The scope of the problem
Cardiovascular (heart and blood vessel) disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and is a serious problem for people around the world. Elevated cholesterol has been linked to an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. According to the American Heart Association, 102 million Americans have borderline high or high cholesterol and therefore are at increased risk for heart disease. The AHA indicates that a 10% decrease in cholesterol levels can reduce the risk of heart disease by up to 30%.
Focus of recent research
A prominent area of research investigates how diet can affect cardiovascular health. Diet has been found to influence cholesterol levels in the blood. Since research has found that cholesterol buildup in artery walls, or atherosclerosis, may lead to the progression of cardiovascular disease, understanding the link between diet and cholesterol is an important step in combating cardiovascular disease.
Recently, particular interest has been focused on a group of compounds, phytosterols, also known as plant sterol esters, naturally produced in plants and found to help support healthy cholesterol levels.* In the Western diet, phytosterols are commonly consumed in vegetables, fruits, vegetable oils and cereals. They are believed to reduce cholesterol in two ways - by interfering with the body's absorption of dietary cholesterol during digestion and by promoting the excretion of cholesterol, effectively lowering the amount of cholesterol in the blood stream and helping to maintain cardiovascular health.
*According to the FDA, foods containing at least 0.65 grams per serving of plant sterol esters, eaten twice a day with meals for a daily total intake of at least 1.3 grams, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease.
What has been learned so far
The body of scientific research conducted over the past 50 years has yielded positive results suggesting that the consumption of phytosterols may be a viable option for helping to maintain healthy blood cholesterol levels.
Click on the number(s) after each of the following potential heart health benefits to read the summary and source of the research supporting that benefit. Or, you may prefer to browse through all the research summaries and their sources at one time.
Scientific research suggests that:
- Consumption of phytosterols is safe and supportive of heart health. See related studies 3, 7
- Consumption of phytosterols can help maintain total and "bad" cholesterol (Low Density Lipoprotein [LDL] cholesterol) levels in the normal range, by reducing the total amount of dietary cholesterol absorbed during digestion. See related studies: 1, 4-9
- Phytosterols may have a role in promoting healthy blood flow. See related study: 2
- Phytosterols do not have an effect on "good" cholesterol (High Density Lipoproteins [HDL] cholesterol). See related study: 8
Like more information on plant sterols and your health?
In addition to the Glossary links for terms on this page and the links to "Notes" for each of the potential heart health benefits above, you may be interested in the following Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
What are plant sterols? Where are they found?
How do sterols work?
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