Executive Summary

Plant stanol esters-containing margarine reduces LDL cholesterol levels by 18% in children genetically predisposed to high cholesterol, Alpo Vuorio, MD/PhD, University of Helsinki, et al., report in the February issue of Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology: Journal of the American Heart Association. The researchers studied 19 families who carried the heterozygous familiar hypercholesterolemia gene, including 24 children ages 3-13, four adults and 16 relatives who do not carry the mutation. After 12 weeks of using McNeil's Benecol spread, LDL levels dropped 11% in adult family members with the FH gene and 12% in family members without the FH trait. A separate group of 12 adults with the gene undergoing simvastatin drug therapy (Merck's Zocor) reduced their LDL levels 20%