Effects of plant sterol- or stanol-enriched margarine on fasting plasma oxyphytosterol concentrations in healthy subjects.

BACKGROUND: Consumption of plant sterols and plant stanols reduces low- lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) concentrations. At the same time, plasma sterol concentrations will increase after plant sterol consumption, but after plant stanol consumption. In contrast to plant stanols, plant undergo oxidation and form oxyphytosterols. Findings from in vitro and studies suggest that oxyphytosterols might be atherogenic. OBJECTIVE: objective was to examine whether plant sterol and stanol consumption fasting plasma oxyphytosterol concentrations. DESIGN: A randomized, cross-over study was performed in which 43 healthy subjects (18-70 consumed for 4 weeks a plant sterol-enriched (3.0 g/d of plant sterols), stanol-enriched (3.0 g/d of plant stanols), and a control margarine wash-out periods of 4 weeks. Oxyphytosterol concentrations were BHT-enriched plasma via GC-MS. RESULTS: Compared to control, serum LDL-C concentrations were reduced after plant sterol (-8.1%; p < 0.001) and stanol consumption (-7.8%; p < 0.001). Plant sterol consumption did not plasma oxyphytosterol concentrations. On the other hand, intake of the stanol margarine reduced 7beta-OH-campesterol by 0.07 ng/mL ( p < 0.01) and by 0.07 ng/mL ( approximately 15%; p < 0.01) compared with control and sterol margarines, respectively. When standardized for serum cholesterol, effects on these oxyphytosterols were comparable. In stanol intake reduced cholesterol-standardized 7-keto-campesterol levels with plant sterol intake (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Daily consumption of a sterol-enriched margarine does not increase oxyphytosterol plant stanol consumption may reduce the concentrations of the oxidative sterol metabolites 7beta-OH-campesterol and 7-keto-campesterol. This registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01559428.