Cholesterol lowering efficacy of plant stanol ester in a new type of product matrix, a chewable dietary supplement

- A new type of chewable plant stanol (2 g/d) ester food supplement was developed.
- LDL cholesterol was reduced by 7.6% vs controls (P = 0.001).
- No side effects were reported.
- Convenience to consume the supplement was considered good by 78% of the subjects.
- The supplement is a new dietary means to regulate circulating cholesterol levels.

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol lowering efficacy of a new type of chewable plant stanol ester food supplement was evaluated in a randomized, double-blind, controlled four-week intervention. The participants (LDL cholesterol > 3 mmol/L) consumed four supplements daily with meals either with (n = 50) or without (n = 53) plant stanol esters. Plant stanol ester supplement (2 g/d plant stanols) lowered LDL cholesterol by 7.6%, serum cholesterol by 4.9%, and non-high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol by 6.6% compared with controls (P < 0.003). HDL cholesterol or serum triacylglycerol concentrations were unchanged. The taste of the supplement was considered good/very good by 68% of the responders, and convenience to consume it was considered easy/very easy by 78% of the responders. No side effects were reported.In conclusion, this new type of small-volume chewable plant stanol ester supplement lowered LDL cholesterol concentration in hypercholesterolemic subjects providing a convenient dietary tool to regulate circulating cholesterol levels.