Cholesterol-lowering supplements

If you're worried about your cholesterol and have already started exercising and eating healthier foods, you might wonder if adding a cholesterol-lowering supplement to your diet can help reduce your numbers. Although few natural products have been proved to reduce cholesterol, some might be helpful. With your doctor's OK, consider these cholesterol-lowering supplements and products.

Artichoke extract - May cause gas or an allergic reaction - Recommended dosage: 600 milligrams 3 times a day;

Barley - Recommended dosage: 3 grams barley oil extract or 30 grams barley bran flour a day;

Blond psyllium (found in seed husk and products such as Metamucil) - May cause gas, stomach pain, diarrhea, constipation or nausea - Recommended dosage: 5 grams seed husk twice a day, or 1 serving a day of products such as Metamucil;

Fish oils - May cause a fishy aftertaste, bad breath (if so try odourless options), gas, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea - May interact with some blood-thinning medications, such as warfarin. Recommended dosage: 2 to 4 grams a day;

Garlic extract - May cause bad breath or body odour, heartburn, gas, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea - May interact with blood-thinning medications, such as warfarin. Recommended dosage: 600 to 1,200 milligrams a day, divided into 3 doses;

Oat bran (found in oatmeal and whole oats) - May cause gas or bloating. Recommended dosage: Up to 150 grams of whole-oat products a day;

Red Yeast Rice (Innovative Therapies ‘Lipoplex’*) - Products may contain lovastatin (hypolipidemic agent) and should not be combined with cholesterol-lowering medications. Recommended dosage: as prescribed.

* One of the side-effects of hypothyroidism, which 1 in 5 people {including me} have, can be increased cholesterol. I've been using Lipoplex for several years now and it generally gives me a 1 point reduction in LDL and I now hover around 6. My GP, who is also a naturopath, thinks the improvement should be more significant than this.

Unfortunately, sometimes healthy lifestyle choices, including supplements and other cholesterol-lowering products, aren't enough. If your doctor prescribes medication to reduce your cholesterol, take it as directed while you continue to focus on a healthy lifestyle. As always, if you decide to take an herbal supplement, be sure to tell your doctor: the supplement you take may interact with other medications.



Resourced from: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/