Plant sterols from rapeseed and tall oils: Effects on lipids, fat-soluble vitamins and plant sterol concentrations

Heggen, E.; Granlund, L.; Pedersen, J.I.; Holme, I.; Ceglarek, U.; Thiery, J.; Kirkhus, B.; Tonstad, S.

doi:10.1016/j.numecd.2009.04.001

« Previous Next »Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases
Volume 20, Issue 4 , Pages 258-265, May 2010

Plant sterols from rapeseed and tall oils: Effects on lipids, fat-soluble vitamins and plant sterol concentrations

E. Heggen
- Department of Preventive Cardiology, Ullevaal University Hospital, N-0407 Oslo, Norway
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +47 22 11 99 82; fax: +47 22 11 99 75.
L. Granlund
- Mills DA, Oslo, Norway
J.I. Pedersen
- The Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Department of Nutrition, University of Oslo, Norway
I. Holme
- Department of Preventive Cardiology, Ullevaal University Hospital, N-0407 Oslo, Norway
U. Ceglarek
- The Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Chemistry, and Molecular Diagnostics, University Hospital Leipzig, Germany
J. Thiery
- The Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Chemistry, and Molecular Diagnostics, University Hospital Leipzig, Germany
B. Kirkhus
- Matforsk AS, Nofima Mat, Aas, Norway
S. Tonstad
- Department of Preventive Cardiology, Ullevaal University Hospital, N-0407 Oslo, Norway

Received 17 November 2008; received in revised form 22 February 2009; accepted 1 April 2009. published online 14 September 2009.

Abstract

Background and aims

Data comparing the impact of different sources of plant sterols on CVD risk factors and antioxidant levels is scarce. We evaluated the effects of plant sterols from rapeseed and tall oils on serum lipids, lipoproteins, fat-soluble vitamins and plant sterol concentrations.

Methods and results

This was a double-blinded, randomized, crossover trial in which 59 hypercholesterolemic subjects consumed 25g/day of margarine for 4weeks separated by 1week washout periods. The two experimental margarines provided 2g/day of plant sterols from rapeseed or tall oil. The control margarine had no added plant sterols. The control margarine reduced LDL cholesterol by 4.5% (95% CI 1.4, 7.6%). The tall and rapeseed sterol margarines additionally reduced LDL cholesterol by 9.0% (95% CI 5.5, 12.4%) and 8.2% (95% CI 5.2, 11.4%) and apolipoprotein B by 5.3% (95% CI 1.0, 9.6%) and 6.9% (95% CI 3.6, 10.2%), respectively. Lipid-adjusted β-carotene concentrations were reduced by both sterol margarines (P<0.017). α-Tocopherol concentrations were reduced by the tall sterol compared to the rapeseed sterol margarine (P=0.001). Campesterol concentrations increased more markedly with the rapeseed sterol versus tall sterol margarine (P<0.001). The rapeseed sterol margarine increased while the tall sterol margarine decreased brassicasterol concentrations (P<0.001).

Conclusions

Plant sterols from tall and rapeseed oils reduce atherogenic lipids and lipoproteins similarly. The rapeseed sterol margarine may have more favorable effects on serum α-tocopherol concentrations.

Keywords: Plant sterols, Rapeseed oil, Cholesterol, Apolipoprotein B, Vitamins