Get articles, daily on the email! Cholesterol-reducing supplements could be worth a try in the following situations: 1. You have borderline-high cholesterol (total cholesterol 200 to 240 or LDL cholesterol 130 to 160) but no known heart disease. “For people with cholesterol between 200 and 240 who’ve tried diet and exercise already, these supplements are a logical alternative,” says David Heber, [...]
Taking a prescription drug instead of a supplement should be doctor’s orders for most people with high cholesterol and heart disease. Large studies now prove that cutting cholesterol quickly and dramatically with these medications reduces the risk of heart attack and death in such patients by 30% or more, says Anne Goldberg, MD, professor of [...]
“Let’s remember that most new supplements have not been tested in long-term trials, so their safety is not really established,” points out William Castelli, MD, renowned director of the Framingham (MA) Cardiovascular Institute. That’s why heart health pros look most favorably on these older supplements with safe track records — and lots of use: Niacin [...]
Specialists in heart health agree: Some cholesterol-reducing supplements can be worth trying, on top of a healthy diet and regular exercise. Just make sure you choose them wisely — and use them wisely. If, after trying a low-fat diet and regular exercise, you’re still considering a supplement to fix high cholesterol, remember the following advice: [...]
What they are Supplements for high cholesterol that contain many different ingredients. Examples: Cholesterol Metabolism Factors (Michael’s Naturopathic Programs) and Nutri-Chol-less (Biochem). What research shows Think twice before taking these, experts say. “No one knows if these combinations of ingredients are safe because there hasn’t been adequate testing,” says Dr. Anderson. (Even if they are [...]
What it is Seeping through the small, spiny mukul myrrh tree native to India is a gum called gugul, which researchers in India believe lowers cholesterol, though the precise mechanism isn’t yet known. Products containing gugul’s active compounds are sold in India to reduce cholesterol. What research shows Indian studies show a 14% to 27% [...]
What they are Phytosterols are compounds in plant foods such as rice and soybeans. The most abundant, sitosterol, is the main ingredient in Phytoquest and Cholestatin. Sitosterol prevents dietary cholesterol from being absorbed in the small intestine by blocking the cholesterol’s absorption sites. What research shows “Sitosterol is very effective in lowering cholesterol in the [...]