Research
Micronutrients & recovery
Phytosterols reduce serum total and LDL cholesterol by competing with cholesterol for absorption in the intestine.
Consuming phytosterols (found in plants or added to foods) can help lower LDL cholesterol by blocking its absorption. This is most effective when combined with a generally healthy diet.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
In the body, phytosterols can compete with cholesterol in the intestine for uptake, and aid in the elimination of cholesterol from the body... These actions reduce serum or plasma total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.
Why this rating
Supported by in vitro, animal, and human clinical trials mentioned in the text.
Source
Phytochemicals: nutraceuticals and human health
Cora J. Dillard et al. · Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture · 2000
DOI 10.1002/1097-0010(20000915)80:12<1744::aid-jsfa725>3.0.co;2-w
narrative_reviewCited 1,098×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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