Phytosterols: Sterols, Sterolins & Beta-Sitosterol - Health Benefits?

Phytosterols are plant fats similar in structure as the animal fat cholesterol, except they have an extra ethyl group on the side chain. All plants, including fruits, vegetables, grains, spices, seeds and nuts contain these sterol compounds or sterolins, with some of the most commonly found phytosterols being beta-sitosterol (BSS), stigmasterol, and campesterol. Plant oils are a particularly rich source of phyto-sterols, however all sources are thought to be effective in the treatment or prevention of high cholesterol, or hypercholesterolemia.

What sets these compounds apart from many other phytonutrients that boast similar health-promoting attributes is the extensive publicity and promotional literature, including a newsletter-like format featuring articles and anecdotal cures and treatment success stories of people who have used these products.

The interest in the effects of phytosterols apparently started with Roelof Wilke Liebenberg from South Africa, who witnessed how one of his relatives with inoperable prostate cancer was supposedly cured by a neighbour using a traditional folk remedy. As a result, Mr. Liebenberg started researching the plant components that were used to treat his relative's cancer, and eventually a small study was done in Germany with patients suffering from a variety of prostate problems.

Following the successful treatments of some cases with benign prostatic hypertrophy - or BPH (which is a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate) by these plant extracts, a patented remedy of a special combination of sterols and sterolins was formulated in 1974.

This product line was initially approved for BPH, however once it became available over-the-counter, it was touted as a most promising immune system cure, with claims of asthma, diabetes, several types of cancers, herpes, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, allergies, psoriasis, etc., etc... benefiting from this product.

Apparently, new research is also under way to confirm positive effects of phytosterols and sterolins on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, fibromyalgia, tuberculosis, sinusitis, HIV, Hepatitis C, and other infectious diseases, whereby beta-sitosterol in particular is said to modulate immune function, inflammation and pain levels through its effects on controlling the production of inflammatory cytokines.

Research has also shown that phytosterols such as beta-sitosterol may help normalize the function of T-helper lymphocytes and natural killer cells following stressful events. Any positive effects of phyto-sterols on human cancers though are still preliminary and unsubstantiated at this time.

While test tube and animal studies showed impressive results of dietary phytosterols being able to lower serum cholesterol and slow the growth and spread of cancer cells, a number of human studies showed more moderate effects on cholesterol management, but some fairly good benefits in respect to alleviating the symptoms of benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). Of course, it would have been much more interesting to see how an egg diet - as a source of animal cholesterol - would have fared in comparison to a diet high in phytosterols in those animal studies, instead of simply trying to compare a diet rich in phytosterols to a control diet - to which almost any diet can be made to appear superior.

I have followed the progress of a number of patients who had started using phytosterols for a variety of medical disorders that beta-sitosterol, stigmasterol, campesterol, or any number of other sterols or sterolins are supposed to be beneficial for. At some point, I actually encouraged some patients to experiment with these products to help evaluate the effectiveness of phytosterols for their conditions.

I also monitored my own chemistry while supplementing larger doses of sterols and sterolins myself in the hope of coming up with any specific positive or negative effects.

Over a number of years now there have been either no, or few changes for the better or worse with any number of medical conditions the products were used for. Since everyday (plant) foods already contain adequate amounts of phytosterol compounds, extra supplementation of sterols or sterolins seems to benefit only those individuals who follow extreme dietary lifestyles (i.e. long-term junk diets, or ongoing diets for weight control purposes).

In such cases, either phytosterol supplementation or a better diet would be an option, although the latter would be less costly given the steep price many companies charge for their phytosterol supplements. In addition, medical complaints that seem to be somewhat responsive to phytosterol or beta-sitosterol therapy (cholesterol or prostate problems), are just as - or more responsive to many other, and usually cheaper nutritional / supplemental interventions.