Sterols or Statins - Prevention or Cure?

Lowering cholesterol – are plant sterols safe & effective?

Diseases of the heart and circulatory system are the main cause of death in the UK, with cardiovascular disease as one of the main causes of premature death, characterised by hardening and narrowing of blood vessels.  In 2009, over 180,000 people died from cardiovascular disease in the UK alone – one in 3 of all deaths.

 

 

The primary traditional risk factor for cardiovascular disease is dyslipidaemia (imbalance of fats (lipids)); an elevated concentration of the “bad” cholesterol, Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) is a well-established, independent risk factor for atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries) and a 10% reduction of serum cholesterol is estimated to lower this risk by a staggering 50% at age 40 years and 20% at age 70.

Dietary therapy is the cornerstone of strategies to lower LDL levels and exploration into safe and effective alternatives to statin therapy, which often has undesirable side-effects, is of significant and clinical importance.

Plant sterols or phytosterols are bioactive compounds, structurally similar to cholesterol, and found naturally in various concentrations in plant foods, notably vegetable oils; more than 250 phytosterols have been identified with sitosterol, campesterol and stigmasterol being the most abundant.      

So how do these plant compounds actually lower cholesterol?  A spectrum of research demonstrates that phytosterols decrease circulating cholesterol concentrations by competing for absorption in the intestine, thereby inhibiting the absorption of both dietary cholesterol and the cholesterol made by our own body, see pics below. 

The amazing thing is that the “good” cholesterol, High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) remains unaffected by dietary phytosterol intake and the research also demonstrates no adverse side-effects.  

Phytosterols have been used in food products since the mid 90’s; foods fortified range from spreads to yogurt & milk and they can, of course, be taken in supplement form, which may be of benefit to individuals who are at high risk of cardiovascular disease, working to achieve target cholesterol levels and/or unable to tolerate statins.

High potency plant sterols



 

Look after your heart x