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Plant Sterols and Stanols for Pediatric Patients with Increased Cardiovascular Risk

Authors :
Cristina Pederiva
Giacomo Biasucci
Giuseppe Banderali
Maria Elena Capra
Source :
Children, Vol 11, Iss 1, p 129 (2024)
Publication Year :
2024
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2024.

Abstract

The atherosclerotic process begins in childhood and progresses throughout adult age. Hypercholesterolemia, especially familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) and metabolic dysfunctions linked to weight excess and obesity, are the main atherosclerosis risk factors in pediatric patients and can be detected and treated starting from childhood. Nutritional intervention and a healthy-heart lifestyle are cornerstones and first-line treatments, with which, if necessary, drug therapy should be associated. For several years, functional foods enriched with plant sterols and stanols have been studied in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia, mainly as nutritional complements that can reduce LDL cholesterol; however, there is a lack of randomized controlled trials defining their long-term efficacy and safety, especially in pediatric age. This review aims to evaluate what the main published studies on sterols and stanols in pediatric subjects with dyslipidemia have taught us, providing an updated picture of the possible use of these dietary supplements in children and adolescents with dyslipidemia and increased cardiovascular risk. Nowadays, we can state that plant sterols and stanols should be considered as a valuable therapy in pediatric patients with hypercholesterolemia, bearing in mind that nutritional and lifestyle counseling and, when necessary, pharmacologic therapy, are the cornerstones of the treatment in developmental age.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
22279067
Volume :
11
Issue :
1
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Children
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.4213e284ccd4d8491174591e4f36c26
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/children11010129