Dietary plant stanol ester mixtures - Effects on safety parameters and erythrocyte membrane fatty acid composition in non-hypercholesterolaemic subjects

Aim Plant stanols and sterols lower serum total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol concentrations. Further data were required on other effects of plant stanol ester consumption. Methods and Results We examined the effects of low erucic acid rapeseed (LEAR) oil-based margarines and shortenings enriched with two different plant stanol ester mixtures on changes in the fatty acid composition of erythrocyte neutral phospholipids. Compared with prestudy values, proportions of a-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid! linoleic acid and oleic acid increased mainly at the expense of the proportion of saturated fatty acids. These effects were not dependent on the presence of plant stanols in the margarines or shortenings. In two studies with three different plant stanol ester mixtures (intake of 2.5-4.0g . day(-1) plant stanols), no adverse effects were found on liver or kidney function, C-reactive protein concentrations and haematological parameters. Furthermore, there was no evidence that any physical inconvenience, as reported in questionnaires, was related to intake of plant stanol esters. Conclusion Short-term consumption of plant stanol esters does not cause any adverse effects. However, careful monitoring of adverse effects is still warranted with long-term stanol ester consumption.