title: Cholesterol absorption: influence of body weight and the role of plant sterols.
abstract: Cholesterol absorption and synthesis are inter-regulated, so if one changes then the other changes in the opposite direction. The regulation and detailed mechanism of cholesterol absorption have been intensely investigated. Inhibition of cholesterol absorption has become an additional factor for cholesterol lowering. Agents inhibiting cholesterol absorption, mainly plant stanols and sterols or ezetimibe, usually lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in monotherapy by less than 20%, indicating that these inhibitors can normalize cholesterol levels only in patients with a modest baseline hypercholesterolemia. Body weight, especially obesity with and without diabetes, and dietary plant sterols alter cholesterol absorption differently. This article briefly reviews some special questions of cholesterol absorption under these conditions.
authors.affiliation: Division of Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Biomedicum Helsinki, PO Box 700, FIN-00029, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gylling
authors.forename: Tatu A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Miettinen
mesh_terms: D000042:Absorption / Q000187:drug effects; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010840:Phytosterols / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011379:Prognosis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D010840:Phytosterols; D002784:Cholesterol