Phytosterol Complex contains phytosterols, a group of naturally occurring compounds found in plant cell membranes.
Phytosterols are fatty acid esters that exist in plants and they have a molecular structure very similar to cholesterol. There are over 200 different types of phytosterols; such as beta-sitosterol, brassicasterol, campesterol and stigmasterol. Natural sources of phytosterols are vegetable oils, nuts and nut oils, seeds, grains and some types of beans.
Due to the similar structure to cholesterol, phytosterols is believed to intervene with the synthesis of cholesterol and reduce the production and absorption of bad cholesterol or LDL. Plant sterols have been shown to lower/reduce blood cholesterol. High cholesterol is a risk factor in the development of coronary heart disease. The beneficial effect of plant sterols is obtained with a daily intake of at least 2 g plant sterols.
