PHYTOSTEROLS, CHOLESTEROL ABSORPTION AND HEALTHY DIETS

这个子项目是许多研究子项目中的一个 由NIH/NCRR资助的中心赠款提供的资源。子项目和 研究者（PI）可能从另一个NIH来源获得了主要资金， 因此可以在其他CRISP条目中表示。所列机构为 研究中心，而研究中心不一定是研究者所在的机构。 这篇综述的目的是概述膳食植物甾醇在人类健康中的新作用。目前，膳食饱和脂肪、胆固醇和纤维在降低低密度脂蛋白胆固醇水平方面受到重视。然而，其他膳食成分，如植物甾醇，可能对循环胆固醇有同等或更大的影响，需要进一步研究降低冠心病风险的潜力。在经典的脂肪交换临床试验中没有考虑植物甾醇的作用，这可能是由于所研究的食物脂肪造成的一些差异。植物甾醇减少胆固醇吸收，同时自身吸收不良，并且可以使用稳定的同位素示踪剂在人类受试者的单餐试验中研究其效果。由于植物甾醇在纯化时是不溶的且无生物活性，因此需要仔细注意确保商业补充剂产品通过溶解在脂肪中或通过乳化而具有生物可利用性。最近的研究表明，天然食品基质中的植物甾醇也具有生物活性。在食品生产过程中保留植物甾醇和使用植物甾醇含量高的食品可能构成使用补充剂的替代品。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. The purpose of this review is to outline the emerging role of dietary phytosterols in human health. Dietary saturated fat, cholesterol and fiber are currently emphasized in the reduction of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. However, other dietary components such as phytosterols may have equivalent or even larger effects on circulating cholesterol and need further study with respect to the potential for coronary heart disease risk reduction. Phytosterol effects were not considered in classic fat-exchange clinical trials and may account for some of the differences attributed to the food fats studied. Phytosterols reduce cholesterol absorption while being poorly absorbed themselves and the effects can be studied in human subjects in single-meal tests using stable isotopic tracers. Because phytosterols are insoluble and biologically inactive when purified, careful attention needs to be given to ensuring that commercial supplement products are rendered bioavailable by dissolution in fat or by emulsification. Recent work shows that phytosterols in natural food matrices are also bioactive. The retention of phytosterols during food manufacturing and the use of foods with high phytosterol content may constitute an alternative to the use of supplements.