Natural substances of plant sterols and plant stanols

Plant stanols and sterols, also known as phytosterols and phytosterols, are naturally occurring substances found in plant foods such as fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds.

The western diet provides about 100-300 mg/day of plant sterols and 20-50 mg/day of plant stanols. Plants sterols and stanols have been incorporated into various food products, including margarine and salad dressing.

Plants sterols such as sitosterol, campesterol and stigmasterol are structurally similiar. Stanols are saturated sterols without double bonds in the sterol ring structure.

The plant sterols mixtures typically used in supplements to reduce cholesterol levels are usually extracted from pine tree wood pulp or soybean oil.

Plant sterols are often hydrogenated forming stanols, and both sterols and stanols can be extracted to make them soluble in fats, forming stanol and sterol esters.  They have similar structure to cholesterol and therefore can be absorbed by the gut instead of cholesterol.

Plant sterols and stanols esters compete with dietary cholesterol for absorption via mixed micelles. They block dietary and biliary cholesterol absorption in the small intestine with subsequent reduction of serum cholesterol and LDL concentration.

Sterols lowered total cholesterol by 6-11% and LDL cholesterol by 7-15%. Stanols lowered total cholesterol by 4-10% and LDL cholesterol by 7-14%.
Natural substances of plant sterols and plant stanols

Natural substances of plant sterols

Sterols are an essential component of the membranes of all eukaryotic organisms. Their function appears to be to control membrane fluidity and permeability and in animals they are also precursors of hormones and bile acids.

They are commonly found in the daily diet. Plants sterols accumulate in the lipid fraction of seeds and fruit. Substantial amounts of the major sterols, sitosterol, campesterol and stigmasterol can also found in cereals including wheat.

The plant sterols mixtures typically used in supplements to reduce cholesterol levels are usually extracted from pine tree wood pulp or soybean oil.

Plants sterols have long been known to reduce serum total and LDL cholesterol levels when consumed in the diet by lowering the intestinal absorption of dietary and biliary cholesterol.

Plant sterols interfere with cholesterol absorption by decreasing the micellar solubility or cholesterol.

Apart from lowering the cholesterol level, another useful function of plant sterols is that they play a protective role of the prostate. Plant sterols can significantly improve the condition of prostate enlargement and is just as effective as fintasteride.
Natural substances of plant sterols