What are plant sterols and Sterolins?
Sterols and sterolins, also known as phytosterols, are fats present in all plants, including fruits and vegetables. Although they are chemically similar to the animal fat, cholesterol, they have been shown to exert significant unique biochemical effects in both animals and humans.
What are the benefits of plant sterols and stanols?
If you have high cholesterol, eating plant sterols and stanols can help lower your LDL cholesterol. It does this while keeping your HDL cholesterol at the same level. Normally, your body’s small intestine absorbs cholesterol from the foods you eat. To your body, plant sterols and stanols look a lot like cholesterol.
What are the side effects of taking plant sterols?
Plant sterols/stanols are generally safe for most healthy people. Side effects include diarrhea or fat in the stool. In people with sitosterolemia, high plant sterol levels have been associated with increased risk of premature atherosclerosis.
When is the best time to take plant sterols?
If you decide to use a plant stanol or sterol fortified product, follow the instructions on the packaging. You need to take them every day, with meals, as they work by mixing with food, and in the right amount. If you stop using them, the potential benefit of lowered cholesterol will also stop.
Can plant sterols cause liver problems?
Phytosterols are not fully metabolized by the human body and must be excreted through the hepatobiliary system. Accumulating scientific evidence suggests that administration of high doses of intravenous lipids that are high in phytosterols contributes to the development of parenteral nutrition-associated liver disease.
How long does it take for plant sterols to lower cholesterol?
As for how effective plant sterols are, one study examined people with high cholesterol who used margarine that contains plant sterols instead of regular margarine. The study found that these people were able to lower their LDL cholesterol levels by 14 percent in one year.
Do plant sterols really work?
Plant sterols are compounds that help block your body from absorbing cholesterol. While plant sterols help lower LDL cholesterol, they don’t appear to affect your levels of HDL cholesterol or triglycerides. One Canadian study concluded that plant sterols are the most effective natural treatments for high cholesterol.
Do plant sterols help you lose weight?
Plant sterols are taken by mouth to lower cholesterol levels and help prevent heart disease and heart attacks. Plant sterols are also used for some cancers such as stomach cancer, colon cancer, and rectal cancer. Plant sterols are also used for weight loss. In foods, plant sterols are added to some types of margarine.
Are plant sterols good for fatty liver?
In animal studies, loss of NPC1L1 expression leading to markedly reduced cholesterol absorption protected against diet-induced fatty liver, and plant sterols added to high-fat diet reduced hepatic inflammation [19. Protective role of plant sterol and stanol esters in liver inflammation: insights from mice and humans.
Do plant sterols reduce inflammation?
Recent observations from animal and human studies have demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects of phytosterols. For example, several animal and human studies report reductions in the levels of proinflammatory cytokines, including C-reactive protein, after consumption of dietary plant sterols.
Do plant sterols make you poop?
Plant sterols are LIKELY SAFE for most people when taken by mouth. They can cause some side effects, such as diarrhea or fat in the stool.