Disclosed are binders and methods for making such binders with crude sterols. The crude sterols improve various rheological properties of the binders. The disclosure provides a method for slowing the aging rate of aged asphalt binder comprising adding a crude sterol to an asphalt binder, wherein the asphalt binder comprises both virgin asphalt binder, and reclaimed asphalt binder material comprising asphalt pavement (RAP), asphalt shingles (RAS) or combinations of RAP and RAS.