Dietary Supplements For Cholesterol: Are Any Worth A Try
Various herbs and other supplements have been touted for their ability to improve cholesterol levels. Here’s what the research shows and doesn’t show about some of the best-known products.
Hawthorne. The leaves, berries, and flowers of this plant are used to make medicine that was traditionally used to treat cardiovascular diseases. It may lower cholesterol by increasing the excretion of bile and decreasing the body’s production of cholesterol. Verdict: It may possibly help.
Red yeast rice. This Chinese medicine has been marketed in the United States as a supplement that’s said to lower cholesterol levels. Some red yeast rice products contain a chemical that’s identical to the active ingredient in the cholesterol-lowering drug lovastatin. But an independent analysis of 12 red yeast rice products found that although all claimed to have 600 milligrams of the active ingredient in each capsule, the actual content varied between 0.1 mg and 10.9 mg. In addition, one-third of the products were contaminated with a potentially toxic compound called citrinin, which can cause kidney failure. This cautionary tale illustrates the potential pitfalls of taking dietary supplements, which are virtually free of the testing and manufacturing requirements that apply to pharmaceutical drugs. Verdict: It may possibly help, but purity remains a problem.
What To Do Instead: Talk To Your Doctor About A Prescription Statin
Though taking a natural remedy may sound appealing, the better bet is to try an FDA-approved version of, essentially, the same thing. Why? Too much monacolin K can lead to muscle and organ damage, while too little will not help lower your cholesterol. Though a 25% to 30% reduction in cholesterol is possible with high amounts of red yeast rice extract, a prescribed statin is much more effective with a 50% reduction. More importantly, says Dr. Eckel: Statins are safer and more predictable.
Beware Of One Whose Ingredient Varies Wildly
LDL cholesterol is known as the bad cholesterol because having high levels can lead to plaque buildup in your arteries and result in heart disease and stroke, two leading causes of death in the United States. It makes up the majority of the bodys cholesterol.
There are no signs or symptoms of high LDL cholesterol, so its important to get your cholesterol checked. If your LDL is high, your doctor may recommend changes in diet and activity habits to control it.
Your doctor may also prescribe medication, such as a statin. Stains slow down the livers production of cholesterol and increase the livers ability to remove LDL cholesterol that is already in the blood.
Several supplements can also help, though theyre not as effective as prescription drugs and shouldnt be substituted for the drugs without consulting your physician.
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Who Should Buy A Cholesterol Supplement
Cholesterol supplements are usually taken by those who need to lower the LDL cholesterol levels. Most people realize that their levels are off after a trip to their doctor. Typically, they are given medication and prompted to make dietary changes. However, supplements can also be used besides these strategies to see faster results.
If this describes you, a cholesterol supplement may be just what youre looking for. These supplements contain a wide variety of ingredients. If one doesnt work, another one might. Feel free to try multiple supplements to find which one works best for you.
Cholesterol supplements may also be useful for those who are worried about their heart health. Many of these supplements are also very heart-healthy, which is extremely useful if youre at risk for heart disease or other heart problems. Whether you have a family history of heart disease or just want to protect your heart, these supplements can also be useful in these cases.
What Are The Best Natural Cholesterol Lowering Supplements
One of the major causes of an increase in cholesterol levels is eating habits. The hectic life that we all lead makes us fall prey to high cholesterol levels, and eventually, one needs to take a number of supplements for sustenance.
Let us discuss some of the ways with the help of which you can keep your cholesterol levels controlled for a healthy life.
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Natural Herbs And Vitamins That Lower Cholesterol
Cholesterol is one of those needed things in your body that needs to be kept in a proper balance. If you have too much cholesterol, especially the bad LDL cholesterol, then you are increasing your risks of heart disease development and a number of other health issues. If you dont have enough cholesterol, then you arent able to keep other facets of the body balanced and youll increase your health risks in a number of other ways.
Thanks to recommendations from the American Medical Association, many doctors are beginning to proactively prescribe drugs to lower cholesterol levels in people who are considered to be at a high risk of heart disease because of high cholesterol levels. It is estimated that a third of all Americans are already suffering from high cholesterol because of the standard American diet, which means taking proactive steps to control bad cholesterol should be implemented now for many people.
Some people, however, dont tolerate prescription cholesterol medication very well. If you fall into that category or you just want to avoid pharmaceuticals as much as possible, there are some natural herbs and vitamins that have been proven to be able to lower bad cholesterol levels and keep your body balanced in a better way. You may need to make some changes to your diet to achieve your targeted cholesterol levels too, but at least you can do it without taking medication.
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What Is The Best Natural Cholesterol Lowering Supplement
| Supplement | ||
|---|---|---|
| Lower cholesterol, triglycerides, and high-density lipoprotein. | ItchinessThis happens more often when people take a lot of this to lower their cholesterol. | |
| Garlic | May interact with some blood-thinning medications | |
| Berberine | Reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides | DiarrheaMay cause harm to babies during pregnancy and breastfeeding |
| Green tea | May interact with blood-thinning medications | |
| Plant stanols and sterols | Reduce LDL cholesterol, especially for people who put on cholesterol easily | Diarrhea |
| May interact with some blood-thinning medications | ||
| Flaxseed | May interact with some blood-thinning medications | |
| Psyllium | Constipation |
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What Are Cholesterol Lowering Supplements
We have all heard about cholesterol. You may just have a vague idea about this substance but it is a pretty well-known fact that excess of it can create serious health issues. How exactly?
