Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in industrialized countries. The total value of serum cholesterol is directly related to the occurrence of heart disease while LDL cholesterol is involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerotic changes. Statins are the drugs of choice for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia which show an undeniable efficacy in lowering LDL cholesterol. Since statin deficiency has been associated with a lack of adherence and statin intolerance in higher doses, there is a need for additional ways of lowering cholesterol. Soluble beta-glucan fibers have been described as an readily available, inexpensive, and relatively non-toxic non-pharmacological substances for reducing cardiovascular risk by lowering blood cholesterol levels. The increased interest in betaglucans is due to their bioactive properties and they have increasingly been used as a dietary supplement. This paper identifies possible mechanisms through which cholesterol-lowering beta-glucans work and the physicochemical characteristics which are crucial for their physiological impact. A systematic review of the results obtained in animal-related and clinical studies on the effect of beta-glucans on blood cholesterol levels has been made. For this purpose, scientific and expert reference books and publications of professional institutions (FDA, EFSA) have been searched. Database search keywords (Pubmed, ScienceDirect) included the following terms: beta-glucan, dyslipidemia, hypercholesterolemia, lipids, LDL cholesterol, nutraceuticals, soluble fiber. The physiological effect of beta-glucan is due to its solubility, more precisly, its ability to create a viscous solution that prolongs gastric emptying, reduces the absorption of cholesterol in the intestines as well as the reabsorption of bile acids. The physicochemical properties of beta-glucans are crucial for their positive effect, as well as are the processing and substrate of the food in which they are incorporated. Numerous studies including animals and humans have confirmed the positive effect of beta-glucan on lowering cholesterol. Studies have shown that the amount of beta-glucan does not necessarily predict its effect on cholesterol concentration, but what is more important is the achieved viscosity in the intestine. Initial blood cholesterol levels and genetic predispositions found in subjects also have some influence on cholesterol reduction. Although eating habits are difficult to change, longer-term use of beta-glucans will play an important role in delivering the expected results.