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Similar serum plant sterol responses of human subjects heterozygous for a mutation causing sitosterolemia and controls to diets enriched in plant sterols or stanols

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 61, pages 896–905 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

We investigated the serum phytosterol responses of heterozygous relatives of sitosterolemia patients to diets enriched in phytosterols or stanols.

Design:

Randomized double-blind crossover design.

Setting:

Muenster, Germany.

Subjects:

Eight heterozygous and 13 control subjects were recruited. One heterozygote and three controls dropped out.

Interventions:

Seven heterozygotes and 10 controls received daily portions of margarine containing 2 g of plant sterols, 2 g of stanols or a control margarine for 6 weeks each in a randomized order. These phases were intercepted by wash-out periods of 6 weeks each.

Results:

Compared to the control period, serum phytosterol concentrations increased overall by more than 20% when subjects consumed the plant sterol margarine (F(1,15)=8.719, P=0.01), with no significant difference between heterozygotes (mean +14.5 (s.d. 17.2) μmol/l, +23.0%) and controls (+4.9 (9.9) μmol/l, +20.5%; F(1,15)=2.168, P=0.162), but decreased when subjects consumed the stanol-enriched margarine (F(1,15)=12.124, P=0.003), again to a similar extent in heterozygotes (−34.2 (41.2) μmol/l, −54.2%) and controls (−12.2 (9.2) μmol/l, −50.6%; F(1,15)=2.729, P=0.119). The lowest total serum concentrations of cholesterol and phytosterols were seen after the diet enriched in stanols. Serum stanol concentrations increased on this diet, but on a very low level and never exceeded 0.05% of serum cholesterol levels in any subject.

Conclusions:

Serum phytosterol concentrations increased only moderately in heterozygotes consuming a diet enriched in phytosterols, indicating that they retained considerable capacity to excrete phytosterols even at higher intakes.

Sponsorship:

Supported by a grant of the Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft (project number TS022/12372/2002) to MK.

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Acknowledgements

We thank R Hagel, E Jung, A Mischke, M Schreiner, M Toebbe, and S Wentker for excellent technical assistance, and the study subjects for participation. Supported by a grant of the Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft (project number TS 022/12372/2002) to MK. Study margarines were provided by Unilever, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Leibnitz-Institute of Arteriosclerosis Research at the University of Muenster, Germany

    M Kratz, F Kannenberg, E Gramenz, B Berning, G Assmann & S Rust

  2. Unilever Food and Health Research Institute, Unilever Research & Development, The Netherlands

    E Trautwein

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  1. M Kratz
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  2. F Kannenberg
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  3. E Gramenz
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  4. B Berning
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  6. G Assmann
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Correspondence to M Kratz.

Additional information

Guarantor: M Kratz.

Contributors: MK was responsible for study design and execution, statistical analyses and writing of the manuscript; FK measured serum phytosterol and stanol concentrations, and was involved in manuscript preparation; EG and BB were involved in planning, designing and executing the study; ET and GA were involved in designing the study and in manuscript preparation and SR was responsible for measuring ABCG5/G8 genotypes, analysis and interpretation of the results, and was involved in manuscript preparation.

Supplementary Information accompanies the paper on European Journal of Clinical Nutrition website (http://www.nature.com/ejcn)

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Kratz, M., Kannenberg, F., Gramenz, E. et al. Similar serum plant sterol responses of human subjects heterozygous for a mutation causing sitosterolemia and controls to diets enriched in plant sterols or stanols. Eur J Clin Nutr 61, 896–905 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602598

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