| Summary: | The objective of this research was to examine the effects of sitosterol and sitostanol supplementation on plasma cholesterol levels and cholesterol metabolism in hypercholesterolemic subjects consuming a fixed foods diet in a four-phase crossover design. It was hypothesized that addition of either phytosterols, phytostenols, or a 50:50 mixture of sterols and stanols to butter would reduce circulating cholesterol levels, despite butter's hypercholesterolemic effect, through actions involving cholesterol absorption, synthesis, and turnover rates. The data obtained indicate that in their free, unesterified form, plant sterols and stanols lower plasma LDL cholesterol equivalently in hypercholesterolemic subjects. Results of this study provide new data that phytosterols and stanols function by suppressing cholesterol absorption while increasing cholesterol synthesis, however, the de-suppression in synthesis cannot fully compensate for the decrease in absorption making the treatment effective, thus may assist in the development of a food which offers health-promoting advantages related to the prevention of cardiovascular disease.
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