A single daily dose of soybean phytosterols in ground beef decreases serum total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol in young, mildly hypercholesterolemic men.

Background: Consumption of phytosterol-supplemented margarine lowers total plasma cholesterol (TC) and LDL-cholesterol concentrations in older middle-aged hypercholesterolemic individuals. The effects of incorporating phytosterols into lower-fat foods on the plasma lipids of young men at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease have not been studied.

Objective: We tested the hypothesis that a single daily dose of soybean phytosterols added to ground beef will lower plasma TC and LDL-cholesterol concentrations in mildly hypercholesterolemic young men.