Cholesterol, High Cholesterol

Plant sterol-esters, and how they treat hyperlipidemia:

Plant sterol-esters, chemical name β-sitosterol, are additives to butter, margarine or other spreads with a chemical structure similar to cholesterol, which take the place of cholesterol in the intestines and result in reducing cholesterol absorption (99). When purchasing a spread product for lowering cholesterol, Preventive Health Advisor recommends a product which specifies that it contains at least 8 grams of plant stanol esters, plant sterol esters, or phytosterols per 100 grams of product. Most studies showed a benefit in lowering total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. The recommended dose is 2-9 grams of the phytosterols per day which has been taken in studies for 3 weeks to 1 year.