The cholesterol-lowering action of plant stanol esters.

Plant sterols and stanols derived from wood pulp and vegetable oils lower total and LDL cholesterol by inhibiting cholesterol absorption from the intestine in humans. Plant stanols are virtually unabsorbable, which makes them more ideal hypocholesterolemic agents than plant sterols. The esterification of plant stanols has allowed their incorporation into various foods such as margarine without changing the taste and texture of those foods. Plant stanol esters at a level of 2-3 g/d have been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol by 10-15% without side effects. Plant stanol esters appear to be a helpful dietary adjunct to a prudent diet to lower cholesterol.