Natural Ways to Reduce Cholesterol and How to Increase HDL Naturally.

Plant sterols, total cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol:

Ayesh et al found a reduction in total and LDL cholesterol of 18% and 23%, respectively, after 21–28 d consumption of 8.6 g plant sterols, provided through margarines in a study of 24 healthy individuals (50% male). No significant changes were observed in the bacteria in the stomach/intestine, nor where their changes to female sex hormone levels. Overall plant sterols were well tolerated. (100)

Daily consumption of  20 g spread enriched with 1.6 g plant sterols, naturally occurrence substances, was observed to have a cholesterol-lowering effect in a 1-year double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 185 individuals with normal or slightly elevated cholesterol levels. Total cholesterol was significantly reduced on average by 4% and LDL cholesterol on average by 6%. Plant sterol concentrations in the blood were significantly increased from 2.76 to 5.31 ( micromol/mmol total cholesterol) for campesterol and from 1.86 to 2.47 for beta-sitosterol. To obtain adequate plant stanols for lowering cholesterol, a greater chance of benefit is possible with a stanol margarine which states that it contains 8 grams of plant sterol or plant stanol per 100 grams of product. (101)