Plant stanol ester is the cholesterol-lowering ingredient unique to Benecol products. In addition, plant stanol ester produces additional and dose-dependent reductions in LDL-cholesterol with intakes above current recommendations (2 grams plant stanols/sterols per day). For plant sterol ester, no such effect was evident.
The meta-analysis was based on a large number of scientific studies and included 182 data sets in total. The analysis showed that the estimated maximal LDL-cholesterol reduction was 18.2% for plant stanol ester versus 9.1% for plant sterol ester, with the difference between the two reaching statistical significance. The findings of the new meta-analysis are supported by two recently published independent clinical studies showing LDL-cholesterol reductions of approximately 17% with a daily consumption of 9 grams plant stanols.
"It is known that plant stanols and plant sterols have different structures and that they behave differently in the body, and so it was important to study the LDL-cholesterol-lowering effects of the two substances separately," said Kathy Musa-Veloso PhD, the principle author of the article. "The results of the meta-analysis indicate that intakes of plant stanols in excess of 2 grams/day—in fact, up to 9 grams/day—are associated with further and dose-dependent reductions in LDL-cholesterol. For plant sterols, however, we did not find a dose-response."
Several scientific and authoritative bodies recommend a daily consumption of plant stanols or plant sterols for improving blood cholesterol levels. The new data may have significant implications for current practices.
"The relationship between reductions in LDL-cholesterol and a reduced risk of coronary heart disease is near to linear. In other words, the lower the LDL cholesterol, the lower the risk. These new results are clinically very important as the boosted effect of plant stanol ester with elevated daily intakes may further intensify the coronary heart disease risk reduction at a population level," concluded Helena Gylling, MD, professor from the University of Helsinki in Finland. "No other single dietary means has proven to be as effective and easy in reducing cholesterol as the daily intake of sufficient amounts of plant stanol ester-containing Benecol foods."
"The new findings are great news for consumers and for Benecol, as all Benecol products are made with plant stanol ester. Benecol consumers can now be confident that they have selected the most effective food ingredient to lower their cholesterol. In the cholesterol-lowering foods category, the efficacy of the products has a huge influence on consumer choices. With these superior results Benecol can further strengthen its position in the market as well as enter new market areas," said Matti Rihko, CEO of the Raisio Group.