How do phytosterols block cholesterol absorption?
The molecular structure of phytosterols mimic cholesterol’s structure, yet bind more readily to tiny intestinal particles, “mixed micelles,” that transport cholesterol and promote its absorption through the intestinal wall. Because phytosterols may mimic cholesterol’s behavior, they compete with its absorption in the intestines, and are thought to displace the cholesterol. Our bodies can then remove the cholesterol as waste, which means less cholesterol is absorbed back into our bloodstream and liver.
