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Plant sterols and stanols

Find the most important research on plant sterols/ stanols and cholesterol.

(LDL-) Cholesterol-lowering effect of plant sterols/stanols: key meta-analyses

Katan MB, Grundy SM, Jones P, Law M, Miettinen T, Paoletti R. Efficacy and safety of plant stanols and sterols in the management of blood cholesterol levels. Mayo Clin Proc 2003; 78(8): 965-978

Demonty I, Ras RT, van der Knaap HC, Duchateau GS, Meijer L, Zock PL, Geleijnse JM, Trautwein EA. Continuous dose-response relationship of the LDL-cholesterol-lowering effect of phytosterol intake. J Nutr 2009; 139(2): 271-284.

Ras RT, Geleijnse JM, Trautwein EA. LDL-cholesterol-lowering effect of plant sterols and stanols across different dose ranges: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled studies. Br J Nutr 2014; 112(2): 214-219.

Ghaedi E, Kord-Varkaneh H, Mohammadi H, Askarpour M, Miraghajani M. Phytosterol Supplementation Could Improve Atherogenic and Anti-Atherogenic Apolipoproteins: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. J Am Coll Nutr. 2019.


Plant sterols/stanols effectively lower LDL- cholesterol in combination with lipid-lowering medication (statins): meta-analysis

Han S, Jiao J, Xu J, Zimmermann D, Actis-Goretta L, Guan L, Zhao Y, Qin L.Effects of plant stanol or sterol-enriched diets on lipid profiles in patients treated with statins: systematic review and meta-analysis. Sci Rep 2016; 6:31337.


Consensus papers/reviews

Gylling H, Plat J, Turley S, Ginsberg HN, Ellegard L, Jessup W, Jones PJ, Lutjohann D, Maerz W, Masana L, Silbernagel G, Staels B, Boren J, Catapano AL, de Backer G, Deanfield J, Descamps OS, Kovanen PT, Riccardi G, Tokgozoglu L, Chapman MJ. Plant sterols and plant stanols in the management of dyslipidaemia and prevention of cardiovascular disease. Atherosclerosis 2014; 232(2): 346-360.

Trautwein EA, Vermeer MA, Hiemstra H, Ras RT. LDL-Cholesterol Lowering of Plant Sterols and Stanols-Which Factors Influence Their Efficacy? Nutrients 2018; 10(9).


Guidelines referring to plant sterols/stanols as part of dietary recommendations for dyslipidaemia management (excerpt)

2019 ESC/EAS Guidelines for the Management of Dyslipidaemias. Mach et al European Heart Journal (2019) 00, 1-78

2021 ESC Guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice. Visseren et al European Heart Journal, Volume 42, Issue 34, 7 September 2021, Pages 3227-3337


Plant sterols/stanols as part of a whole dietary pattern for lowering LDL-cholesterol and CVD risk: PORTFOLIO diet

Chiavaroli L, Nishi SK, Khan TA, Braunstein CR, Glenn AJ, Mejia SB, Rahelić D, Kahleová H, Salas-Salvadó J, Jenkins DJA, Kendall CWC, Sievenpiper JL. Portfolio Dietary Pattern and Cardiovascular Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Controlled Trials. Prog Cardiovasc Dis 2018; 61(1):43-53.