Micronutrients & recovery
Consumption of plant sterols or stanols lowers plasma total and LDL cholesterol levels by competing with cholesterol for absorption in the gut.
To lower cholesterol, include foods enriched with plant sterols or stanols (like specific margarines or mayonnaises) in your diet. These compounds work by blocking cholesterol absorption. While effective for lowering LDL (10-15%), they are not a replacement for prescribed medication if you have high cardiovascular risk, and excessive absorption of regular sterols can be problematic for certain genetic conditions.
The nutritional interest derives from the fact that the sterols have a similar structure to cholesterol, and have the capacity to lower plasma cholesterol and LDL cholesterol... Stanols... are equally effective in lowering plasma cholesterol and do not cause an increase in plasma levels, unlike the sterols which can be detected in plasma.
Why this rating
The paper is a review citing multiple studies showing consistent effects, though it notes variability in older preparations.
Source
Plant sterols: biosynthesis, biological function and their importance to human nutrition
Vieno Piironen et al. · Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture · 2000
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