Evaluation of reproductive safety of β-sitosterol on the American mink ( Neovisonvison)

Abstract

β-Sitosterol is a weakly estrogenic phytosterol used extensively in functional foods to lower elevated serum cholesterol concentrations due to its inhibitory action on intestinal cholesterol absorption. It caused previously decreased sex steroid concentrations in fish and lowered sperm counts in rats. In the American mink ( Neovison vison), litter size increased slightly due to dietary β-sitosterol supplement. The aim of the present experiment was to conduct a dose–response study on the effects of β-sitosterol on the reproduction of the American mink. Juvenile male and female mink ( n = 480) were exposed to 0, 5, 10 or 50 mg of peroral β-sitosterol kg −1 d −1 for 10 months. After 3 months of exposure in November, 15 males per group were sacrificed and general biochemical variables reflecting overall health were determined. The β-sitosterol-treated male mink had increased absolute and relative masses of intraabdominal fat and higher blood hemoglobin and serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations. In spring, the top-rated male mink were mated with multiple females within each study group and reproductive success was assessed. No differences in the reproductive performance of the males (10–11 per group) or females (47–50 per group) could be detected in the exposed groups and the kits of all groups developed in a similar manner. The results suggest that dietary β-sitosterol presents no significant risk to mammalian fertility.