Scientifically shown to reduce the absorption of dietary cholesterol in the body, many people, like Christine, are turning to Healthspan Plant Sterols as a natural way of reducing their cholesterol numbers and "can't praise them enough".

🕒 3 min read

Christine’s story
Mrs Christine Smith, 71

Mrs Christine Smith, 71, a retired local government officer, with three children and six grandchildren can't praise plant sterols enough.

"I have an underactive thyroid and take regular medication for it, which means I have a regular full blood count to monitor my health. Back in September 2022 following my usual routine blood test I was called back to the GP surgery because my cholesterol readings were high.

The doctor wanted me to go on statins immediately but I wasn't keen on the idea. Apart from levothyroxine for my thyroid I don't take any medications, and I didn't like what I'd read about the side effects of statins.

I've always had a good balanced diet - I'm not one for junk food or takeaways - so I wanted to try and get my cholesterol levels down naturally. The doctor agreed to give me three months. I was already taking Healthspan supplement for my joints so when I read that plant sterols could reduce cholesterol and found out they did a plant sterol supplement I decided it was worth a go.

Healthspan Plant Sterols are scientifically shown to reduce the absorption of dietary cholesterol in the body.** Also known as phytosterols, the 'plant' in plant sterols refers to the fact they come from fruit, vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds; while the 'sterols' indicates that they are similar in structure to the cholesterol found in our own bodies. Healthspan's natural plant sterols help to lower the "bad cholesterol", known as LDL (low-density lipoprotein), by competing with it for absorption in the intestines.

"High levels of LDL cholesterol can increase the risk of heart problems," says Dr Hilary Jones, GP, Medical Advisor to Healthspan and a keen advocate for proactive heart health. "Plant sterols come from natural plant sources and can reduce cholesterol significantly in the bloodstream. They can also be taken alongside statins."

"I'm so impressed by my results that I've become quite evangelical about Healthspan's plant sterols."

I took three a day for the three months and then went to get another blood test just five days before Christmas. I was surprised when the surgery didn't get back to me, so I called to check my records which showed my cholesterol levels had dropped significantly:

Christine’s results
Total cholesterol
6.2 mmol/L → 4.8 mmol/L
'Good' HDL cholesterol
2.00 mmol/L → 2.8 mmol/L
'Bad' LDL cholesterol
3.7 mmol/L → 2.7 mmol/L
Non-HDL cholesterol
4.2 mmol/L → 2.8 mmol/L

The verdict: "No further action needed."

The verdict? "No further action needed." I was over the moon. I now take two plant sterols a day - one morning and one evening. I've been on a diet for four months and lost around 12lbs. I've always kept active. Before I retired I was a keen netball player. Nowadays my husband and I are dog carers, which means I get out every day for walks. So I'm hoping my results will be even better next time I have a blood test.

I'm so impressed by my results that I've become quite evangelical about Healthspan's plant sterols. I even recommended them to my sister who also had high cholesterol, and she has had similarly great results.

Know your numbers

According to the cholesterol charity, HeartUK, these are the ideal readings (mmol/L)

  • Total cholesterol...below 5.0
  • LDL cholesterol...below 3.0
  • HDL cholesterol...above 1.2 (women) above 1.0 (men)
  • Non-HDL cholesterol...below 4

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* Always follow your GP’s advice regarding prescription medicines.
** Plant sterols have been shown to lower/reduce blood cholesterol. High cholesterol is a risk factor in the development of coronary heart disease.