Cholesterol is basically a wax-like or fat-like substance that is found in your blood. This substance can be produced in the body or even consumed through foods such as animal products. While many people assume that cholesterol is harmful, it is not. In fact, the human body uses cholesterol to build healthy cells. It is when cholesterol is present in high levels that you face the risk of heart disease and the blockage of blood vessels courtesy of fatty deposits.
It is worth noting that there are 2 types of cholesterol- High-density Lipoprotein Cholesterol and Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol . Naturally, one should aim to lower the levels of bad cholesterol in the body and create a healthy balance between these two types of cholesterol.
Scores of people from around the world face health issues with regard to high levels of bad cholesterol in their bodies. As such, cholesterol-lowering supplements have become one of the latest trends in the healthcare industry. While adopting a healthier diet can surely lower the cholesterol levels in your body, these supplements achieve the needful in a quicker fashion. But which are the best supplements to lower cholesterol?
Best Supplements For High Cholesterol According To Nutritionists
Your diet impacts your cholesterol levels in a big way.
“The research is rock solid,” says , medical director of the Center for Advanced Medicine. “Eating too many calories and too much unhealthy saturated fats along with too much sugar and starch will cause elevated unbalanced cholesterol levels in most people.”
Let’s say, however, that you’ve already tried eating oatmeal and other high-fiber foods, plus fish and flaxseeds for their beneficial omega-3s, you’ve limited saturated fats and cut out trans fats, and that you exercise daily. Maybe you’ve even lost weight, which can improve your lipids, the technical term for cholesterol or blood fats. And now your doctor recommends a statin drug to lower your cholesterol. But you don’t want to take another prescription medicine.
What next to try before signing up for statins? An over-the-counter dietary supplement.
We asked registered dietitians and other nutritionists for supplements that they recommend to their clients for high cholesterol and found a variety available at your supermarket or pharmacy that you can try. And for more on over-the-counter nutritional pills, check out The Best Supplements for People Over 50.
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Can I Eat Fish
Oily fish like salmon, tuna, sardines, mackerel and herring are best. Dr. Cho recommends aiming for 2 servings per week.
You can supplement with fish oil, but be careful because very high doses of pure fish oil can lower your triglyceride levels and increase your good cholesterol, she says. It doesnt lower your LDL, though. Be sure to read your fish oil supplement label.
When reading the label of your fish oil bottle, look out for the EPA plus DHA in each serving since those are the effective ingredients. For example, if your fish oil says 1000 mg of fish oil but only contains 300 mg of EPA and DHA, know that youre taking 700 mg of unnecessary fish blubber. Make sure youre choosing fish oil with the highest amount of EPA plus DHA in each pill.
Best Supplements To Lower Cholesterol: Top 10 Picks
Many things that are found in nature can have a positive effect on our health. For those suffering from high cholesterol, new and exciting studies have shown that naturally occurring compounds in plants and even our own bodies can have a helpful impact on reducing LDL levels. This relationship is nothing new. Long has the link between cinnamon and cholesterol been explored, for instance. And, the turmeric cholesterol connection has been evaluated for many decades.
However, for those that are less interested about spicing their main dishes up to encourage heart health, there are many supplements to lower cholesterol to consider. Some of them benefit from plant products, while others emphasize nutrients found in everyday foods. We have compiled a top ten list of our picks for the best supplement to lower cholesterol, based on recent studies and customer reviews. You may just decide which one of our top ten is right for you!
1. Beta Sitosterol Supplements: WebMD explains that Beta sisterol is used in order to both lower the risk of heart disease and lower bad cholesterol. Plant sterols supplements like beta sisterol are considered some of the most promising natural supplements to lower cholesterol, the compounds within which are the same as those added to margarine products to promote heart health.
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Stents Vs Surgery For Atherosclerosis Treatment
Which is the better treatment for the late stages of atherosclerosis — stents or bypass surgery? Each procedure has advantages and disadvantages.
- Living longer when you have multiple blockages. CABG is the best treatment for extending life in people with multiple severe blockages. CABG has been shown to extend life for patients with several patterns of severe blockages, and is clearly superior to stenting in these cases. Stenting has not been demonstrated to help people live longer.
- Pain relief. Sometimes treatment with drugs can’t control chronic chest pain. Both CABG and stenting provide near-complete relief from angina more than 90% of the time. Angina often returns over time, though, which may lead to future procedures.
- Emergency treatment. During a heart attack, stents are usually better than CABG. Stents can be placed in minutes, without the risks and recovery time of major surgery.
