Minute Maid Heart Wise

Minute Maid Heart Wise is a plant sterol-fortified orange juice that was investigated by the University of Colorado, Denver, for the treatment of hyperlipidemia, specifically as an add-on therapy for patients already receiving statins and colesevelam. The product delivers approximately 2 grams of plant sterols (phytosterols) per day. Plant sterols are naturally occurring compounds structurally similar to cholesterol that inhibit intestinal cholesterol absorption by competing for incorporation into mixed micelles and transport via the Niemann-Pick C1-like 1 (NPC1L1) protein. Although plant sterols are widely available as dietary supplements and fortified foods, a randomized, double-blind trial (NCT00249938) conducted by the University of Colorado found that the addition of this fortified juice was ineffective at further reducing LDL cholesterol concentrations in patients already optimized on a combination of statin and colesevelam hydrochloride therapy.

Brand names

Minute Maid Heart Wise

Other names

plant sterolsphytosterolsplant sterol-fortified orange juice