Hello. I am 44 year old male trying to lower my LDL cholesterol. My cardiologist has put me on 10 mg of rouvistatin. In addition, he advised me to increase my dietary intake of soluble fiber and to take dietary plant stanol esters (which I am obtaining from 'Bencol Smart Chews'). My question is mainly about whether or not the soluble fiber could interfere with the mechanism of action of the stanol. I understand that the fiber acts in a way to 'bind' dietary and re-circulating cholesterol in the GI tract, to limit the absorption to some degree. Since the stanol is structurally similiary to cholesterol, I wonder if the the dietary fiber will also 'bind' the stanol, and render it less effective. If this is the true, might there be a case for 'staggering' the intake of the stanol against the fiber, in other words make sure not to take them at the same time. What do you think? One other question I have : should the dietary supplements (be they fiber or stanol) be taken contemporaneously with meals, so as to increase the chance that any dietary cholesterol might be 'bound' by the fiber/sterol. For example, drinking a glass of metamucil or popping some chewable soluble fiber tablets a few hours after a meal might be less effective, because the potential cholesterol in said meal will have already 'gone through' rendering the fiber (or stanol) less effective? I understand there is re-circulating cholesterol as well, in the bile, but this would be excreted around the time of meals anyway, so same general thought. I apologize for such persnickety questions, but if think if I am going through the effort and cost of taking these supplements in addition to the rouvistatin, I might as well get as much benefit as possible. I appreciate your input and advice.