What Can You Do With β-Sitosterol?

What Can You Do With β-Sitosterol?

β-Sitosterol is a phytosterol, which is a class of substances naturally found in plants and has a structure similar to cholesterol. It is one of the components of phytosterols and belongs to the tetracyclic triterpene class of compounds. It is odorless and tasteless, insoluble in water, slightly soluble in ethanol and acetone, and easily soluble in chloroform and carbon disulfide. It is widely distributed in plant foods, such as vegetable oils, nuts and seeds, and is also present in some herbal medicines. Due to its unique chemical and biological properties, it is widely used in the medical field.

It can be isolated from the unsaponifiable part of plant oils and fats, which can improve resource utilization. In fact, It is added to certain foods, such as margarine and mayonnaise, to reduce the absorption of dietary cholesterol, and is also believed to help prevent hair loss.

This compound has the ability to lower bad cholesterol levels because its structure is similar to cholesterol. Due to its similar chemical structure to cholesterol, it can be partially absorbed in the intestines, thereby helping to reduce the absorption of dietary cholesterol. In addition to its cholesterol-lowering effect, it also has a variety of other biological activities and pharmacological effects.

Foods rich in beta-sitosterol

Canola oil, avocados, vegetable oils made from nuts and seeds, such as soybean oil

Salad dressings made with vegetable oils, pistachios, almonds, beans, hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans, macadamia nuts, pink lentils, rice bran, wheat germ, peanuts, some types of margarine, and mayonnaise made with vegetable oils.

What Are The Health Benefits?

Antioxidant

Beta-sitosterol is naturally present in the body and can extend the life of cells, thereby delaying the signs of aging. In addition to free radicals, one of the causes of skin aging is the breakdown and loss of collagen, which is largely due to unprotected sun exposure. As the human body ages, the skin cannot produce collagen as it used to. Topical care products that help delay aging are preparations containing plant sterols and other natural lipids. Plant sterols not only stop the slowdown of collagen production induced by sunlight, but actually promote the production of new collagen. While the oil is oxidized on the surface, the plant sterol molecules provide hydrogen atoms to prevent the chain growth of the oxidation reaction. As a natural antioxidant, it has good stability and is increasingly used in anti-oxidation.

Anti-inflammatory

Its anti-inflammatory effect is one of the earliest discovered functions, with a strong anti-inflammatory effect and inhibiting skin inflammation. It is an active substance from plants. They exist in plant essential oils and fats in the form of unsaponifiable substances. It has multiple effects such as anti-inflammatory and antipruritic, anti-allergic, anti-aging, antioxidant and antipyretic and analgesic. It has a good therapeutic effect on neurodermatitis and eczema.

Diminish scars and acne marks

As a natural oil, its structure is similar to cholesterol, an important component of the skin. This is what is called replenishing oil when building the sebum membrane. It can maintain the softness and moisture of cells, and has mild permeability to the skin, which can keep the skin hydrated, promote skin metabolism, delay aging, and fade spots.

Skin repair

Phytosterols help repair the skin barrier mechanism and have a significant soothing effect on skin ulcers. It can promote wound healing, enhance capillary circulation, help soften the skin, stimulate pore detoxification, and restore the natural lipid barrier. Plant secondary metabolites such as flavonoids, isoflavones and phytosterols have been proposed as cosmetic ingredients with anti-aging effects. It has a positive effect on the skin and significantly restores the skin barrier function.

Lower cholesterol

By competing for absorption in the intestines with a similar structure to cholesterol, it reduces the absorption of cholesterol, especially reducing the level of low-density lipoprotein (bad cholesterol), which helps prevent heart disease.

What is the lipid-lowering mechanism?

Blocking cholesterol absorption: It blocks cholesterol absorption by binding to cholesterol receptors on the surface of intestinal cells. This mechanism can reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood, thereby reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Promoting cholesterol excretion: Studies have shown that it can enhance the excretion of bile acid, which is the main form of cholesterol metabolized and excreted in the liver. By increasing the excretion of bile acid, sitosterol helps to lower blood cholesterol levels.

Affecting cholesterol biosynthesis: Although it has a weak direct cholesterol synthesis inhibitory effect, it can indirectly regulate cholesterol metabolism by affecting the activity of other hormones or enzymes.

Not absorbed by the human body: It is not absorbed in the human body, which means that it will not serve as an additional source of calories or accumulate in the body, thereby reducing its potential interference with normal physiological functions.

What are the application areas?

Health care products field

In the field of health products, due to its various biological activities such as cholesterol lowering, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory, it is widely used in the manufacture of health products to provide consumers with additional health protection.

Cosmetics field

In the cosmetic field, it is added to skin care products as a moisturizer and antioxidant to keep skin healthy and youthful. It has significant anti-inflammatory properties and can be used to treat skin diseases and skin ulcers. It is non-toxic and non-irritating to the skin.

Medical field

It is widely used in the medical field. It can help lower cholesterol naturally, thereby reducing your risk of heart disease‌. Additionally, it can be used as a supplement to support prostate health and prevent allergies, asthma, gallbladder disease, tuberculosis, premenstrual syndrome, and joint and muscle pain‌. In terms of medicine, it can promote wound healing, enhance capillary circulation, and has the effects of lowering cholesterol, relieving cough, eliminating phlegm, and repairing tissues. It is often used in the treatment of diseases such as hypercholesterolemia, atherosclerosis, and chronic bronchitis.

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