Red cell and plasma plant sterols are related during consumption of plant stanol and sterol ester spreads in children with hypercholesterolemia.
OBJECTIVE
To show whether the ratios of squalene and cholesterol precursor sterols to cholesterol and cholestanol and plant sterols to cholesterol change differently in plasma and especially in the red cells of hypercholesterolemic children during consumption of plant stanol and sterol ester spreads.


METHODS
In a randomized, double-blind, crossover study, hypercholesterolemic children (n = 23) consumed low-fat plant stanol and sterol ester spreads for 5-week periods separated by a 5-week washout period. Plasma and red cell lipids, squalene, and noncholesterol sterols were measured before and at the end of each period.


RESULTS
The plant stanol and sterol ester spreads lowered plasma total (-9% and -6%, respectively) and low-density lipoprotein (-12% and -9%) cholesterol but had no effect on red cell cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or plasma triglycerides. The ratios of plasma and red cell sitosterol and campesterol to cholesterol decreased by 32% to 36% (P <.001) with the plant stanol ester and increased by 40% to 52% (P <.001) with the sterol ester spread.


CONCLUSIONS
Consumption of plant sterols increases and consumption of plant stanols decreases the ratios of plant sterols to cholesterol in red cells of hypercholesterolemic children proportionately to the respective changes in plasma.
Ketomäki
Anna M
AM
Division of Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, and the Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Helsinki, Finland.
Gylling
Helena
H
Antikainen
Marjatta
M
Siimes
Martti A
MA
Miettinen
Tatu A
TA
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008383:Margarine; D010840:Phytosterols / Q000097:blood* / Q000494:pharmacology; D012855:Sitosterols / Q000097:blood* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000378:metabolism
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D010840:Phytosterols; D012855:Sitosterols; D014280:Triglycerides; C407042:plant stanol ester; C025473:gamma-sitosterol; D008383:Margarine