Cholesterol-lowering effects of plant sterol esters differ in milk, yoghurt, bread and cereal

Abstract

Objective: To measure the relative effects of each of four phytosterol ester-enriched low-fat foods (bread, breakfast cereal, milk and yoghurt) on serum lipids, plasma phytosterols and carotenoids. Design: Three research centres undertook a randomised, incomplete crossover, single-blind study consisting of four treatment periods of 3 weeks each, one of which was a control period. Each sterol-enriched test food provided 1.6 g/day of phytosterols as sterol esters. Setting: General Community. Subjects: In all 58, free-living men and women with mean age (s.d.) 54 (8) y, moderately elevated plasma total cholesterol 6.2 (0.7) mmol/l and body mass index 26.2 (3.0) kg/m 2 . Main outcome measures: Serum lipids, plasma phytosterols and carotenoids. Results: Serum total and LDL cholesterol levels were significantly lowered by consumption of phytosterol-enriched foods: milk (8.7 and 15.9%) and yoghurt (5.6 and 8.6%). Serum LDL cholesterol levels fell significantly by 6.5% with bread and 5.4% with cereal. They were both significantly less efficacious than sterol-enriched milk (Po0.001). Plasma sitosterol increased by 17-23% and campesterol by 48-52% with phytosterol-enriched milk and bread. Lipid-adjusted b-carotene was lowered by 5-10% by sterols in bread and milk, respectively. Conclusions: This is the first study to demonstrate that cholesterol-lowering effects of plant sterol esters may differ according to the food matrix. Plant sterols in low-fat milk was almost three times more effective than in bread and cereal. Despite phytosterolenriched cereal products resulting in lower serum cholesterol reductions compared to sterol-enriched milk, the detection of similar changes in plasma phytosterols demonstrated that such products still delivered and released phytosterols to the gut.

Intake occasion affects the serum cholesterol lowering of a plant sterol-enriched single-dose yoghurt drink in mildly hypercholesterolaemic subjects

“…Many of the recent studies that investigated the cholesterol-lowering effect of PS or stanols incorporated into low-fat foods and beverages have reported that the food products have been taken with a meal or as part of a meal. This has been the case for the following food products: cereal and bread (Nestel et al, 2001), lemonade (Spilburg et al, 2003), milk and yoghurt (Mensink et al, 2002;Clifton et al, 2004;Thomsen et al, 2004) and orange juice (Devaraj et al, 2004). Further, a greater effectiveness of consuming plant sterols daily with every meal versus the same dose every other day has been reported in an animal study (Hayes et al, 2002).…”

“…Recently, several studies have shown that consumption of PS-enriched low-fat or nonfat foods like bread, cereals, milk, yoghurt or orange juice significantly lowered TC and LDL-C, demonstrating their cholesterol-lowering efficacy (Nestel et al, 2001;Mensink et al, 2002;Spilburg et al, 2003;Clifton et al, 2004;Devaraj et al, 2004;Thomsen et al, 2004;Noakes et al, 2005). However, a few studies have suggested that the cholesterol-lowering effect of PS may be weakened when provided as low-fat or nonfat foods and beverages (Denke, 1995;Jones et al, 2003) implying that optimal efficacy is not always achieved with such food formats.…”

Analysis of oxysterols by electrospray tandem mass spectrometry

“…When oxidized with cholesterol oxidase and derivatized with GP hydrazine, CID of the resulting C 4,24 -3-one GP hydrazone (II) gives a The level of the plant sterol sitosterol in serum is often used as a marker for cholesterol absorption. Sterol esters, including those of sitosterol and stigmasterol, are present in phytosterol ester enriched low-fat food products, and their consumption has been shown to reduce serum total and LDL cholesterol levels [55,56]. Conversely, phytosterol levels in plasma become elevated upon consumption of these foods [55].…”

“…Sterol esters, including those of sitosterol and stigmasterol, are present in phytosterol ester enriched low-fat food products, and their consumption has been shown to reduce serum total and LDL cholesterol levels [55,56]. Conversely, phytosterol levels in plasma become elevated upon consumption of these foods [55]. The CID spectra of C 4 -24␤-ethyl-3-one (III) and C 4,22 -24␤-ethyl-3-one (IV) GP hydrazones showed the common features of 3-oxo-⌬ 4 GP hydrazones (Figure 3d and Supplementary Material Figure S-4).…”

Different apoptotic mechanisms are involved in the antiproliferative effects of 7β-hydroxysitosterol and 7β-hydroxycholesterol in human colon cancer cells

“…Numerous laboratory studies focused on their potential to reduce cholesterol absorption by the small intestine, [1][2][3][4] and cholesterol uptake by LDL. [5][6][7] In addition, it was reported that phytosterols prevent coronary heart disease, 8 and cardiovascular risks. [9][10][11] However, their potential to reduce the risk of cancer remains controversial.…”