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BETA-SITOSTEROL
?-SITOSTEROL (BETA-SITOSTEROL) IS ONE OF SEVERAL PHYTOSTEROLS (PLANT STEROLS) WITH CHEMICAL STRUCTURES SIMILAR TO THAT OF CHOLESTEROL . IT IS A WHITE, WAXY POWDER WITH A CHARACTERISTIC ODOR, AND IS ONE OF THE COMPONENTS OF THE FOOD ADDITIVE E499 . PHYTOSTEROLS ARE HYDROPHOBIC AND SOLUBLE IN ALCOHOLS.
NATURAL OCCURRENCES AND FOOD
BETA-SITOSTEROL IS WIDELY DISTRIBUTED IN THE PLANT KINGDOM AND FOUND IN VEGETABLE OIL , NUTS , AVOCADOS AND PREPARED FOODS, SUCH AS SALAD DRESSINGS .[2]
HUMAN RESEARCH
?-SITOSTEROL IS BEING STUDIED FOR ITS POTENTIAL TO REDUCE BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA (BPH)[3] [4] AND BLOOD CHOLESTEROL LEVELS.[5]
GENETIC DISORDER
WHILE PLANT STEROLS ARE USUALLY BENEFICIAL, THERE IS A RARE AUTOSOMAL RECESSIVE GENETIC DISORDER PHYTOSTEROLEMIA WHICH CAUSES OVER-ABSORPTION OF PHYTOSTEROLS.[6]
PRECURSOR OF ANABOLIC STEROID BOLDENONE
BEING A STEROID, ?-SITOSTEROL IS A PRECURSOR OF ANABOLIC STEROID BOLDENONE . BOLDENONE UNDECYLENATE IS COMMONLY USED IN VETERINARY MEDICINE TO INDUCE GROWTH IN CATTLE BUT IT IS ALSO ONE OF THE MOST COMMONLY ABUSED ANABOLIC STEROIDS IN SPORTS. THIS LED TO SUSPICION THAT SOME ATHLETES TESTING POSITIVE ON BOLDENONE UNDECYLENATE DIDN'T ACTUALLY ABUSE THE HORMONE ITSELF BUT CONSUMED FOOD RICH IN ?-SITOSTEROL.[7] [8] [9]
BETA-SITOSTEROL IS A SUBSTANCE FOUND IN PLANTS. CHEMISTS CALL IT A "PLANT STEROL ESTER." IT IS FOUND IN FRUITS, VEGETABLES, NUTS, AND SEEDS. IT IS USED TO MAKE MEDICINE.
BETA-SITOSTEROL IS MOST COMMONLY USED FOR LOWERING CHOLESTEROL LEVELS AND IMPROVING SYMPTOMS OF AN ENLARGED PROSTATE (BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA OR BPH). IT IS ALSO USED FOR OTHER CONDITIONS, BUT THERE IS NO GOOD SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT ITS OTHER USES.
IN FOODS, BETA-SITOSTEROL IS ADDED TO SOME MARGARINES (TAKE CONTROL, FOR EXAMPLE) THAT ARE DESIGNED FOR USE AS PART OF A CHOLESTEROL-LOWERING DIET AND FOR PREVENTING HEART DISEASE. THE FEDERAL FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION (FDA) ALLOWS MANUFACTURERS TO CLAIM THAT FOODS CONTAINING PLANT STEROL ESTERS SUCH AS BETA-SITOSTEROL ARE FOR REDUCING THE RISK OF CORONARY HEART DISEASE (CHD). THIS RULE IS BASED ON THE FDA'S CONCLUSION THAT PLANT STEROL ESTERS MAY REDUCE THE RISK OF CHD BY LOWERING BLOOD CHOLESTEROL LEVELS. ALTHOUGH THERE IS PLENTY OF EVIDENCE THAT BETA-SITOSTEROL DOES LOWER CHOLESTEROL LEVELS, THERE IS NO PROOF THAT LONG-TERM USE ACTUALLY LOWERS THE RISK OF DEVELOPING CHD.
DON'T CONFUSE BETA-SITOSTEROL WITH SITOSTANOL, A SIMILAR SUBSTANCE CONTAINED IN THE PRODUCT CALLED BENECOL. BOTH SITOSTANOL AND BETA-SITOSTEROL ARE USED FOR LOWERING CHOLESTEROL LEVELS IN PEOPLE WITH HIGH CHOLESTEROL AND APPEAR TO BE EQUALLY EFFECTIVE.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
BETA-SITOSTEROL IS A PLANT SUBSTANCE SIMILAR TO CHOLESTEROL. IT MIGHT HELP REDUCE CHOLESTEROL LEVELS BY LIMITING THE AMOUNT OF CHOLESTEROL THAT IS ABLE TO ENTER THE BODY. IT CAN ALSO BIND TO THE PROSTATE TO HELP REDUCE SWELLING (INFLAMMATION).
