Uses & Effectiveness
Overview
Sitostanol is a plant product. It is made from vegetable oils or the oil from pine tree wood pulp, and is then combined with canola oil.
Sitostanol is most commonly used for heart disease and high cholesterol.
Sitostanol is an ingredient in Benecol margarine and some salad dressings. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows manufacturers of products that contain sitostanol to claim that the product lowers the risk of getting heart disease. There is plenty of evidence that sitostanol lowers cholesterol levels, but so far there is no proof that long-term use lowers the risk of developing heart disease.
Sitostanol is a plant sterol that is structurally similar to cholesterol. Consuming sitostanol-rich foods, like nuts and seeds, can help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and promote heart health. It blocks the absorption of cholesterol in the intestines, leading to reduced blood cholesterol levels.
Side Effects
When taken by mouth: Sitostanol is LIKELY SAFE for most people when taken by mouth. Adults can safely use sitostanol for up to 1 year, and children can safely use it for up to 3 months. Sitostanol might cause stomach upset or too much fat in the stool (steatorrhea).
There is some concern that sitostanol might decrease absorption of some nutrients since it decreases fat absorption. Sitostanol does seem to reduce the absorption of dietary beta-carotene, but this reduction may not be important to health.
Interactions
We currently have no information for SITOSTANOL overview.
Special Precautionsand Warnings
When taken by mouth: Sitostanol is LIKELY SAFE for most people when taken by mouth. Adults can safely use sitostanol for up to 1 year, and children can safely use it for up to 3 months. Sitostanol might cause stomach upset or too much fat in the stool (steatorrhea).
There is some concern that sitostanol might decrease absorption of some nutrients since it decreases fat absorption. Sitostanol does seem to reduce the absorption of dietary beta-carotene, but this reduction may not be important to health. Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There isn’t enough reliable information to know if sitostanol is safe to use when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.
Dosing
The following doses have been studied in scientific research:
ADULTS
BY MOUTH:
- For high cholesterol: 200 mg to 9 grams of sitostanol has been used daily, but doses of 2-3 grams daily are most common. Doses above 2-3 grams daily may be only slightly more effective. Single daily doses seem to be as effective as divided doses taken twice or three times daily.
- For reducing cholesterol levels in adults with an inherited tendency towards high cholesterol (familial hypercholesterolemia): About 2 grams of sitostanol has been taken daily for up to 3 months.
CHILDREN
BY MOUTH:
- For high cholesterol: 1.5 grams of sitostanol has been used daily in children aged 6 years.
- For reducing cholesterol levels in children with an inherited tendency towards high cholesterol (familial hypercholesterolemia): 1.5-6 grams of sitostanol per day have been used in children aged 2-15 years.
