Dietary supplementation with plant sterols for obesity management and related metabolic disorders: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover clinical trial
In brief
Plant sterols did not lower LDL in a 23-person obesity trial
In this crossover trial, 2 g of plant sterols daily for 8 weeks did not lower LDL cholesterol compared with placebo in 23 people with overweight or obesity. No clear benefit emerged for other cardiometabolic measures, but the trial was powered only to assess LDL, so larger studies are needed to test secondary outcomes.
- Journal
- The American journal of clinical nutrition (Q1)
- Published
- 16 October 2026
- Study design
- Randomized controlled trial
- Evidence level
- Level 1, High (CEBM 1b)
- Authors
- Leonardo Musto, Angela Dura, Juan Francisco Merino-Torres, Amparo Alegría, Guadalupe Garcia-Llatas
- PMID
- 42887695
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2026.101588
Why clinicians should know about it
- Picked for Biochemistry (medical) (top studies of the week, 18 October 2026): Randomized crossover trial of plant sterols in obesity
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Although plant (PS) lower LDL-cholesterol in normal-weight individuals, their efficacy in obesity is unclear. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of PS supplementation on LDL-cholesterol (primary outcome) and on body composition, other biochemical, lifestyle, and sarcopenia parameters (secondary, exploratory outcomes) in individuals with overweight or class I-III obesity and mild hypercholesterolemia. METHODS: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover clinical trial was conducted in 23 participants (BMI: 36.4 ± 4.2 kg/m2). Participants consumed a food supplement with 2 g/day of PS or a placebo for 8 weeks per phase, with a 6-week washout period. RESULTS: LDL-cholesterol did not differ between PS and placebo (p = 0.632): the change from baseline was +0.1 mg/dL [95% CI -7.1, 7.3] after PS vs. +3.9 mg/dL [-7.6, 15.4] after placebo. No difference was found between PS and placebo in any other lipid parameter, in hs-CRP, or in the glucose regulation parameters, and no between-treatment difference in body composition, sarcopenia or lifestyle parameters remained significant after correction for multiple testing. CONCLUSION: In individuals with overweight or class I-III obesity, 2 g/day of PS did not reduce LDL-cholesterol compared with placebo, and no effect was found on any other cardiometabolic parameter. This may reflect reduced PS efficacy in this population. The trial was powered only for LDL-C and therefore, the secondary findings are exploratory and require confirmation in adequately powered trials. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT06481020 URL OF REGISTRATION: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06481020.
Abstract as published, via PubMed.
For healthcare professionals. The summary is generated by AI from the published abstract, and the evidence level is assigned automatically from the study design on the Oxford CEBM hierarchy. Neither is medical advice. Read the full paper before changing practice.