Cholesterol-lowering ability of a phytostanol softgel supplement in adults with mild to moderate hypercholesterolemia.

Plant sterols, incorporated into spreads and other food sources, have been shown to lower serum cholesterol concentrations. The effect of phytostanol supplementation in softgel form has not been assessed. Our objective was to examine the effects of sitostanol as sitostanol ester in softgel form on serum lipid concentrations in hypercholesterolemic individuals. Thirty hypercholesterolemic adults were supplemented with 1.6 g of free phytostanol equivalents as phytostanol ester (2.7 g stanol esters) or placebo per day for 28 d in a randomized, double-blind, parallel study design. Phytostanol supplementation resulted in a significant decrease in total cholesterol (TC) (-8%) and LDL-cholesterol (-9%). There were no alterations in concentrations of HDL-cholesterol or TG. Nor were the ratios of LDL/HDL or TC/HDL altered significantly. Thus, use of phytostanol ester softgel supplements improved serum total and LDL-cholesterol concentrations in hypercholesterolemic individuals.