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Comparable reduction in cholesterol absorption after two different ways of phytosterol administration in humans

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Abstract

Purpose

Consumption of phytosterols is a nutritional strategy to reduce cholesterol absorption, but the efficacy of various phytosterol intake modalities remains uncertain. The main objective was to investigate the effects of phytosterol esters (PE) provided either as a spread (dispersed in fat) during a mixed meal or as a minidrink (micro-dispersed in liquid form) after a meal.

Methods

In a randomized, single-blinded crossover design, 12 healthy intubated volunteers tested three different liquid meal sequences with and without PE. The liquid meal (500 mL, Fortisip) contained an oral dose (80 mg) of deuterium-enriched cholesterol (D7C). The intubation was stopped at 240 min, and the fate of sterols was determined in the different phases of duodenal content samples as function of time. A second solid fat-containing meal without sterols was consumed at 270 min. D7C was quantified in chylomicrons and plasma for 8 h. The conditions tested were as follows: (1) no PE added (control), (2) PE in a spread added into a liquid meal (PE-spread meal) and (3) PE given 30 min after a liquid meal as 100-g yoghurt drink (PE-minidrink meal).

Results

Addition of PE decreased the incorporation of cholesterol into the duodenum aqueous phase including micelles. PE added as a spread or as a minidrink significantly and comparably lowered meal cholesterol occurrence in chylomicrons (−40 % for PE-spread and −54 % for PE-minidrink, p < 0.0001) compared with the control meal.

Conclusions

PE either dispersed in fat during a meal or micro-dispersed in a liquid form after a meal resulted in a markedly reduced occurrence of meal-derived cholesterol in the circulation at a comparable extent.

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Abbreviations

PE:

Phytosterol esters

CE:

Cholesterol esters

P:

Phytosterol

C:

Cholesterol

D7C:

Deuterium-enriched cholesterol

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Dr. Sophie Morange and the staff at the Clinical Investigation Centre, France, for clinical study assistance and to Dr. Matthieu Maillot for statistical analyses.

Conflict of interest

None of the authors had a personal or financial conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. “Nutrition, Obesity and Thrombotic Risk,” INRA, UMR 1260, Université Aix-Marseille, Campus Santé La Timone, 27 Boulevard Jean Moulin, 13385, Marseille Cedex 05, France

    Marie Josèphe Amiot, Nicolas Cardinault, Marion Nowicki, Romain Bott, Claudine Antona, Patrick Borel & Denis Lairon

  2. Faculté de Médecine, INSERM, UMR1062, 13385, Marseille, France

    Marie Josèphe Amiot, Nicolas Cardinault, Marion Nowicki, Romain Bott, Claudine Antona, Patrick Borel & Denis Lairon

  3. Faculté de Médecine, Aix-Marseille Univ, 13385, Marseille, France

    Marie Josèphe Amiot, Nicolas Cardinault, Marion Nowicki, Romain Bott, Claudine Antona, Patrick Borel & Denis Lairon

  4. Unilever Research and Development, Olivier van Noortlaan 120, 3133 AT, Vlaardingen, The Netherlands

    Diny Knol & Guus Duchateau

  5. CIC, Hôpital de la Conception, 147 Boulevard Baille, 13005, Marseille, France

    Jean-Paul Bernard

Authors
  1. Marie Josèphe Amiot
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  2. Diny Knol
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  3. Nicolas Cardinault
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  4. Marion Nowicki
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  5. Romain Bott
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  7. Patrick Borel
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  8. Jean-Paul Bernard
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  10. Denis Lairon
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Correspondence to Marie Josèphe Amiot.

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Amiot, M.J., Knol, D., Cardinault, N. et al. Comparable reduction in cholesterol absorption after two different ways of phytosterol administration in humans. Eur J Nutr 52, 1215–1222 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-012-0432-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-012-0432-3

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