Changes in serum concentrations of noncholesterol sterols and lipoproteins in healthy subjects do not depend on the ratio of plant sterols to stanols in the diet

Abstract

Consumption of plant sterols or stanols increases their respective serum concentrations, whereas plant sterols might reduce serum concentrations of plant stanols and vice versa. This suggests that changes in serum plant sterol and stanol concentrations depend on the ratio of plant sterols to stanols in the diet. To examine this in more detail, healthy men (n = 15) and women (n = 29) consumed in random order for 3 wk 1.5 g/d of plant sterols plus 0.5 g of plant stanols (high sterol margarine), 1 g of each (low sterol margarine) or control margarine. Sterols and stanols were provided as fatty acid esters. Compared with the control period, serum cholesterol-standardized campesterol and sitosterol concentrations increased by 33 (P < 0.001) and 19% (P < 0.002), respectively, during the high sterol period, but by only 20 (P < 0.001) and 11% (P = 0.001), respectively, during the low sterol period. During the high sterol period, these values for campestanol and sitostanol were 18 (P = 0.063) and 1% (P = 0.630), and during the low sterol period 25 (P = 0.105) and 7% (P = 0.163), respectively. Effects on LDL cholesterol were similar. We therefore conclude that changes in serum plant sterol and stanol concentrations are not greatly affected by the simultaneous consumption of plant sterols and plant stanols, but are proportional to intakes. Furthermore, both mixtures were equally effective in lowering serum LDL cholesterol concentrations.