Cholesterol is found all throughout the body in cell walls and membranes. Your liver produces most of it--75 percent--and the rest comes from the food you eat. Keeping your cholesterol levels in check is important for reducing your risk of heart disease. Plant sterols have long been shown to help reduce cholesterol levels.
Cholesterol
Cholesterol is needed in the body to build cells, insulate nerves and produce hormones, according to the Cholesterol Doctor website. There are two types: low density lipoprotein, or LDL, and high density lipoprotein, or HDL. The job of HDL cholesterol is to carry LDL cholesterol back to the liver to be excreted from the body. Therefore, the higher your HDL number, the more LDL it can carry out of the body. Likewise, the lower your LDL number, the better the chances of HDL getting rid of it. Too much LDL in the blood will stick to artery walls, increasing the risk of heart disease.
Beta Sitosterol
Sterols are essential components of cell membranes. Beta sitosterol is in a group of plant sterols known as phytosterols found in almost all plants. It is similar in structure to cholesterol and is white and waxy in nature, according to the Dr. Lam Mind Body Nutrition website. Beta sitosterols are not synthesized, and the main source is found in the diet.
Significance
In the late 1950s, plant sterols were found to lower serum cholesterol levels by reducing the absorption of cholesterol in the digestive system, according to Drugs.com. Because of the close chemical structure, beta sitosterol blocks the absorption of cholesterol by competing with it, according to the Dr. Lam Mind Body Nutrition website. Alone, beta sitosterol is not absorbed well by the body, but when consumed with cholesterol, it is effective in lowering cholesterol levels.
Sources
Beta sitosterol is naturally found in food but can also be taken in supplement form. Foods such as rice bran, wheat germ, corn oils, soybeans and avocados are rich in beta sitosterol. It has also been incorporated in margarines and yogurts. Beta sitosterol can also be found in vegetable oils, almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts and pecans.
Dosage
Dr. Lam suggests 300 mg to 5 g of beta sitosterol a day to help reduce cholesterol. For regular dietary health, a 300 mg supplement a day is recommended. 3.5 oz of vegetable oil has 426 mg of beta sitosterol and 3.5 oz of margarine has 275 mg. Though these are good sources of the plant sterol, sources like margarine should be eaten in moderation due to hydrogenated oils. Pistachio nuts have 199 mg of beta sitosterol in 3.5 oz.
