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Plant Pills Lower Cholesterol

A pill of plant sterols can help lower cholesterol, according to a new study appearing in the Feb. issue of the American Journal of Cardiology. In the study, researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis followed 26 patients who were using the heart healthy diet recommended by the American Heart Association and taking statin drugs to control cholesterol to understand how intake of plant sterols affects cholesterol.

Half of the participants were assigned to take four sterol pills twice a day while another half to take placebo pills along with statin drugs over six weeks. Those who took plant sterol tablets lowered low density cholesterol or bad cholesterol on average by 9 percent. The total cholesterol was reduced by 6 percent. The cholesterol reduction was particularly significant among those who started with higher levels of bad cholesterol, according to the study.

Anne Carol Goldberg, M.D., lead author of the new study and associate professor of medicine at Washington University believed use of plant sterols along with statins may result in a maximum of cholesterol reduction even though plant sterol pills alone can also reduce cholesterol. This is particularly true for those who had higher levels of cholesterol to drop.

Researchers believe that plant sterols, similar structurally to cholesterol, reduce the adsorption in the gut by competing with cholesterol to get absorbed and transported into the body.

The National Cholesterol Education Program was cited by the Washington University News Service as recommending that those with elevated cholesterol eat foods containing plant sterols as a way to cut cardiovascular risk. Plant sterols may benefit those who do not have much of an option as to what to eat or do not have access to sterol-rich fruits and vegetables. The highest amounts of plant sterols are found in broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and olives.