Can Plant Sterols/ Stanols trigger epilepsy? (The daily consume cholesterol lowering yogurt drinks..)

[craigside]

Hi

I’m 57 years old, non smoker, quite fit and strong – I visit the gym several times a week for past 30 years, healthy lifestyle, good diet, moderate alcohol consumption.

3 ½ years ago my doctor checked cholesterol test and said I was getting a bit high at 6.5 and I might “have to go on Statins”. I don’t have any medications and I don’t really want to take statins if I can avoid it. I started having the cholesterol lowering yogurts every morning, as well as having oats every morning. I have been checking my cholesterol myself annually and its now ‘normal’ at around 5.

However, around maybe 6 weeks after I initially started having these cholesterol lowering yogurts daily I started to experience periodic ‘funny turns’. Quite scary at first, a kind of seizure from my head down my right arm to right hand. It passed after a few seconds, and then a couple of minutes later I was ok, but my memory was jumbled up. I do make a full recovery.

Anyway, these things happened periodically and when it happened when my Wife saw it. I then booked to see my GP, he examined me, send me for MRI scan, heart checks, neck arteries scan (to check for TIA? Transient ischemic attack, I think?). Results came back ok and GP said it was “probably stress”.

3 years later these episodes are still occurring periodically and are very mild, however it shouldn't be happening and so I have just raised the issue with a specialist Neurologist who is now arranging to send me for more tests, and he is suggesting ‘petit mal seizures’ that will require medication for life...

My question is has anyone heard of or experienced funny turns from taking cholesterol lowering foods containing plant sterols / stanols? The thing that changed in my life was taking these yogurts and then maybe 6 weeks later I started with a funny turn. I am thinking that I should quit the yogurts now and see if the funny turns subside, before I have to start taking epilepsy drugs?

Many thanks

[sos007 Ambassador]

I am the same age as you except I had a triple bypass 4 years ago followed by 2 angioplasty procedures that inserted a total of 4 stents.

Subsequent to my surgery I started getting recurring UTIs (I don't know if there's a connection). Upon investigation with a urologist - a cystoscopy - it was determined I had BPH (benign - enlarged prostate).

Upon investigating natural solutions to this issue I read about stanols and sterols which also had the added benefit of addressing cholesterol issues.

Since my surgery I radically changed by diet and lifestyle and am now in great shape with optimal blood biomarkers and I really didn't need the sitosterol for cholesterol reduction purposes.

However, I had to deal with the BPH so I ordered a vitamin supplement that contains beta-sitosterol:

swansonvitamins.com/swanson...

My BPH has subsided although not completely gone but the frequency of UTIs has dramatically been reduced.

I have also learned in my 4 years of medical research on cholesterol and cardiovascular disease (CVD) that Total Cholesterol and LDL-C are not the optimal risk-indicators for CVD.

Due to the construct of most health-care systems and the inertia associated with change, front-line medical professionals exist in the paradigm of knowledge from 25 years ago.

If you have a healthy diet and eat some healthy fats such as olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds and some dairy products, you may experience an elevated LDL-C.

HOWEVER

The composition of your LDL-C and the number of particles (LDL-P) are more important risk-markers than the total LDL-C value or the total overall cholesterol value.

If your LDL particles are large and lightweight, they will not penetrate the endothelium to start the process of atherosclerosis. If they are small and dense, they will cause damage.

The definitive blood test that will give you these results is:

The NMR Lipoprofile which you can get here if you live in the UK:

invivoclinical.co.uk/news/g...

The cost is typically around $100 USD or the equivalent in sterling.

This is the test that I rely upon regardless of my LDL-C which is above optimal levels (3.37 mmol/l) for somebody who has had open heart surgery.

My LDL particle number and size, are both in the low-risk range in the NMR Lipoprofile test, therefore my decision on medication is based on that result.

For the record I stopped taking all medications 2 1/2 years ago - I recently also stopped the baby-aspirin based on the results of a new study.

I have not had any side-effects as you have described from the sterols or stanols.

I strongly discourage people from consuming that yogurt product you take primarily because it is a processed food that contains sugar.

While most people are focused on cholesterol and plaque accumulation, many people miss the other contributor to this disease and that is calcium accumulation in the arteries.

In order to maintain your endothelium in a healthy state, calcium must be moved from your bloodstream to where it is needed - your bones.

Vitamin K2 in concert with D3 are essential for this process.

K2 is found in the hard cheeses produced in the Scandinavian countries. The cheeses highest in K2 include Gouda, Edam, Jarlesberg, Swiss emmenthal and other hard, aged cheeses.

Alternatively you can take a K2 supplement along with a D3 supplement. Most people in the Northern Hemisphere are deficient in D3 so everyone should be taking about 2,000 IUs of D3.

Good luck.

