My not-very-deep understanding is that phytosterols (plant sterols) are a bit iffy: most people don’t absorb much from dietary phytosterols and so it doesn’t end up doing anything, but the few people with genetic mutations that cause phytosterol hyperabsorption usually suffer worse health outcomes as a result. Is my understanding wrong, and is there some other benefit to seeking out supplemental phytosterols?
Edit: To be clear, there is research showing a measured reduction in cholesterol from phytosterol supplementation, but I’m a bit confused about how that’s supposed to work, and I don’t know enough about the field to know if this is one of those results I should side-eye.
My not-very-deep understanding is that phytosterols (plant sterols) are a bit iffy: most people don’t absorb much from dietary phytosterols and so it doesn’t end up doing anything, but the few people with genetic mutations that cause phytosterol hyperabsorption usually suffer worse health outcomes as a result. Is my understanding wrong, and is there some other benefit to seeking out supplemental phytosterols?
Edit: To be clear, there is research showing a measured reduction in cholesterol from phytosterol supplementation, but I’m a bit confused about how that’s supposed to work, and I don’t know enough about the field to know if this is one of those results I should side-eye.