Plant sterols are substances that are similar to cholesterol but are made in plants. They're found in the highest amounts in vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds.
Plant sterols might help reduce cholesterol levels by limiting the amount of cholesterol that is able to enter the body. Some plant sterols might also reduce how much cholesterol is made in the body.
People commonly use plant sterols for lowering cholesterol levels. Plant sterols are also used for heart disease, colon cancer, stomach cancer, obesity, heart attack, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support many of these other uses.
Don't confuse plant sterols with beta-sitosterol or sitostanol. These are specific types of plant sterols.
Is It Effective?
NatMed Pro rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate.
- Inherited tendency towards high cholesterol (familial hypercholesterolemia). When used along with a cholesterol-lowering diet, taking plant sterols by mouth reduces low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad") cholesterol levels in children and adults with high cholesterol levels due to familial hypercholesterolemia.
- High cholesterol. Taking plant sterols by mouth lowers low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad") cholesterol levels in people with high cholesterol who are also following a cholesterol-lowering diet. But it doesn't seem to reduce triglyceride levels.
- Heart disease. Eating foods that contain at least 3.4 grams of plant sterols daily as part of a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet might help prevent heart disease.
There is interest in using plant sterols for a number of other purposes, but there isn't enough reliable information to say whether it might be helpful.
Is it Safe?
When taken by mouth: Plant sterols are likely safe for most people. They're usually well-tolerated.
Special Precautions & Warnings:
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if plant sterols are safe to use when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.
Children: Plant sterols are likely safe when taken by mouth in doses of 1.6-2.3 grams daily for up to 6 months.
Sitosterolemia, a rare inherited fat storage disease: People with this condition might have a build up of plant sterols and related fats in their blood and tissues. Taking plant sterols might make this condition worse. Don't take plant sterols if you have sitosterolemia.
Short bowel syndrome, a condition related to removal of part of the gut: Plant sterols should be used cautiously in people with this condition. They might affect liver function.
It is not known if Plant Sterols interacts with any medicines. Before taking Plant Sterols, talk with your healthcare professional if you take any medications.
Carotenoids: Plant sterols can reduce how much carotenoids the body absorbs. This includes chemicals like alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lutein, lycopene, and zeaxanthin. But this may not be important to health. Taking extra carotenoids is probably not necessary.
Vitamin E: Plant sterols may reduce how much vitamin E the body absorbs. But this may not be important to health. Taking extra vitamin E is probably not necessary.
Plant sterols might reduce how much carotene and vitamin E the body absorbs from foods. But this doesn't seem to be a major concern, so taking supplemental amounts of these nutrients probably isn't necessary.
In adults, plant sterols have most often been used in doses of 1.6-3 grams by mouth daily for up to 1 year. In children, plant sterols have most often been used in doses of 1.6-2.3 grams by mouth daily for up to 6 months. Speak with a healthcare provider to find out what dose might be best for a specific condition.
Avenasterol, B-sitosterol 3-B-D-glucoside, B-Sitosterolin, B-Sitosterols, Beta Sitosterin, Bêta-sitostérine, Beta Sitosterol, Bêta-Sitostérol, Beta-sitosterol glucoside, Beta-sitosterol glycoside, Betasitosterol, Brassicasterol, Campest-5-en-3beta-ol, Campesterol, Campestérol,Cinchol, Cupreol, Dihydro-beta-sitosterol, Ester de Stérol Végétal, Esters de Phytostérol, Esters de Stérol Dérivés d'huile Végétale, Glucoside de Bêta-Sitostérol, Phytosterol, Phytostérol, Phytosterol Esters, Phytosterols, Phytostérols, Plant Phytosterols, Plant Sterol Esters, Plant Sterolins, Quebrachol, Rhamnol, Sitosterin, Sitosterol, Sitosterolins, Sitosterols, Sterinol, Stérolines, Stérolines Végétales, Sterolins, Stérols Végétaux, Stigmasterin, Stigmasterol, Stigmastérol, Vegetable Oil Sterol Esters, Vegetable Sterol Esters, 5,22-Stigmastadien-3beta-ol, 3-beta, 3-beta-stigmast-5-en-3-ol, 22,23-dihydrostigmasterol, 24-beta-ethyl-delta-5-cholesten-3beta-ol, 24-ethyl-cholesterol.
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