America is experiencing an older population boom, which means healthy living and aging is more important than ever. The 76 million Americans born between 1946 and 1964(1) – known as the baby boom generation – will soon be turning 65. Aging statistics show that people over age 65 in 2008 represented 12.8% of the population, or 38.9 million people. That number is expected to grow to 20% of the population by 2030. Which means, those who reach the age of 65 can realistically look forward to another 20 years of life expectancy.(2)
But what will those extra 20 years be like? We certainly don’t want them to be spent suffering some chronic disease while spending endless hours in the doctor’s office and becoming dependent on others to make it through everyday life! Healthy living and aging not only means living to a ripe old age, but living the “golden years” as vibrantly as possible. Combining the ideas of healthy living and aging will keep you younger, longer, even as the years go by.
Natural Anti Aging Secrets
Conventionally, aging has gone hand in hand with degenerative disease but modern research is providing anti aging secrets we can all take advantage of. One of those secrets is phytosterols, also called plant sterols and stanols. These are compounds that occur naturally in plants used for food such as vegetable oils, nuts, grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables. So getting them in our diet should be a no-brainer, right?
Wrong.
Our ancestors, who only ate unprocessed food from natural sources, got a lot of plant sterols and stanols in their diet – often as much as 1,000 mg per day.(3) Today, with the refined foods we live on, our intake is estimated to be only 150-450 mg per day.
Why is this so important?
Lowering Cholesterol – One Key to Healthy Living and Aging
More than 50 years of research have shown that phytosterols are structured very much like the body’s cholesterol, so when you consume them, they compete with cholesterol for absorption in the body’s digestive system.(4) In fact, they act so much like actual cholesterol that they can serve as building blocks for hormones, vitamins and cell walls. Even better, when they travel through the digestive tract, they get absorbed instead of cholesterol that can clog arteries. All while not affecting the good HDL cholesterol.(5)
Keep in mind that plant sterols and stanols are NOT a replacement for prescribed medications, but they can be one of your most powerful anti aging secrets when added to your diet. Especially because they have proven effective in addition to any prescribed regimen.
Intervention trials have resulted in a 10% reduction in LDL cholesterol, whether by medication or diet, which translates to a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease by as much as 20%.(6) One study, involving a one month adherence to a diet of cholesterol-lowering foods, including plant sterols, lowered LDL levels by an average of 30%. That decrease was pretty much the same result as using statin drugs to lower LDL cholesterol.(7)
How Much Do You Need?
The effectiveness of phytosterols has led to the FDA approval of a health claim which may appear on sterol-enriched foods, which says: “Foods containing at least 0.65 gram per serving of vegetable plant sterol esters, eaten twice a day with meals for a daily total intake of at least 1.3 grams, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease.”(8)
So if you’ve seen foods in the market or advertised on TV as having cholesterol-lowering benefits, then you’ve encountered plant sterols and stanols without realizing it. Things like orange juice, yogurt, margarine and butter may boast these heart-healthy claims on their packaging.
The American Heart Association recommends 2 grams per day of phytosterols. This is confirmed by a study published in the journal Metabolism which outlined that an intake below 1.2% was ineffective, but provided no further benefit above 2.4%.(9)
More Good News
The latest research is showing that phytosterols are not just beneficial for lowering cholesterol. Other diseases, such as various cancers and cases of non-cancerous enlarged prostate may show improvement as well.
A series of studies conducted in Uruguay found that phytosterol intake was lower in people who had stomach, lung or breast cancer than those in the cancer-free control group. The same was true in women with uterine cancer and men with prostate cancer.(10, 11, 12)
In a six month study of 200 men with non-cancerous enlarge prostate, herbal preparations of plant sterols improved urinary flow and decreased the volume of urine left un-voided. A follow up study showed that the improvements were maintained for up to 18 months in the men who continued the treatment.(13)
Natural sources of phytosterols are corn oil, sunflower oil, beans, corn, peanut butter and olive oil. And keep an eye out for sterol-fortified foods at the market. They can be a healthy addition to your diet and one of your best anti aging secrets for healthy living and aging.
As always, please consult your personal physician before making any changes to your diet, exercise or supplement routine.
Sources:
Greenberg, Saadia, “The Growth of America’s Older Population,” Administration on Aging, Jul 16, 2009
“Aging Statistics,” Administration on Aging, Department of Health and Human Services, aoa.gov
Jenkins DJ, Kendall CW, Marchie A, et al, The Garden of Eden – plant based diets, the genetic drive to conserve cholesterol and its implications for heart disease in the 21st century. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol. 2003;136(1):141-151
“Phytosterols: Sterols & Stanols,” ClevelandClinic.com, 2009
Upton, Julie, “Fortify Your Diet With Nature’s Heart Healers,” msnbc.com, Aug 12, 2007
National Cholesterol Education Program. Third Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, 2002
Jenkins DJ, Kendall CW, Marchie A, et al. Direct comparison of a dietary portfolio of cholesterol-lowering food with a statin in hypercholesterolemic participants. Am J Clin Nutr. 2005;81(2):308-387
“Phytosterols: Sterols & Stanols,” ClevelandClinic.com, 2009
Xu G, Salen G, Shefer S, Tint GS, Lien BN, Batta AK, Pcolinsky M, Plant stanol fatty acid esters inhibit cholesterol absorption and hepatic hydroxymethyl glutaryl coenzyme a reductase activity to reduce plasma levels in rabbits, Metabolism, Vol 50, Issue 9: 1106-1112, Sep 2001
De Stefani E, Boffetta P, Ronco AL, et al. Plant sterols and risk of stomach cancer, Nutr Cancer. 2000;37(2): 140-144
Mendilaharsu M, De Stefani E, Deneo-PellegriniH, CarzoglioJ, RoncoA. Phytosterols and risk of lung cancer. Lung Cancer 1998;21(1):37-45
Ronco A, De Stefani E, Boffetta P, Ceneo-Pellegrini H, Mendilaharsu M, LeborgneF. Vegetables, fruits and related nutrients and risk of breast cancer. Nutr Cancer. 1999;35(2):111-119
Berges RR, Windeler J, Trampisch HJ, Senge T, Treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia with beta-sitosterol, BJU Int. 2000;85(7):842-846
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About the Author:
Dr. Blankstein has been practicing for over 30 years as a leading Cardiologist. Trained in traditional medicine and Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Disease, he knows the importance of good medical care. This consideration has allowed him to discover safe and natural ways of healing. His dedication to bringing the latest and best in health solutions to his patients and the public has given him the experience to research and develop proven natural remedies for many illnesses.
© 2009 Chesapeake Nutraceuticals
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