USES & EFFECTIVENESS
LIKELY EFFECTIVE FOR
路 ENLARGED PROSTATE (BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA OR BPH). TAKING 60-130 MG DAILY OF BETA-SITOSTEROL BY MOUTH IN DIVIDED DOSES DAILY HELPS IMPROVE SYMPTOMS OF BPH. BUT IT DOESN'T ACTUALLY SHRINK AN ENLARGED PROSTATE. TAKING BETA-SITOSTEROL IN MUCH LOWER DOSES OR AS A SINGLE DOSE WITH OTHER INGREDIENTS DOESN'T SEEM TO HELP.
路 HIGH CHOLESTEROL. TAKING BETA-SITOSTEROL BY MOUTH CAN LOWER TOTAL AND "BAD" LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN (LDL) CHOLESTEROL LEVELS. BUT IT DOESN'T RAISE "GOOD" HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN (HDL) CHOLESTEROL LEVELS.
POSSIBLY EFFECTIVE FOR
路 INHERITED TENDENCY TOWARDS HIGH CHOLESTEROL (FAMILIAL HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA). TAKING BETA-SITOSTEROL BY MOUTH MAY HELP REDUCE TOTAL AND "BAD" LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN (LDL) CHOLESTEROL LEVELS IN CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH FAMILIAL HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA WHO ARE ALSO FOLLOWING A LOW FAT AND CHOLESTEROL-LOWERING DIET. BUT BETA-SITOSTEROL DOESN'T APPEAR TO WORK AS WELL AS SITOSTANOL OR THE CHOLESTEROL-LOWERING MEDICATION BEZAFIBRATE.
POSSIBLY INEFFECTIVE FOR
路 TUBERCULOSIS. TAKING BETA-SITOSTEROL BY MOUTH ALONG WITH CONVENTIONAL TREATMENT FOR TUBERCULOSIS DOESN'T SHORTEN THE TIME IT TAKES TO CURE TUBERCULOSIS.
LIKELY INEFFECTIVE FOR
路 GALLBLADDER DISEASE. TAKING BETA-SITOSTEROL BY MOUTH DOESN'T HELP TREAT GALLSTONES.
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE FOR
路 MALE-PATTERN BALDNESS (ANDROGENIC ALOPECIA). SOME MEN REPORT THAT TAKING BETA-SITOSTEROL PLUS SAW PALMETTO TWICE DAILY HELPS THEM GROW MORE AND BETTER HAIR.
路 RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS (RA). EARLY RESEARCH SHOWS THAT TAKING A SPECIFIC MIXTURE OF BETA-SITOSTEROL AND BETA-SITOSTEROL GLUCOSIDE (MODUCARE) IMPROVES PAIN AND SYMPTOMS OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS IN SOME PATIENTS.
路 HEART DISEASE.
路 SWELLING (INFLAMMATION) OF THE PROSTATE DUE TO INFECTION.
路 DISORDERS AFFECTING BILE FLOW IN THE LIVER.
路 ENHANCING SEXUAL ACTIVITY.
路 COLON CANCER.
路 SWELLING AND INFECTIONS CAUSED BY EXERCISE.
路 COMMON COLD.
路 FLU (INFLUENZA).
路 HIV/AIDS.
路 RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS (RA).
路 TUBERCULOSIS.
路 PSORIASIS.
路 ALLERGIES.
路 CERVICAL CANCER.
路 FIBROMYALGIA.
路 SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS (SLE).
路 ASTHMA.
路 MALE-PATTERN BALDNESS (ANDROGENIC ALOPECIA).
路 SWELLING (INFLAMMATION) OF THE MAIN AIRWAYS IN THE LUNG (BRONCHITIS).
路 AN IMMUNE DISORDER THAT AFFECTS BLOOD CLOTTING (IMMUNE THROMBOCYTOPENIA OR ITP).
路 MIGRAINES.
路 CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME.
路 SYMPTOMS OF MENOPAUSE.
路 BURNS, WHEN APPLIED TO AFFECTED AREA.
路 WOUNDS, WHEN APPLIED TO AFFECTED AREA.
路 OTHER CONDITIONS.
MORE EVIDENCE IS NEEDED TO RATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF BETA-SITOSTEROL FOR THESE USES.
