Plant sterol-enriched fermented milk enhances the attainment of LDL-cholesterol goal in hypercholesterolemic subjects.
BACKGROUND
The number of hypercholesterolemic individuals who do not meet their cholesterol recommended targets is inappropriately high. The use of plant sterol-enriched foods could help in this clinical setting.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy and side effects of plant sterol-enriched fermented milk in reducing LDL-cholesterol and increasing the number of patients who attain their therapeutic targets.


METHODS
This was a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel clinical trial. Eighty-three hypercholesterolemic patients that were not at therapeutic goals were studied. The patients received one 100 ml serving of either plain (control) low-fat or phytosterol enriched (1.6 g of free sterol equivalents) drinkable yogurt per day along with the main meal for 42 days. The principal variables were variation on LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) concentration and the number of patients achieving therapeutic goals after intervention.


RESULTS
Patients on phytosterols attained an average LDL-C reduction of more than 10% (12.2% after 3 weeks; 10.6% after 6 weeks) (P = 0.001; 95% CI: 4.03-19.00) regardless of statin therapy compared to the control group. About 50% of the subjects on phytosterols, as compared to 20% of controls, attained their LDL-C target values (<3.3 or <2.6 mmol/l for primary and secondary prevention, respectively) at the end of the study (P < 0.001). HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) did not change and triglycerides (TG) were decreased by 14% (P < 0.018). The plasma sterols/total cholesterol ratio increased.


CONCLUSIONS
Plant sterol-enriched fermented milk significantly reduced LDL-C and increased the number of moderately hypercholesterolemic patients achieving therapeutic targets.
Plana
Nuria
N
Unitat Recerca Lipids and Arteriosclerosi, Hospital Universitari Sant Joan, Universitat Rovira and Virgili, Sant Llorenç, 43201, Reus , Spain.
Nicolle
Catherine
C
Ferre
Raimon
R
Camps
Jordi
J
Cos
Rosa
R
Villoria
Jesus
J
Masana
Luis
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood* / Q000187:drug effects; D043302:Cultured Milk Products; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood / Q000178:diet therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010840:Phytosterols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015014:Yogurt
D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D010840:Phytosterols