Many individuals with high cholesterol are placed on a statin drug, the pharmaceutical choice of many doctors in the US. Most are placed on this medication without being given dietary advice or any lifestyle modification choices, even though they help support treatment with statins.
In a new study reported in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association plant stanols were assessed for their efficacy in lowering cholesterol in those who were already on a statin drug.
A total of 20 people who had been on statin therapy for 6 months were enrolled in the study. Then each was randomized to recieve dietary and lifestyle counseling plus stanols (via margarine) or dietary counseling alone. They were also told to continue their statin treatment.
The dietary counseling was in the form of a pamphlet and one physician visit. After completion of the study, the group consuming the plant stanols had a 15.6 percent drop in LDL (bad) cholesterol, while the other group only saw a 7.7 percent decrease.
Plant stanols work to lower cholesterol by inhibiting the bodies absorbtion of cholesterol from food. Statin drugs lower cholesterol by blocking production in the liver. Dietary advice and lifestlye changes are focused on decreasing the total fat intake with special emphasis on saturated and trans fats.
The researchers were enthusiastic that plant stanols could significantly effect cholesterol in persons who had previously been on a statin medication. They concluded that physicians should include dietary changes and stanols with any prescription for a statin drug to get the greatest benefit.
Posted by Dr. Christina Gutierrez on October 15, 2006 12:11 PM