SIDE EFFECTS & SAFETY
WHEN TAKEN BY MOUTH: BETA-SITOSTEROL IS LIKELY SAFE FOR MOST PEOPLE WHEN TAKEN BY MOUTH. IT CAN CAUSE SOME MILD SIDE EFFECTS, SUCH AS NAUSEA, INDIGESTION, GAS, DIARRHEA, OR CONSTIPATION. LESS COMMONLY, BETA-SITOSTEROL HAS BEEN LINKED TO REPORTS OF ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION (ED), LOSS OF INTEREST IN SEX, AND WORSENED ACNE.
WHEN APPLIED TO THE SKIN: BETA-SITOSTEROL IS POSSIBLY SAFE WHEN APPLIED TO THE SKIN.
SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS & WARNINGS:
PREGNANCY AND BREAST-FEEDING: THERE ISN'T ENOUGH RELIABLE INFORMATION TO KNOW IF BETA-SITOSTEROL IS SAFE TO USE WHEN PREGNANT OR BREAST-FEEDING. STAY ON THE SAFE SIDE AND AVOID USE.
SITOSTEROLEMIA, A RARE INHERITED FAT STORAGE DISEASE: PEOPLE WITH THIS CONDITION HAVE TOO MUCH BETA-SITOSTEROL AND RELATED FATS IN THEIR BLOOD AND TISSUES. THEY ARE PRONE TO EARLY HEART DISEASE. TAKING BETA-SITOSTEROL MAKES THIS CONDITION WORSE. DON'T TAKE BETA-SITOSTEROL IF YOU HAVE SITOSTEROLEMIA.
INTERACTIONS
MODERATE INTERACTION
BE CAUTIOUS WITH THIS COMBINATION
!
路 EZETIMIBE (ZETIA) INTERACTS WITH BETA-SITOSTEROL
TAKING EZETIMIBE (ZETIA) CAN REDUCE OF AMOUNT OF BETA-SITOSTEROL THE BODY ABSORBS. THIS MIGHT DECREASE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF BETA-SITOSTEROL.
MINOR INTERACTION
BE WATCHFUL WITH THIS COMBINATION
!
路 PRAVASTATIN (PRAVACHOL) INTERACTS WITH BETA-SITOSTEROL
TAKING PRAVASTATIN (PRAVACHOL) MIGHT DECREASE HOW MUCH BETA-SITOSTEROL IS IN THE BODY. THIS MIGHT DECREASE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF BETA-SITOSTEROL.
DOSING
THE FOLLOWING DOSES HAVE BEEN STUDIED IN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH:
ADULTS
BY MOUTH:
路 FOR ENLARGED PROSTATE (BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA OR BPH): 60-130 MG OF BETA-SITOSTEROL DIVIDED INTO 2-3 DOSES DAILY HAS BEEN USED.
路 FOR HIGH CHOLESTEROL: 0.65-1.5 GRAMS OF BETA-SITOSTEROL HAS BEEN TAKEN TWICE DAILY. BETA-SITOSTEROL IS USUALLY TAKEN ALONG WITH A LOW-FAT DIET. A COMBINATION PRODUCT CONTAINING 2.5 GRAMS OF BETA-SITOSTEROL AND 8 GRAMS OF CHOLESTYRAMINE HAS ALSO BEEN TAKEN DAILY FOR 12 WEEKS. ANOTHER COMBINATION PRODUCT CONTAINING 8 GRAMS OF SOY PROTEIN AND 2 GRAMS OF BETA-SITOSTEROL HAS BEEN USED DAILY FOR 40 DAYS.
路 FOR INHERITED TENDENCY TOWARDS HIGH CHOLESTEROL (FAMILIAL HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA): 2.5-21.1 GRAMS OF BETA-SITOSTEROL HAS BEEN TAKEN DAILY IN DIVIDED DOSES, USUALLY BEFORE MEALS. SOME RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT BETA-SITOSTEROL IS MOST EFFECTIVE WHEN TAKEN AT A DOSE OF 6 GRAMS DAILY. HIGHER DOSES DON'T SEEM TO WORK BETTER.
CHILDREN
BY MOUTH:
路 FOR INHERITED TENDENCY TOWARDS HIGH CHOLESTEROL (FAMILIAL HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA): 2-4 GRAMS OF BETA-SITOSTEROL TAKEN 3 TIMES DAILY FOR 3 MONTHS HAS BEEN USED IN CHILDREN AND TEENAGERS. ALSO 1 GRAM OF BETA-SITOSTEROL HAS BEEN TAKEN 3 TIMES DAILY IN COMBINATION WITH THE MEDICATION BEZAFIBRATE FOR 24 MONTHS.
BETA-SITOSTEROL IS USUALLY TAKEN ALONG WITH A LOW-FAT DIET.
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