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There is an increasing awareness and recognition amongst health care professionals and consumers of the ability of phytosterols to lower cholesterol, in particular LDL-cholesterol, therefore reducing or preventing the development of cardiovascular diseases.
The world is experiencing a transition where the once leading causes of death - acute illnesses and infectious diseases, are being surpassed by chronic and degenerative illnesses. Diets high in saturated fats together with a lack of exercise are associated with an increasing prevalence of Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD's), which is the leading cause of mortality in the world.
As the causative factors of cardiovascular disease and associated complications and mortalities are becoming increasingly prevalent, statistics provided by the World Health Organization (WHO) indicate a pressing need for sensible cholesterol management alternatives for consumers in Westernized populations, as the current treatment options are either dietary behavioral changes or prescription pharmaceuticals.
Important risk factors for developing cardiovascular disease are:
- diets high in saturated fats
- sedentary lifestyles
- elevated levels of total LDL-Cholesterol
The desirable levels of cholesterol in humans, as defined in the ATP III (Adult Treatment Panel III) classification set by the US National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) is set forth below.
Hypercholesterolemia, or high blood cholesterol, is prevalent in over 300 million individuals in the US, Western Europe and Japan alone, and is forecast to grow at a rate of 3.9% to 2007.
In 2003, the direct and indirect costs of cardiovascular diseases in the US was $US 352 bn, which includes hypertension, stroke, coronary heart disease and other heart complications. Coronary heart disease alone cost $US 130 bn [Amercian Heart Association, 2003].
A large body of scientific research dating back to the 1950s has documented the ability of phytosterols to reduce blood cholesterol levels without significant side-effects. The benefits of reducing LDL-Cholesterol are well established. Epidemiological studies estimate that on average, a 1% reduction in cholesterol will reduce the risk of CHD by 2%. Furthermore, studies indicate that the greatest long-term benefit is obtained by early intervention. In 1998, the West of Scotland Coronary Prevention Society suggested that a 10-19% reduction in LDL-Cholesterol may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by as much as 41%.
Reducol™'s cholesterol lowering benefit is normally seen within 30 days, following recommended dosage in conjunction with a low fat diet and exercise.
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