies have also demonstrated that a policy of universal,prescription/consumption of statins would both be effective,and now due to the minimal costs,cost effective in reducing both heart attacks and strokes in the general population. These studies also indicate that such risks as there are do not outweigh the benefits statistically. Off course neither plant sterols or diet,or even diet plus exercise have been shown to come close to producing these sorts of results.

Question: I Just Saw an Ad By Bayer for "Heart Advantage". Overstated Cholesterol Lowering? A Study: History and Development of Plant Sterol and Stanol Esters for Cholesterol-Lowering Purposes Gilbert R. Thompson, MD a, ⁎ Scott M. Grundy, MD, PhD b a Imperial College School of Medicine, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom b Center for Human Nutrition, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA. * Address for reprints: Gilbert R. Thompson, MD, Department of Metabolic Medicine, Imperial College School of Medicine, Hammersmith Hospital, London W12 0NN, United Kingdom. E-mail address: [email protected] PII S0002-9149(05)00451-0 Plant stanol esters provide a novel approach to lowering plasma low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol by dietary means. Their development was preceded by a long period of research into the cholesterol-lowering properties of plant sterols and, recently, plant stanols. Both classes of compound competitively inhibit the absorption of cholesterol and thus lower its level in plasma. Initial impressions were that stanols were more effective and safer than sterols, but the negative outcome of a study led to the recognition that the lipid solubility of free stanols was very limited. This was overcome by esterifying them with fatty acids, with the resultant stanol esters being freely soluble in fat spreads. This led to the launch of Benecol (margarine; Raisio Group, Raisio, Finland) in 1995. The coincident publication of the year-long North Karelia study conclusively demonstrated the long-term LDL-lowering efficacy of plant stanol esters. Variables that might influence the efficacy of stanol esters include dose, frequency of administration, food vehicle in which the stanol ester is incorporated, and background diet. The effective dose is 1 to 3 g/day, expressed as free stanol, which, in placebo-controlled studies, decreased LDL cholesterol by 6% to 15%. This effect is maintained, appears to be similar with once-daily or divided dosage, and is independent of the fat content of the food vehicle. Short-term studies suggest that equivalent amounts of plant sterol and stanol esters are similarly effective in lowering LDL, the main difference being that plasma plant sterol levels increase on plant sterols and decrease on plant stanols. The clinical significance of these changes remains to be determined. From the Bayer Website: Directions: For phytosterols, adults and children 12 years and over, take one caplet twice daily with meals or as directed by your doctor. SUPPLEMENT FACTS Serving Size: One Caplet Amount Per Serving % Daily Value Phytosterols 400 mg * *Daily Value not established. Not a significant source of iron. Ingredients: Phytosterols, Aspirin, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Lactose, Croscarmellose Sodium, Corn Starch, Powdered Cellulose, Pregelatinized Starch, Hypromellose, FD&C Yellow #5 (tartrazine) Aluminum Lake, Colloidal Silicon Dioxide, Triacetin, Carnauba Wax, Zinc Stearate, Anhydrous Citric Acid. [So Much for Cholesterol-Lowering Claims.] You Will Note, Bayer's Recommend Dose of 800 mg is 20% Lower than the Lowest Effective Dose In the Study. Thanks K, Another Big Pharm. Company Masquerading that Are Interested In Health. K, I Think you Mean Hemorrhagic Stroke. I Looked At the Near Equivalency of the Effect of Stanols and Sterols, I Found this In Wikipedia: "Its functionality is similar to that of stanol ester." -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sterol_ester [Consistent With my Reading.] K, Maybe that's Why you Got the "Thumbs Down". Sock, From my Reading, it is Not Absorbed, Therefore No Receptor Mechanism: Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phytosterol From Libby: Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine, 8th ed.: Phytosterols Phytosterols are derivatives of cholesterol from plants and trees. They interfere with the formation of micelles in the intestine and prevent intestinal cholesterol absorption. They can be obtained as “neutraceuticals” or can be incorporated in soft margarines. The sterols may prove useful for the adjunctive management of lipoprotein disorders and are part of the therapeutic lifestyle change regimen in the current guidelines (see later).

