Can plant sterols and krill oil tame inherited high cholesterol?

NCT ID NCT05695937

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This pilot study tested whether adding plant sterols (phytosterols) and/or krill oil to a heart-healthy Brazilian diet can lower cholesterol in people with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), an inherited condition causing very high cholesterol. Fifty-eight adults with FH were randomly assigned to one of four groups: diet alone, diet plus phytosterols, diet plus krill oil, or diet plus both supplements. The study measured changes in LDL cholesterol and lipoprotein(a) after 120 days, along with adherence and side effects, to inform a larger future trial.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance

phytosterols and krill oil (dietary supplements)

What this could lead to

If it works, this could point toward a way to better manage high cholesterol in people with familial hypercholesterolemia using diet and supplements.

What could go wrong

This is a small pilot study (58 people) with no phase, so results are preliminary. The supplements may not significantly lower cholesterol, and the diet may be hard to stick with long-term.

Disclaimer Read more

This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

familial hypercholesterolemia Hyperlipoproteinemia Type II

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Hcor

    São Paulo, Brazil

  • Hospital Ana Nery

    Salvador, Brazil

  • Hospital São José

    Criciúma, Brazil

  • Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade Federal de Goiás

    Goiânia, Brazil

  • InCor

    São Paulo, Brazil

  • Instituto Dante Pazzanese de Cardiologia

    São Paulo, Brazil

  • Instituto Nacional de Cardiologia

    Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

  • Universidade Feevale

    São Leopoldo, Brazil

  • Universidade Regional do Noroeste do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul

    Ijuí, Brazil