Importance

• Phytosterols play a demonstrated role in lowering dangerous LDL cholesterol levels by reducing the body's ability to absorb cholesterol. High levels of LDL cholesterol can cause hard plaque buildup to form in the arteries, reducing blood flow to the heart and increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke, according to the American Heart Association. Research is ongoing, but studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the State University of New York at Buffalo suggest that phytosterols may also prevent certain types of cancer.
  
  

Food Sources

• All plant foods contain phytosterols, with the greatest amounts found in unrefined plant oils. Top natural sources include wheat germ oil, sesame oil, corn oil, canola oil, peanuts, wheat bran, almonds, brussels sprouts, macadamia nuts and olive oil. Many foods are also fortified with phytosterols, including orange juice, margarine, mayonnaise, milk, yogurt, meat, soy milk, snack bars and salad dressing. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, phytosterols may be more effective at reducing LDL cholesterol when added to mayonnaise, salad dressing, milk and yogurt than when added to other foods.
  
  

Supplements

• Supplements are another source of phytosterols and are marketed as beta-sitosterol. These supplements should be taken with foods containing fat, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. Studies of beta-sitosterol supplements from Ruhr-University and the Allgemeines Krankenhaus Celle Academic Hospital in Germany show that 60 to 130 mg per day reduced urinary problems in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia, a noncancerous enlargement of the prostate.
  
  

Intake

• Research from Paradigm Genetics and Wageningen University demonstrate cholesterol-lowering benefits with a daily intake of at least 0.8 g but no more than 2 g of phytosterols. The Linus Pauling Institute recommends that phytosterol consumption not exceed 3 g because the effects of higher intake are not yet understood and have no known health benefits. According to Paradigm Genetics, pregnant and lactating women should avoid foods with added phytosterols because their safety is not fully understood, but that natural sources of phytosterols pose no health threat.
  
  

Potential

• There is a great deal of preliminary research on the possible uses and health benefits of phytosterols. While it's far too early to draw conclusions about these effects, initial investigations are promising. Early evidence from the University of Buffalo, published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry and the Journal of Nutrition, show that phytosterols may reduce inflammation of immune cells; induce death of cancerous cells; alter testosterone metabolism; and alter the properties of cell membranes, particularly red blood cells.