Answer: The dose of ASA is not specified. IF, 81 mg/pill, 2/pills a day would be double the dose of low-dose ASA. So, taking unnecessary asprin daily? Not so good as far as the potential for gastric bleeds or hemorrhagic strokes are concerned. The study also clearly indicates that between 1-3 g/day of phytosterols can effectively lower cholesterol. Bayer recommending that the consumer take 400 mg twice a day for effect is probably equivalent to eating a pile of sand for cholesterol. The product can not do what it claims to do. Period. Another scam. EDIT: Yeah, it appears that greed and money wins out... EDIT 2: Opps, yup, that's what I meant. I've changed it in the above. Read the wikipedia attachment. Pretty conistent with the above. EDIT 3: Yeah, maybe. One can't be sure, though. There are many nonsense reasons people do this...In any event, it doesn't affect me :-) :-).

Question: Is it unhealthy to cook meat in a pan? My wife and I cook meat a few times a week -- chicken breast for the vast majority -- in a pan with a bit of a greasy liquid based on vegetal oil in order to avoid using butter or margarine. Frankly I'm not sure what all is in the liquid we use, just that it is low fat, low cholesterol and promotes a good blood cholesterol or whatever, according to the box (it has these plant sterol things that have been popular lately). Anyway, my father keeps saying we shouldn't be cooking like that, because according to him it is highly unhealthy, carcinogenic and who knows what else. He keeps nagging me about it every occasion he gets and it's getting on my nerves. My dad has a tendency to overdramatize a lot of things, but he piqued my interest nonetheless, however I cannot for the life of me find any articles or any evidence whatsoever online that cooking in a pan the way we do it is fundamentally unhealthy. So... is it unhealthy? Side question: what other methods would you suggest to cook chicken breast that are quick, economical and tasty? Keeping in mind the meat we buy is raw and fresh, not precooked, frozen, or anything of that sort. Thank you for your help.

Answer: There have been some studies that have found cooking meat at high temperatures (any method- pan, grilling, etc.) can create carcinogenic compounds. However, you would have to eat a huge amount of meat every day for them to affect you. As another person mentioned, you may want to switch to olive oil. Fat is not always a bad thing, as our bodies need a certain amount of it to function properly. Olive oil has long been touted as a healthy alternative to animal fats, and is very flavorful as well.

Question: what vitamins or supplements have "Sterol".? non-hormonal steriods that come from mostly plants.

Answer: http://www.webmd.com/content/article/136/119829.htm Here is one of th many websites on plant sterol. Flash.

Question: What cholesterol drugs (statins and/or fibrates) are LEAST likely to cause bad side effects? Thanks to family genetics, my overall cholesterol has been slowly but surely climbing over the years. Also, my HDLs should be higher, and my LDLs should be lower. I eat healthy, I try to lead an active life, and I'm not the least bit overweight. Yet the problem continues. :( I'm trying to eat more cholesterol-lowering foods like almonds and oats and plant stanol/sterol-based spreads like Benecol. I'm also looking into flaxseed oil supplements. HOWEVER, in case my doctor and I decide, some time in the future, that I should try a cholesterol-lowering drug, I'd like to use the one with the LEAST likelihood of serious side effects like liver damage, muscle weakness or muscle breakdown, all of which sound scary!! I'd also like one that doesn't often interact with other medications. Which drugs do you all recommend? Thanks for your thoughts. :) Ohene -- thank you for the info on how statins vs. fibrates affect triglycerides. I didn't know that. Despite the fact that my HDLs and LDLs need improvement, as does my overall cholesterol score, my triglycerides are very LOW! :) Odd, isn't it? But I'm thankful for it!

Answer: All drugs are poisions, only the dose distinguishes a cure from a poison. In the case of blood lipids, besides the LDL, HDL and total cholesterol, you should also consider triglycerides. Cholesterols are better lowered with statins and triglycerides respond better to fibrates. Whether a statin or a fibrate is best for you will be made on your profile. In addition to the side effects you mentioned, add pancreatitis for fibrates. There are many people taking these medicines with good results and minimal or no side effects. The right dose of the right medicine should sought you out. There is the slim possibility that you may not tolerate any of the current medications, however the odds are low.

