phytosterol in mouse diet

[CLTann]

There is an article in today's local newspaper regarding rats or mice fed with soy diet as a nutrient to raise them. Researchers now found that the phtosterol in the soy diet was causing skewed or strange test results.

For many here, particularly those with expertise in diet, what is your educated opinion on above news? Is soy okay for us to take? I know someone will be quick to point out that my question is too simplistic.

Ann

[R.B.]

Phytosterols have been shown to reduce "bad" cholesterol.

Vegetable oils (unrefined) contain fairly high levels of phytosterols.

It is now being asked if vascular benifits of polyunsaturated veg oil are due on part to phytosterols.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=12036805&query_hl=31&itool=pubmed_docsum

They occur naturally in many plants at various levels. There is dicussion as to supplementation.

I suppose for those that choose to take plant sterols as a supplement consideration has to be given to what the supplementation comes with - eg high omega six margerine with trans fats plus plant sterols may present its own problems.

I have not looked for any info on "hormonal" properties of plant phytosterols if they have any.

On the soy argument I have in the past read quite a lot but did not manage to reach any conclusion.

RB