Supplements Lowering High Cholesterol

Supplements lowering high cholesterol can be an important part of your diet. They take the impact of foods to lower cholesterol a step further. It may not always be possible to obtain the necessary cholesterol lowering nutrient levels through your food. This is where supplements step in.

They provide concentrated plant extracts or oils that, if taken in the correct quantity, help you control you cholesterol levels. Taken at sufficient levels, some plant extracts can be as effective as prescription drugs. However, cholesterol lowering supplements are, above all, nutritional supplements. They are not medication nor should they be used to replace drugs without consulting a suitably qualified medical practitioner first.

Let's clarify what we mean by 'lowering high cholesterol':

There are two types cholesterol in the bloodstream: LDL (low-density lipoprotein) and HDL (high-density lipoprotein). LDL, the "bad" cholesterol, carries cholesterol from the liver into the body and HDL, the "good" cholesterol, takes the excess cholesterol from the body for disposal back to the liver.

'Lowering high cholesterol' means lowering LDL levels and raising HDL levels while bringing down total cholesterol levels.

We can classify cholesterol lowering supplements into three groups:

1. Extracts of specific plants 2. Foods 'designed' to lower high cholesterol 3. Compounds

1. Extracts of Specific Plants

Supermarkets, health food stores and specialist retailers sell a large variety of 'heart healthy' supplements containing extracts of specific plants. It is important to get sufficient information about these extracts because not all of them will have the desired effect on cholesterol.

Some extracts, such as fish oils, will lower triglycerides, another blood lipid, but will have no effect on cholesterol.

Other extracts, such as chromium and niacin, are best taken in combination as this has been shown to produce the desired results without the side effects of high niacin consumption.

Most people don't seem to be aware that fibre comes in two forms - soluble and insoluble fibre. Only soluble fibre helps lower high cholesterol levels while insoluble fibre has no impact.

Health effects of garlic and ginseng supplements are undisputed but their ability to lower high cholesterol levels has not been conclusively established.

Especially in the case of garlic, the form in which it is taken has no impact on its effectiveness. This means that there are no disadvantages to taking it as a supplement for those of us who don't like raw or cooked garlic in their food.

One specific supplement, red yeast rice, has been very controversial as it contains naturally occurring lovastatin, a statin that is also found in prescription drugs. Depending on the concentration, red yeast rice supplements can have severe side effects. This danger is aggravated by the lack of clear labelling on many of the red yeast rice supplement products.

2. Foods 'Designed' To Lower Cholesterol

Foods designed to lower cholesterol are not, strictly speaking, supplements. They are foods enriched with sterols and stanols by the manufacturer and include spreads, yoghurt products and juices.

Their consumption is recommended by organisations such as the American Heart Association 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.

3. Compounds

The final group of supplements, such as Hypercet and Premia, consists of compounds of nutrients that are designed to maximise their effectiveness to lower high cholesterol levels. Before buying these compounds, make sure that they have been clinically tested.

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