Cholesterol Supplements

 

In previous articles we discussed the use of Foods To Lower Cholesterol. Cholesterol Supplements take this a significant step further.

You can only eat so much before you reach your limit. It may not always be possible to obtain the necessary cholesterol lowering nutrient levels through your food. In these cases, cholesterol supplements do precisely what they are meant to do: they supplement your normal nutritional intake.

Obviously, we are talking here about natural cholesterol supplements and not medication. These supplements provide you with concentrated plant extracts or oils that, if taken in the correct quantity, help you control your cholesterol levels. Taken at sufficient levels, some plant extracts can be as effective as prescription drugs. However, cholesterol lowering supplements are nutritional supplements. They should not be used to replace drugs without consulting a suitably qualified medical practitioner first.

In this article we look at single cholesterol supplements. Cholesterol supplements in the form of compounds have a separate section on this website.

Foods Designed To Lower Cholesterol

Foods designed to lower cholesterol are not, strictly speaking, supplements. They include margarine, spreads, yoghurt or yoghurt drinks and juices that are enriched with sterols and stanols.

Sterols and stanols are substances that occur naturally in small quantities in plants such as vegetables, vegetable oils, nuts, grains, seeds and legumes. They reduce LDL cholesterol from your diet that is absorbed through the intestine but leave HDL cholesterol levels unchanged.

Organisations such as the American Heart Association recommend the consumption of sterol or stanol enriched foods only for people who need to lower their cholesterol levels. There is no evidence that others will benefit from these foods. They are specifically not advised for pregnant or breastfeeding women and for children.

Always read the label and follow manufacturers’ instruction before use.

Cholesterol Supplements

Artichoke Leaf Extract

In a few studies, the dried extract of artichoke leaves has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol with varying levels of success. Ranges varied from 23% to 4% LDL reduction.

Calcium

We all know calcium is good for our bones. But it also does a lot of other good things for our body like promoting heart health by helping the heart muscle to contract normally. Calcium works with Magnesium and Vitamin D.

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body. Most of it is stored in the bones, but a small amount circulates in the blood stream to help prevent serious hemorrhages.

Calcium is a naturally occurring mineral with no known side effects.

Chromium

While dietary chromium has been mostly associated with stabilising blood sugar levels, a number of studies have shown that supplementation with chromium, an essential trace mineral, can help lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol levels.

Niacin is very effective in treating elevated cholesterol levels. Taken in combination with chromium niacin has been shown to reduce LDL and raise HDL levels without the side effects associated with high niacin doses.

Chromium is found in very low concentration in our body but it is indispensible for its proper functioning. Chromium supplementation is recommended particularly for the elderly as well as for athletes as strenuous exercise can lead to chromium deficiency. If you are diabetic consult a doctor before using chromium supplements as this may change your insulin requirements or affect other medication.

Fenugreek

Fenugreek is a seed that has been used for thousands of years. It contains large amounts of fibre.

Several studies have shown Fenugreek preparations to lower LDL cholesterol levels significantly. However, experts surmised that this is largely due to the seed’s fibre content.

Fiber

The fiber we are interested in for its cholesterol lowering properties is soluble fiber. Insoluble fiber has no impact on cholesterol levels.

Soluble fiber supplements are a convenient way to help you reach the quite high levels of this kind of fiber necessary to have an impact on LDL cholesterol. However, soluble fibre can interfere with some medication and would neutralize a significant percentage of oils taken with your diet.

Fish Oil

Fish oil capsules with their Omega-3 fatty acids are a popular supplement. They have been shown to reduce triglycerides but have no lowering effect on LDL cholesterol. They can actually raise these levels slightly.

Garlic

Garlic supplements are available as garlic oil, garlic extract, or pills.

Research established no significant difference between the different forms of taking garlic, be it in its natural form or as a supplement.

Some studies reported short term reduction of LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol levels. However, no long term effect on lowering LDL cholesterol levels was established. It seems to have had no effect on HDL cholesterol.

Ginseng

Ginseng supplements of Asian (but not Siberian) Ginseng have been available for a long time. Ginseng has been used in traditional medicine in Asia for a variety of conditions.

A few, small studies claim that Ginseng can lower LDL cholesterol levels and raise HDL levels. However, the evidence in favor of cholesterol lowering properties of Ginseng supplements is not at all clear as the results of these studies have not been obtained in subsequent studies.

As with garlic, there is no doubt that taking Ginseng supplements can be beneficial but I would not rely exclusively on it to lower cholesterol levels.

Niacin

Niacin is also known as vitamin B3 or nicotinic acid and is an essential nutrient. This means that the body cannot function properly without it.
Niacin has been shown to decrease LDL and triglyceride levels and significantly raise HDL levels.

However, to achieve this effect Niacin has to be used in very high dosage, which is a multiple of the levels available in supplements. At these elevated levels, niacin can have severe side effects from skin rashes to elevated blood sugar levels, indigestion and liver failure.

The American Heart Association and other health organizations strongly advise that niacin should be taken to lower cholesterol only under supervision of a doctor.

Red Yeast Rice

Red yeast rice is fermented rice with a mould that gives its the red color. It is used in Chinese medicine.

Red yeast rice supplements are sold over the counter. However, they contain naturally occurring lovastatin, a statin that is also found in prescription drugs that have a significant LDL reducing effect.

Like prescription drugs, red yeast rice supplements can have severe side effects such as muscle pain and liver damage. In addition, to avoid falling under FDA regulation some red yeast rice supplements do not declare the relevant content on their packaging. It is, therefore, impossible to know not only how much of the active ingredients they contain but also to what extent we expose ourselves to serious health risks when using red yeast rice.

Tomato Pill

A pill, Ateronon, containing bioavailable lycopene (contained in tomatoes) has recently been marketed. This means that lycopene in the supplement can readily be absorbed by the body.

As yet there are no clinical studies available that confirm the results of the preliminary trials. There are no studies as yet regarding the safety or otherwise of this supplement.

The results from the trials are the basis for the manufacturer’s claims that the supplement inhibits the oxidation of LDL, that is, it inhibits the process that turns LDL into “bad” cholesterol.

In this article, we have seen how natural cholesterol supplements can support your efforts to manage your cholesterol levels with a low cholesterol diet plan. In the section on Cholesterol Supplements as compounds we shall how the combination of ingredients in easily taken tablet form adds yet another weapon in your fight to reduce cholesterol naturally.