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


METHODS
: 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.


METHODS
General Community.


METHODS
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).


METHODS
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 (P<0.001). Plasma sitosterol increased by 17-23% and campesterol by 48-52% with phytosterol-enriched milk and bread. Lipid-adjusted beta-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 phytosterol-enriched 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.
Clifton
P M
PM
CSIRO Health Sciences and Nutrition, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. peter.clifton@hsn.csiro.au
Noakes
M
M
Sullivan
D
D
Erichsen
N
N
Ross
D
D
Annison
G
G
Fassoulakis
A
A
Cehun
M
M
Nestel
P
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001939:Bread / Q000032:analysis; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000097:blood; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D002523:Edible Grain / Q000737:chemistry; D004952:Esters; D005260:Female; D005504:Food Analysis; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry; D010840:Phytosterols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D015014:Yogurt / Q000032:analysis
D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D004952:Esters; D008055:Lipids; D010840:Phytosterols; D002338:Carotenoids; D002784:Cholesterol