Wednesday November 12, 2008 (foodconsumer.org) -- Many people know more about statins than plant sterols when it comes to their cholesterol lowering effects.   The fact is that plant sterols are quite effective at lowering cholesterol which is believed by many to be a risk factor for cardiovascular events like heart attacks and strokes.

One report published in the Dec 2008 issue of Current Atherosclerosis Reports says studies have shown that plant-sterols when incorporated into fat spread or even other food matrixes such as juices, nonfat beverages, milk and yogurt, cheese, meat, croissants and muffins, cereals and chocolate bars helped reduce absorption of cholesterol and lower its levels in the blood.

AbuMweis S S and Jones P J of University of Manitoba in Canada say in their report that the plant substances are similar to cholesterol in their chemical structure.   This similarity may play a role in the reduced absorption of cholesterol.

The authors also point out that the cholesterol-lowering effect can be enhanced by adding to a plant-sterols rich diet other beneficial substances such as olive and fish oil, fibers, and soy proteins. Exercise along with supplementation of plant sterols may also boost the effect.

One study led by Jenkins D J and colleagues at St Michael's Hosp ital in Toronto and published in Jan 2008 issue of metabolism confirmed that plant sterols are able to lower circulating cholesterol levels.

The researchers tested a few dietary components that are assumed to be able to lower cholesterol and found taking all dietary components including plant sterols resulted in a 15.4 percent reduction in low density lipoprotein cholesterol or LDL-C.  The reduction dropped to 9 .0 percent when plant sterols were removed from the diet.

The tests were conducted in forty-two hyperlipidemic participants who were given diets high in soy protein (22.5 g/1000 kcal), viscous fibers (10 g/1000 kcal), and almonds (23 g/1000 kcal) for 80 weeks.

Cholesterol is believed to be a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke.   Statins like Crestor are very effective at lowering cholesterol. But the reduction in the risk of heart disease is not as effective.

A new study presented in New Orleans at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions showed people even with normal range of cholesterol may benefit from taking Crestor, a statin made by Astra-Zeneca.

The 1.9-year study found cardiovascular event like heart attacks, strokes, and deaths from cardiovascular causes was found in 0.9% of statin users had one of these events, compared to 1.8% of placebo users.

But news media reported that to save one life, it would take 120 people to take Crestor for 1.9 years and the possible cost would be $500,000.

Worse of all, Crestor like many other statins is not free of side effects.   It has been known that all statins cause muscle damage.   In the case of Crestor, the new study showed that those who took the drug were at a higher risk of diabetes.

Good news is that there are plenty of things people can do to avoid high cholesterol.   Plant foods are free of cholesterol in the first place. In addition to plant sterols, which helps reduce absorption of cholesterol, omega 3 fatty acids and red yeast rice are two powerful natural remedies to lower cholesterol and prevent heart risk.