Can Natural Berberine Lower Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a lipid molecule that is created by all animals as part of their cell membranes to maintain structural integrity and fluidity. Cholesterol is also needed to make vitamin D, bile acids and steroid hormones. Our bodies make cholesterol, but it is also found in some of the foods we eat.
The good and the bad
When there is too much cholesterol in our blood we develop fatty deposits on the walls of our arteries which can obstruct blood flow. This can result in your heart not getting enough oxygen-rich blood, increasing the risk of a heart attack. Also, if your brain doesnt get enough blood, you might suffer a stroke.
There are two kinds of cholesterol, the good and the bad. LDL cholesterol is bad because it helps cause plaque that can clog arteries and make them inflexible . HDL is the good cholesterol because it removes LDL and may protect against stroke and heart attack.
Internationally, high cholesterol is an increasing problem, and according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention , about 71 million Americans have high cholesterol.
HOW CHOLESTEROL IS LOWERED
Drugs that limit the production of cholesterol:
These include drugs that limit the production of cholesterol such as statins , fibrates and nicotinic acid . They also include drugs that interrupt the recycling of cholesterol such as bile acid sequestrants and exetimibe.
Natural ways to lower LDL cholesterol:
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Add These Foods To Lower Ldl Cholesterol
Different foods lower cholesterol in various ways. Some deliver soluble fiber, which binds cholesterol and its precursors in the digestive system and drags them out of the body before they get into circulation. Some give you polyunsaturated fats, which directly lower LDL. And some contain plant sterols and stanols, which block the body from absorbing cholesterol.
1. Oats. An easy first step to lowering your cholesterol is having a bowl of oatmeal or cold oat-based cereal like Cheerios for breakfast. It gives you 1 to 2 grams of soluble fiber. Add a banana or some strawberries for another half-gram. Current nutrition guidelines recommend getting 20 to 35 grams of fiber a day, with at least 5 to 10 grams coming from soluble fiber.
2. Barley and other whole grains. Like oats and oat bran, barley and other whole grains can help lower the risk of heart disease, mainly via the soluble fiber they deliver.
3. Beans. Beans are especially rich in soluble fiber. They also take a while for the body to digest, meaning you feel full for longer after a meal. That’s one reason beans are a useful food for folks trying to lose weight. With so many choices from navy and kidney beans to lentils, garbanzos, black-eyed peas, and beyond and so many ways to prepare them, beans are a very versatile food.
4. Eggplant and okra. These two low-calorie vegetables are good sources of soluble fiber.
Lifestyle Changes To Promote Heart Health
One of the top ways to cholesterol and improve heart health is to eat a diet free of trans fats and low in saturated fats. Additionally, people should perform aerobic activity for at least 30 minutes per day 3-5 times per week. These lifestyle changes in conjunction with cholesterol-lowering supplements can add up to considerable improvements in heart health.
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Here Are The 4 Best Cholesterol Lowering Supplements
| Ranking |
|---|
Worlds best Natural Cholesterol Lowering Supplement
The CholesLo is the best cholesterol lowering supplement in our list. For starters, it is the only doctor-formulated all-in-one natural remedy for lowering the levels of LDL cholesterol. The doctor in question is Dr Sam Robbins, a Registered Orthomolecular Health Practitioner , who holds a doctorate in Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, and the product is a brainchild of HFL Solutions, a premier online company that sells health supplements. This just goes on to show the level of expertise behind this remarkable product.
CholesLo is a supremely effective and natural product that comes with amazing functionality, and it is of no wonder that it has garnered rave reviews and acclaim among doctors, medical professionals and online customers alike. It is crafted with the power of medical science and boasts of remarkable cholesterol lowering characteristics, which consequently lower the risk of heart disease. As such, the use of this product contributes towards a healthier heart.
It also goes on to keep your liver clean, lowers the levels of fatty triglycerides in your bloodstream and promotes a proper balance of your hormones. In short, CholesLo enhances the overall health of your body.
Ingredients
1. Lipid optimizing system:
This system contains of ingredients which effectively lower your cholesterol and lipid levels. These are:
Garlic Supplements Lower Cholesterol
Garlic contains powerful sulfur-based antioxidants, such as allicin which gives crushed garlic its characteristic smell.
Allicin both reduces cholesterol production in the liver and acts on cell receptors to reduce the uptake of cholesterol. Data from 39 clinical trials, involving 2300 adults, showed that garlic extracts can lower total and LDL-cholesterol by 10% if taken for at least two months. Garlic extracts also lower triglycerides another type of circulating fat by up to 27%.
Garlic extracts have the additional advantage of lowering blood pressure. The results from 20 trials involving 970 people suggest that, on average, garlic extracts lower blood pressure by 5.1/2.5mmHg and, in people with hypertension, can lower blood pressure by 8.7/6.1 mmHg compared with placebo.
Garlic also reduces blood stickiness, dilates blood vessels and can reduce the risk of hardening and furring up of the arteries up to a quarter. Link
If you need to both lower your cholesterol and reduce your blood pressure, garlic extracts are an excellent option. Add lots of garlic to your meals too, adding it towards the end of cooking for maximum benefits.
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