Plant sterols have been shown to promote cardiovascular health by supporting normal lipid levels.

Phytosterols, plant-based compounds structurally similar to cholesterol, compete with cholesterol for absorption, playing a key role in supporting healthy cholesterol levels. Historically, diets were abundant in grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts and seeds, providing as much as 1 g of phytosterols per day. However, the modern Western diet contains far fewer phytosterols.

Phytosterols and cholesterol compete for absorption using the same transport pathway; both must be incorporated into mixed micelles before being taken up by enterocytes in the intestinal lining. Phytosterols displace cholesterol from mixed micelles, resulting in lower cholesterol absorption, which promotes higher low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor expression and endogenous cholesterol synthesis. Plant sterols also upregulate cholesterol excretion back into the lumen. Through these mechanisms, plant sterols provide multi-spectrum support for cholesterol management and subsequent cardiovascular health.