Effects of yoghurt enriched with plant sterols on serum lipids in patientswith moderate hypercholesterolaemia

The objective of the present study was to assess the effect of consumption of a yoghurt-based drink enriched with 1-2 g plant sterols/d on serum lipid s, transaminases, vitamins and hormone status in patients with primary mode rate hypercholesterolaemia. Thirty patients were randomly assigned to one o f two treatment groups: a low-fat low-lactose yoghurt-based drink enriched with 1 g plant sterol extracted from soyabean/d v. a low-fat low-lactose yo ghurt, for a period of 4 weeks. After a 2-week wash-out period, patients we re crossed over for an additional 4-week period. Second, after a 4-week was h-out period, eleven patients were treated with 2 g plant sterols/d in a se cond open part of the study for a period of 8 weeks. The yoghurt enriched w ith plant sterols significantly reduced, in a dose-dependent manner, serum total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels and LDL-cholesterol:HDL-choles terol (P <0.001), whereas no changes were observed in HDL-cholesterol and t riacylglycerol levels, either in the first or the second part of the study. There were only slight, not statistically significant, differences in seru m transaminase, vitamin and hormone levels. To conclude, a low-fat yoghurt- based drink moderately enriched with plant sterols may lower total choleste rol and LDL-cholesterol effectively in patients with primary moderate hyper cholesterolaemia.