Effects of 2 low-fat stanol ester-containing margarines on serum cholesterol concentrations as part of a low-fat diet in hypercholesterolemic subjects

Background: Full-fat sitostanol ester-containing margarine reduces serum to tal and LDL cholesterol, but the effect of plant stanol ester-containing ma rgarine as part of a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet has not been studied. Objective: We investigated the cholesterol-lowering effects of 2 novel, low -fat stanol ester-containing margarines as part of a low-fat diet recommend ed for hypercholesterolemic subjects. Design: In a parallel, double-blind study, 55 hypercholesterolemic subjects were randomly assigned after a 4-wk high-fat diet (baseline) to 3 low-fat margarine groups: wood stanol ester-containing margarine (WSEM), vegetable oil stanol ester-containing margarine (VOSEM), and control margarine (no st anol esters). The groups consumed the margarines for 8 wk as part of a diet resembling that of the National Cholesterol Education Program's Step II di et. The daily mean total stanol intake was 2.31 and 2.16 g in the WSEM and VOSEM groups, respectively. Results: During the experimental period, the reduction in serum total chole sterol was 10.6% (P < 0.001) and 8.1% (P < 0.05) greater and in LDL cholest erol was 13.7% (P < 0.01) and 8.6% (P = 0.072) greater in the WSEM and VOSE M groups, respectively, than in the control group. Serum campesterol concen trations decreased 34.5% and 41.3% (P < 0.001) in the WSEM and VOSEM groups , respectively. Serum HDL cholesterol, sitostanol, campestanol, beta-carote ne, and fat-soluble vitamin concentrations did not change significantly fro m baseline. Conclusions: We conclude that the low-fat, plant stanol ester-containing ma rgarines are effective cholesterol-lowering products in hypercholesterolemi c subjects when used as part of a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet. They offer an additional, clinically significant reduction in serum cholesterol conce ntrations to that obtained with a low-fat diet alone.