Lipid-altering effects of a dietary supplement tablet containing free plant sterols and stanols in men and women with primary hypercholesterolaemia: a randomized, placebo-controlled crossover trial

This randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover trial assessed the lipid-altering efficacy of a dietary supplement (tablet form) providing 1.8 g/day free (non-esterified) plant sterols and stanols versus placebo for 6 weeks as part of a therapeutic lifestyle changes (TLC) diet in 32 men and women with primary hypercholesterolaemia. Mean ± SE baseline (end of a 5-week TLC diet lead-in) lipid concentrations (mmol/l) were total cholesterol (TC), 5.88 ± 0.08; non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C), 4.71 ± 0.09; low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), 4.02 ± 0.08; HDL-C, 1.17 ± 0.06 and triglycerides (TGs), 1.51 ± 0.12. Differences from control in responses (plant sterol/stanol - control) were significant (p < 0.05) for LDL-C ( - 4.9%), non-HDL-C ( - 3.6%) and TC ( - 2.8%). HDL-C and TG responses were not significantly different between treatment conditions. These results indicate that 1.8 g/day free plant sterols/stanols administered in a tablet produced favourable lipoprotein lipid changes in men and women with hypercholesterolaemia.