Question: biology help? what effect would the change in the LDL cholestrol as a result of eating the sterol-enriched spreads be expected to have on the chances of developing coronary heart disease suggest three vitamins whose absorption might be affected by plant sterols. What is meant by a double bind,placebo-controlled study.

Answer: LDL would decrease since plant sterols decrease intestinal cholesterol absorption. So that would be good for your heart and bloodvessels. Vitamin A, D E and K are fat soluble, so their absorption may be affected by plant sterols, although I don't see how since plant sterols do not affect chylomicron formation. Neither test subject nor study personnel know if they got/gave drug or placebo. A placebo is a non-functional substance used as a control for the drug.

Question: what do these ingredients do nutritionally for an animal? grain products processed grain by-products molasses plant protein calcium carbohydrates ferrous sulfate maganous oxide choline chloride vitamin e zinc niacin d-calcium pantothenante vitamin a D-activated animal sterol biotin thiamin mononitrate riboflavin copper oxide sodium selenite pyndoxine hydrochloride b-12 folic acid menadione sodium bisulfite BHA cobalt carbonate do not answer this with another question. i am curious to know what these ingredients are doing for my neighbors horses (they dont look all that great)

Answer: There's no way of knowing that without the exact amounts they are giving them. This is a TMR but there are countless variants to any TMR different mixtures of these minerals cause different results. I could tell what these all do but that won't be an accurate depiction of what amounts the horses get so this question is useless. Take this list with exact amounts to a feed nutritionist at your local co-op they can tell you a lot more.

Question: who was the first to observe microorganisms with a microscopes? a. hooke b. Kock c. van Leeuwenhock d. Pasteur e. weizmann Classification of organisms in the three domains is based on a. cell wall b. number of cells c. type of cell d. nutritional type e. nucleus Which of the following statements is true? a. viruses cannot reproduce outside a host cell b. bacteria cannot move c. fungi are plants d. protozoa have rigid cell walls e. algae are parasites A multicellular organism that has chitin cell walls and absorbs organic material is a(n) a. algea b. bacterium c. fungus d. helminth e. virus Which of the following statements is false? a. salts readily dissolve in water b. water molecules are formed by hydrolis c. water freezes from the top down d. water is a part of a dehydration reaction e. water is a polar molecule Which of the following is the type of bond holding K+ and I- ions in KI? a. ionic bond b. covalent bond c. hydrogen bond Which of the following is the type of bond between molecules of water in a beaker of water? a. Ionic bond b. covalent bond c. hydrogen bond The antimicrobial drug imidazole inhibits sterol synthesis. This would most likely interfere with a. bacterial cell walls b. fungal cell walls c. eukaryotic plasma membrane d. prokaryotic plasma membrane e. genes

Answer: This is just off the top of my head so I'm sure additional responses should catch any mistakes. 1) C - van whatever I believe, I remember his microscope being a lens and needle. 2) C - thats that 3) A - viruses require a host cell to replicate 4) C - fungus has chitin 5) A - not all salts are soluble in water, think of a lead salt. 6) A - Ionic bond 7) C - H bonding 8) A - sterols help strengthen a bacterias cell wall

Question: What are plant sterol esters ? We are told they are good for lowering cholesterol and are added to certain food products for this purpose. Which plants do they come from or do all plants have them ?

Answer: Plant sterol basically reduces the amount of bad cholesterol that is absorbed. This leads to a lower blood total and LDL cholesterol concentrations. Although plants usually contain only small amounts of fat, seeds are relatively concentrated sources and provide essential fatty acids. One particular group of plant-derived lipids comprises plant stanols and sterols. Considerable Sterols are essential components of cell membranes that play a key role in controlling membrane fluidity. Stanols are saturated sterols. They are naturally occurring compounds that are found in very small amounts in plant products such as nuts, seeds and legumes. To improve their solubility, plant stanols are often combined with a fatty acid ester to produce plant stanol esters. With regards to he effect of plant stanol esters in combination with cholesterol lowering drugs; Statins are a class of drug that helps to protect healthy, but high risk, people from heart disease and prevent repeated problems in people who’ve already had a heart attack, a stroke or peripheral artery disease. They act by reducing the amount of cholesterol produced in the body. As with a healthy diet, consuming plant stanol esters in additionton to statins has a greater effect on lowering cholesterol than with statins alone.