Breakthrough β-sitosterol for superior cholesterol-control
The patented combination of β-sitosterol and propionic acid in a unique cocrystal improves β-sitosterol’s solubility in food and supplements, helping reduce cholesterol absorption more effectively than standard sitosterol.
BSTEROL cocrystal is a more soluble and more efficient β-sitosterol
Standard sitosterol is used frequently in ester form due to its low water solubility, increasing manufacturing cost and resulting in stability issues and off-flavor formation.
Phytosterols are highly safe, EFSA having accepted health claims for doses of 0.8g, and between 1.5 and 3g.
By combining sitosterol with propionic acid on a unique crystal lattice, we improve sitosterol water solubility by 7-fold, making it much more efficient than other existing alternatives and significantly improving its natural health benefits.
High LDL-cholesterol levels are considered a risk factor in the development of coronary heart disease and atherosclerosis. The main food agencies (FDA, EFSA, etc.) have authorized a health claim on β-sitosterol for the reduction of LDL and/or total cholesterol levels in blood.
In 2010, EFSA considered that a food should provide at least 0.8 g per day of plant sterols/stanols in one or more servings for maintenance of normal blood cholesterol concentrations. These health claims are based on numerous clinical trials showing that:
β-sitosterol doses of 0.6-1.1 g/day reduced concentrations >5%; while 3.3 g/day doses reduced it in >12%
Our synergistic combination has demonstrated that it reduces cholesterol intake from food to a higher level than standard sitosterol (even to the point of lowering cholesterol in diets were sitosterol can only reduce the cholesterol increase), and that it lowers fatty acids content in liver and plasma and reduces weight gain in high fat diets.
CIRCE Scientific has already tested BSTEROL cocrystal efficacy in vivo with astounding results:
In cases where standard β-sitosterol fails to prevent cholesterol elevation, BSTEROL cocrystal continues to exhibit a substantial cholesterol-lowering effect.
BSTEROL cocrystal hypolipidemic activity vs. β-sitosterol. In vivo study (22 days analysis in hamsters with obesogenic diet, giving an equivalent to human dose of free β-sitosterol and cocrystal form).
CIRCE Scientific has already tested BSTEROL cocrystal efficacy in vivo with astounding results:
BSTEROL cocrystal demonstrates a significant ability to reduce fatty liver disease (NAFLD) biomarkers in an obesogenic diet.
BSTEROL cocrystal has shown other effects that could be of interest for new developments or claims: the cocrystals seem to decrease levels of hepatosteatosis markers at a standard human dose, as the animals (hamsters) treated with cocrystals had lower GPT levels.
In contrast to standard sitosterol, which does not prevent weight gain in an obesogenic diet, BSTEROL cocrystal exhibits a substantial effect on reducing weight gain.
BSTEROL cocrystal showed an improved effect on obesity: after 20 days of treatment, the increase in body weight was lower in animals treated with the β-sitosterol cocrystal and showed a higher proportion of small adipocytes.
β-sitosterol is also commonly used in the long-term treatment of BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia) and in hair loss prevention at much lower doses (between 60 mg to 300 mg per day), but EFSA has not granted specific health claims for these uses yet.
Industrial scale batches of BSTEROL cocrystal have already been produced under GMP in Spain from a natural plant phytosterol. A new stability study with these batches is ongoing and will complement the original study on a pilot batch. Samples and technical information are already available, and the patented β-sitosterol cocristal is ready to be launched during autumn 2024.