[craigside in reply to sos007]

Hi

Thank you for your information, it is interesting and much appreciated. Currently my main concern are these 'funny turns' I've been suffering. I have actually stopped taking the cholesterol lowering yogurts a few days ago so I can see how I go on over the coming weeks, I really hope that my funny turns stop occurring.

Also today I have taken steps to postpone the investigative process commenced by my Neurologist pending my seeing if things change having stopped consuming these yogurts.

Thinking ahead, the NMR Lipoprofile information is interesting and I will look into this further.

Thanks

[craigside]

It is now 2 weeks since I took the last cholesterol lowering yoghurt drink.

Last Thursday, 10 days after stopping them, I felt different when I woke up. Almost like a very subtle ‘fuzzy cloud’ had lifted from my head. I felt that my thought clarity was noticeably better and my mood was somehow lifted. After a few hours this feeling subsided however.

On Friday and since (now Tuesday so 4 days), the very subtle fuzzy head feeling has gone. My mood and ability to think clearly and motivate myself have subtly changed, the effect is subtle but truly astonishing.

I realise now that this is how I used to feel most of the time - energetic, creative and raring to go. I am hopeful that my ‘funny turns’ disappear, the signs are positive so far.

[craigside]

Hi

I haven't updated my experience for some months, but I hope my report may help others suffering from the same problem.

I have been waiting to be sure my 'epilepsy' problem had cleared up naturally before I replied.

In Dec' 19 I visited my GP about something else. I don't go to the GP very often and I was jumped upon re' my epilepsy diagnosis from 7 months earlier. I explained what I'd done, etc., and was told I had to see an NHS Neurologist to check me out and update my medical records. So, in June '20 I had a consultation with the NHS Neurologist, he listened to my explanation of my experience but didn't believe my explanation that these cholesterol lowering yogurts are the cause. I believe they are. I keep a diary, and I know when I started to feel different and when I started to have seizures. He wants to see me again in 6 months to follow-up.

This is a recap;

At the time of seeing the Neurologist in May '19 I was having 2-3 mild episodes per day. I stopped taking the cholesterol reducing drinks in May '19. After 2 weeks I started to experience moments of ‘fresh clarity’ (best way I can describe), and after a month or so the ‘muzzy head’ feeling (not unlike a mild hangover) cleared completely. I didn’t fully realise this ‘muzzy head’ feeling I was living with 24/7 because it had crept up on me slowly over some time after I started taking these drinks. It was as if I’d been suffering a mild hangover and had these funny turns particularly when stressed. When trying to tackle a technically challenging problem, a complex spreadsheet, a programming challenge, an engineering challenge, etc., I struggled with all these things that I’ve been doing fine for all my adult life. Attempting these challenges was a real struggle for me whilst affected with this ‘muzzy head’ feeling.

Over the following months my ‘funny turns’ reduced in intensity and frequency dramatically and they have disappeared completely some months ago.

I’m perfectly fine now. I am now handling all sorts of technical challenges successfully as well as producing my artwork. I have been told by 2 Neurologists that these products won’t have this kind of effect on someone, and I can understand the reasoning.

I have however done a little research and new studies (published Nov'19) suggest that these products, ie. Phytosterols could cause issues. In a recent publication by “Current Medicinal Chemistry” called “The Impact of Phytosterols on the Healthy and Diseased Brain” ... abstract;

"The central nervous system (CNS) is the most cholesterol-rich organ in mammals. Cholesterol homeostasis is essential for proper brain functioning and dysregulation of cholesterol metabolism can lead to neurological problems. Multiple sclerosis (MS) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are examples of neurological diseases that are characterized by a disturbed cholesterol metabolism. Phytosterols (PS) are plant-derived components that structurally and functionally resemble cholesterol. PS are known for their cholesterol-lowering properties. Due to their ability to reach the brain, researchers have started to investigate the physiological role of PS in the CNS. In this review, the metabolism and function of PS in the diseased and healthy CNS are discussed."

I suspect that these 'Phytosterols' (ie. cholesterol reducing yogurts) affected me. Within weeks of stopping taking them I started to feel better. Gradually over 8 months my epilepsy 'fizzled out' and I returned back to 'normal'. It was the overall subtle feeling in my head 24/7 that affected my whole self, that seemed to build up to an episode then reduce for a little while before building up again. This has completely gone and I feel great.

I’m grateful I went to see the Neurologist because the shock of being told I had epilepsy and the possible consequences of his pre-test diagnosis prompted me to review my history and take the action I did to try and resolve my problem without medical intervention. Which fortunately has worked for me, and I am grateful for that. I realise I been fortunate, but I have been logical, organised and truthful. My Wife suffered the worry of seeing some of my episodes but I'm grateful she trusted my belief, and eventually she could see I was getting better.

Thank you and good luck.