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Plant stanol esters in low-fat milk products lower serum total and LDL cholesterol

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Abstract

Background

Oil-based matrices enriched with plant stanol esters lower serum LDL cholesterol. The effects of low-fat milk products have been less thoroughly examined.

Aim of the study

To evaluate the effect of three less explored low-fat milk products enriched with plant stanol esters on serum lipid concentrations in subjects with mild or moderate hypercholesterolemia.

Methods

A meta-analysis of four unpublished sub-studies (yoghurt, yoghurt single-shot drink: Studies I and II, or milk). All the sub-studies were randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind and had a parallel-group design. They were carried out in order to evaluate the effect of low-fat milk products enriched with plant stanol esters on serum lipid concentration. Each stanol-ester-enriched milk product provided 2 g of stanols per day, and in each study the intervention period was 5 weeks. A total of 199 hypercholesterolemic subjects completed the studies.

Results

The pooled treatment difference in total cholesterol was −3.8% (95% CI −6.0 to −1.7, p < 0.001) when stanol was compared to placebo. In LDL cholesterol, the pooled treatment difference was −4.9% (95% CI −7.8 to −1.8, p = 0.002). There were no significant differences between the groups in pooled HDL cholesterol or triacylglycerol concentrations. The results tended to be more pronounced when we were certain that the yoghurt single-shot drink was ingested with lunch, and when the baseline LDL-cholesterol concentration was ≥3.5 mmol/l.

Conclusions

These results imply that low-fat milk products enriched with plant stanol esters lower both total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol statistically significantly in subjects with mild or moderate hypercholesterolemia. The changes tended to relate to the baseline LDL-cholesterol concentration.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Riikka Kasurinen, MSc, for skilful assistence, Ms Elina Lausvaara for preparing the yoghurt single-shot drinks, and Mimi Ponsonby, MA, for correcting the English. This work was supported by a grant from the Raisio Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Valio Ltd, Helsinki, Finland

    Leena Seppo, Tiina Jauhiainen & Riitta Korpela

  2. Institute of Biomedicine, Pharmacology, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 63, 00014, Helsinki, Finland

    Tiina Jauhiainen, Riikka Nevala & Riitta Korpela

  3. Stat-Consulting, Tampere, Finland

    Tuija Poussa

  4. Foundation for Nutrition Research, Helsinki, Finland

    Riitta Korpela

Authors
  1. Leena Seppo
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  2. Tiina Jauhiainen
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  3. Riikka Nevala
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  4. Tuija Poussa
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  5. Riitta Korpela
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Correspondence to Riitta Korpela.

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Seppo, L., Jauhiainen, T., Nevala, R. et al. Plant stanol esters in low-fat milk products lower serum total and LDL cholesterol. Eur J Nutr 46, 111–117 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-006-0639-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-006-0639-2

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