Phytosterol-enriched products may reduce apolipoprotein levels by up
to four per cent, says a new study that highlights these markers as
better than traditional risk factors. The study, published online in the
journal Clinical Nutrition, is one of the first studies to consider
alipoprotein levels as a measure of the benefits of phytosterols, and
adds to a body of science supporting the efficacy of the ingredients for
heart health. Numerous clinical trials in controlled settings have
reported that daily consumption of 1.5 to 3 grams of
phytosterols/-stanols can reduce total cholesterol levels by eight to 17
per cent, representing a significant reduction in the risk of
cardiovascular disease. The new study, led by Martin Madsena from Arhus
University Hospitals, looked at the effects of supplementing 46 people
(average age 50.6) with 20 g low-fat margarine (35 per cent fat) and 250
ml low-fat milk (0.7 per cent fat), giving a total plant sterol dose of
2.3 g per day. The subjects were classed as mildly hypercholesterolemic
(LDL cholesterol 3.0 to 5.5 mmol/l). «The apo B to apo A-I ratio
decreased by 3.4 per cent and, interestingly, this ratio has recently
been proposed the strongest marker of risk for vascular disease,» stated
the researchers. «Our study showed that a combination of dietary
intervention and low-fat margarine and milk enriched with plant sterols
significantly reduced LDL cholesterol, apo B and the apo B to apo A-I
ratio,» said the researchers. «Low-fat products enriched with plant
sterols may therefore play a role in managing higher than desirable
cholesterol levels.»
Category: Productos
Source: NutraIngredients