Mens Health | Mens Health Supplements | Mens Health Information

For many years studies have shown that Beta-sitosterol can benefit our overall heath in two ways. First it can help lower our cholesterol. With heart disease a major problem keeping cholesterol levels under control should be a priority. It has also shown positive results in treating BPH (enlarged prostate). This is a very common problem for many men as they age and if left untreated can lead to more serious conditions… It can relieve some of the more common symptoms associated with this condition.

Plant sterols were first described chemically in 1922. At that time it was discovered pumpkin seeds contained a phytosterol called beta-sitosterol. It was not until 1950 that researchers found that phytosterols play an important role in lowering cholesterol by blocking its absorption into the intestine. Today margarine and cereal manufacturers fortify their products with beta-sitosterol as a natural way to lower cholesterol. It can also be found in corn oil, pecans, wheat germ and rice bran. Numerous clinical trials of beta-sitosterol have shown that it has no known side effects or toxicity.

There is a large amount of research that shows beta-sitosterol as being effective in lowering cholesterol and an alternative to widely prescribed statin drugs. It is estimated that up to 10% of people who are given statin drugs to lower cholesterol stop taking them due to the side effects, particularly muscle pain which is one of the more common problems. This is good news for this population which has, up until now, had limited alternatives.

Beta-sitosterol has been the most studied, most proven and most effective supplement found to lower total as well as LDL cholesterol. These studies have been published in medical journals for over 50 years and the amazing part about it is that most people are unaware.

Researchers at McGill University, in Montreal, did a review of the literature on beta-sitosterol and the metabolism of cholesterol. It can be found in (Can. J. Physiol. Pharmacology- 75, 1997, p. 217-27). Their research consisted of 18 major studies that used sitosterols to lower cholesterol and triglycerides. They concluded in their study that “addition to diet of phytosterols represents an effective means of improving circulating lipid profiles to reduce risk of coronary heart disease.”

There was another very interesting study done at The Center for Human Nutrition in France which can be found in (Ann. Nutritional. Metabolism. 39, 1995, p. 291-5). In this study people that had normal cholesterols levels were give beta-sitosterol to see if their levels of cholesterol could be lowered even further. This study is rather unique because we often think that only people that have a particular condition are included in these studies. The study showed that these people were able to lower levels even further although they did not make any changes to their diets or exercise regimen. In fact, they lowered the levels of cholesterol by a significant 10% in only a month. The researchers said “The present results may be of great interest in the prevention of high cholesterol diet-associated risks, especially in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Since beta-sitosterol was so effective for people who didn’t even need it, think what it will do for those people who do need to lower their blood lipids”.

With the good news on the ability of Beta-sitosterol to reduce cholesterol there is another reason to make sure you are getting enough in your diet or thru supplementation. It has shown very positive results in the treatment of BPH (enlarged prostate).

As many as 50% of men over 40 have some prostate symptoms and that number can increase as high as 95% depending on longevity of a person. Some of the early symptoms of prostate disease are:

* Blood in Urine
* Impotency
* Urgent or frequent urination
* Burning feeling during urination
* Painful ejaculation

These symptoms described above can also be associated with more serious prostate disease, such as prostate cancer, but most of the time it turns out to be an enlarged prostate. Needless to say, if you are experiencing any of the above symptoms you should consult with your doctor.

BPH, for many years was treated with surgery. While this had positive results for most men undergoing it, it was not without its complications. Anywhere from 2-10% undergoing this treatment found that they needed to repeat it within 5 years. Another common treatment has been with prescription drugs, but many found that these come with a host of side effects. Recently patients have reported positive results from using Beta-sitosterol. In ancient times many used foods, berries and seeds containing Beta-sitosterol to treat men with urological and prostate problems. It is not until centuries later that scientific study identified Beta-sitosterol as the active ingredient responsible for this.