Benecol spread enhances the cholesterol lowering effect of statins, a new study has shown. Patients who were taking statins achieved further reductions in total and low density lipoprotein cholesterol by adding the plant stanol ester spread (3g daily) to their diet.
The multicentre study, carried out in the United States, involved 148 adults who had high cholesterol despite taking a statin. After eight weeks, patients on the combination had a 17 per cent drop in LDL-cholesterol compared with a 7 per cent drop in those on statins and placebo spread.
Dr Steven Blair (director of research at the Cooper institute, Dallas, where the study was carried out) said: "The results show that a small, simple dietary change can provide significant additional lowering of LDL-C and total cholesterol and, therefore, of cardiovascular disease risk."
He pointed out that the two products worked through separate mechanisms - inhibition of cholesterol absorption with Benecol and blocking of cholesterol synthesis with the statin.
The study was sponsored by McNeil Consumer Healthcare, distributor of Benecol. It is published in the American Journal of Cardiology (2000;86:46).