What Are Phytosterols and How Do They Lower Cholesterol?

When testing your cholesterol levels, your doctor looks at your HDL and your LDL levels. Your HDL is high-density lipoprotein and is the good cholesterol; you want that number to be above 30, preferably around 50 or 60. Your LDL is low-density lipoprotein. This is the bad cholesterol. You don't want this number to be above 160, and should be around 100. Your total cholesterol should be around 150 to 200.

If your LDL is too high, but still within a moderate range, you may be able to lower that number without using prescription drugs such as Lipitor or Zocor. The drugs prescribed to lower cholesterol are referred to as statins. These drugs contain lovastatin. Lovastatin is the active ingredient and its use may cause severe muscle and joint pain and even result in kidney and muscle damage.

An alternative to statins is the use of phytosterols. Phytosterols are a naturally occurring compound found in plants. It is a solid, unsaturated fat found in the fatty tissues of certain plants. It is, essentially, cholesterol.

How can ingesting cholesterol lower your cholesterol?

The human body needs cholesterol for metabolic functions. But when there is too much of the LDL kind, it builds up in the arteries and puts you at risk for heart disease.

When phytosterols are ingested, they interfere with the synthesis of cholesterol. As your body produces cholesterol, and the excess bad cholesterol remains in the body, there's nothing to prevent it from building up in your arteries. Phytosterols greatly reduce the production and absorption of bad cholesterol.

The phytosterols compete with your body's cholesterol for acceptor sites in the small intestine. Certain cells attract cholesterol and subsequently aid in metabolic functioning. If your body is overloaded with the bad stuff, it gets to these cells first. Phytosterols are competitive, and they like to win.

This allows your body to synthesize the proper amounts of both kinds of the cholesterol it needs to function. The phytosterols have created an internal environment that allows your body to process cholesterol and eliminate the excess.

If this weren't enough, phytosterols have two other important characteristics. They do not interfere with high-density lipoproteins; they will not lower your good cholesterol levels. Unlike statins, they do not cause joint or muscle pain. There is no risk to the liver or the kidney.

If phytosterols are so great for treating high cholesterol, you may be asking, then why would doctors still be prescribing statins?

Phytosterols need time. Using them may result in bringing down that LDL number, but they are not fast acting. And they are not miracle workers. Should your LDL level be higher than 200, and you're overweight, have a history of heart disease, and still don't eat right or exercise, a statin drug may be necessary.

At this time, phytosterols are being made available through supplements, the most notable being Centrum Cardio. Centrum is well known, and offers a line of multivitamins and supplements tailored to specific needs. Centrum Cardio is being marketed as a multivitamin that also contains phytosterols and, taken twice daily, will aid in lowering cholesterol.

But as with any supplement, it's meant to enhance a healthy lifestyle. Centrum Cardio is not a cure or a treatment. It's designed to help you lower and ultimately maintain a healthy cholesterol level. Statins are designed to treat high cholesterol levels.

Phytosterols are also being used in vegetable oils and margarines. Incorporating these products, along with foods that contain phytosterols such as legumes, fruits and vegetables, and nuts, will further promote healthy levels of cholesterol. Essentially, phytosterols work best when you are making healthy life style choices.

Is there a downside to phytosterols? Is there a reason more doctors aren't promoting phytosterols over statins?

Phytosterols are relatively new to the cholesterol scene. As with any new discovery, research is needed and that takes time. Doctors have a tendency to stay with the status quo. You may, eventually, see more physicians recommending adding phytosterols to their patients.

There are studies out of the Center for Health and Disease Research at the University of Massachusetts that indicate there may be a downside to ingesting higher amounts of phytosterols. A 2000 study published in the American Journal of Medicine show similar results.

Phytosterols are non-soluble. The body doesn't absorb it; it uses it and then expels it. It's one of the reasons they help get rid of bad cholesterol; they prevent absorption.

The studies show that because of this property, those consuming food products containing phytosterols had low concentrations of alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, alpha-tocopherol, and lycopene, all antioxidants found in fresh fruits and vegetables. The non-soluble property interfered with absorption of these important compounds.

An increase in your daily intake of fresh fruits and vegetables can alleviate this. Also, being aware of how much phytosterols you are taking in in a day can offset this effect. Two tablets of Centrum Cardio provide 800 mg of phytosterols. This may be a sufficient amount, and so minimize the risk of reducing the level of your antioxidants.

Phytosterols are an important breakthrough in the human fight against high cholesterol. If your cholesterol level is a little too high, you should talk to your doctor about phytosterols. Along with adjusting your lifestyle to include regular exercise and a healthier diet, adding phytosterols, either through food or supplements, may be all you need do to lower your cholesterol.