Excretion of sterols from the skin of normal and hypercholesterolemic humans: Implications for sterol balance studies

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Abstract

The 24 hr sterol excretion from the entire skin surface was determined in six normal and five hypercholesterolemic (Type II) patients fed a controlled, eucaloric diet containing 400 mg of plant sterols. All subjects received radiolabeled cholesterol intravenously in order to measure cholesterol turnover and exchange. The 24 hr skin surface lipids were collected subsequently at intervals of 7-10 days. Sterols were quantified and identified by a combination of thin-layer and gas-liquid chromatographic methods. The mean 24 hr excretion of cholesterol in milligrams was 82.6 in the normal subjects and 82.7 in the hypercholesterolemic patients. Cholesterol constituted 89% of the total sterol excretion through the skin surface in both groups.

Authors

Ashim K. Bhattacharyya, William E. Connor, Arthur A. Spector