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Plant sterols

Supplement phytosterol heart & metabolicmen's health
Aka: phytosterols, beta-sitosterol, stanol esters
Not medical advice. Check with your doctor or pharmacist before you start, stop or change the timing of anything you take.
How to use
What it’s for
Lipid trials report lower LDL at 1.3 g/day of esters
When to take
Daily · the authorised FDA claim is two servings a day
Take with
Meals — the claim specifies servings eaten with food
Pros & cons
Pros
  • FDA allows a heart-disease risk claim at 1.3 g/day
  • 28-RCT meta-analysis: lower TC, LDL-c and Apo-B
  • A dose-response was seen across those trials
Cons
  • Sitosterolemia — circulating phytosterols already high
  • Atherosclerosis data called incomplete and contested
  • SG bars 'reduces cholesterol' claims on supplements
Sources
  1. FDA — 21 CFR 101.83, Health claims: plant sterol/stanol esters and risk of coronary heart disease · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “at least 0.65 g per serving of plant sterol esters, eaten twice a day with meals for a daily total intake of at least 1.3 g … may reduce the risk of heart disease”
  2. Effects of phytosterol supplementation on lipid profiles and apolipoproteins: a meta-analysis of RCTs (Medicine 2024) · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “PS supplementation significantly reduced total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), and apolipoprotein B (Apo-B) levels … the effects of phytosterols on lipid profiles and atherosclerosis remain incomplete and controversial”
  3. Factors Affecting Circulating Phytosterol Levels (Curr Atheroscler Rep 2025) · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “Dysfunction of the ATP-binding cassette G5/G8 heterodimier (ABCG5/G8) leads to sitosterolemia, a condition in which premature atherosclerosis is often observed, thereby linking elevated circulating phytosterols to atherogenicity.”
  4. HSA — Health Supplements Guidelines (Jan 2026), Tables 4 & 5 vitamin/mineral limits · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “HS for use by the general adult population should not contain vitamins and minerals exceeding the stipulated limits stated in Tables 4 and 5.”
  5. HSA — Health Supplements Guidelines (Jan 2026), Table 6 prohibited claims · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “HS must not be labelled, advertised or promoted for any specific medicinal purpose … Blood and circulatory system: Hypertension, stroke, cholesterol disorders, reduces cholesterol, regulates platelet aggregation”
  6. HSA — Guidelines on prohibited and restricted ingredients in HS and TM (Oct 2025), Annex A/B · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “A list of specific prohibited and restricted ingredients is provided in Annex A … This list is not exhaustive. Dealers should continue to: Conduct thorough safety assessments of their products”
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Updated 2026-08-29. Every line above traces to a numbered source. Kozen-X is not a medical device and does not give medical advice. It lists what published sources have written down — nothing more. A pair not listed is unrecorded, not cleared. Before you start, stop or re-time anything, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.