Red cell and plasma plant sterols are related during consumption of plant stanol and sterol ester spreads in children with hypercholesterolemia

Plant sterol or stanol consumption does not affect erythrocyte osmotic fragility in patients on statin treatment

“…Our results, however, showed that consumption of plant sterols and stanols at recommended intakes did not have an impact on red blood cell cholesterol levels. Ketomaki et al (2003) also found that in children with hypercholesterolaemia red blood cell cholesterol levels did not change after consumption of plant sterols (2 g/day) for 4 weeks, although campesterol and sitosterol levels of the red blood cells increased. Therefore, it is questionable whether in humans plant sterol or stanol ester consumption lowers cholesterol levels in red blood cell membranes.…”

Plant stanols do not restore endothelial function in pre-pubertal children with familial hypercholesterolemia despite reduction of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels

“…The reductions in TC and LDL-C levels are in line with previous findings on shortterm use of stanols in adults and children with hypercholesterolemia 9,12,16,24 -26 and are similar to those observed in patients treated with sterols. 3,8,12,24 Therefore, plant stanols appear to be an effective cholesterol-lowering strategy in pre-pubertal children with FH. In our study, lipid profiles were obtained by collection of capillary finger-stick specimens.…”

“…However, this should not apply to plant stanols, which are hardly absorbed and actually lower serum plant sterol concentrations. 12 …”

“…Although serum plant sterol levels were not measured, it is known that serum plant sterol concentrations increase by 39% to 96% after daily consumption of 2.0 g of plant sterols. [11][12][13] Raised serum plant sterol concentrations were suggested as a potential risk factor for coronary heart disease. 14 Although serum sterol concentrations remain within the normal range after consumption of plant sterols, 15 it is not known whether raised sterol concentrations affect endothelial function and thereby counteract the beneficial effects of plant sterols on LDL-C levels.…”

Serum noncholesterol sterols in children with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia undergoing pravastatin therapy

“…[9][10][11] Plant stanol or sterol ester spreads have been shown to lower the total and LDL cholesterol levels of normal and hypercholesterolemic children by approximately 10%. [12][13][14] Statins, potent inhibitors of the 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, are commonly used to lower cholesterol levels in adults. In 18 We have recently studied the efficacy of pravastatin in children with HeFH undergoing dietary and plant stanol ester interventions, and have characterized a subgroup of patients who, regardless of the concomitant inhibition of cholesterol absorption and synthesis, responded unsatisfactorily to therapy and failed to reach normocholesterolemia.…”