Vitamins That Lower Cholesterol
1. The Differences Between Vitamins and Drugs
When considering all of the options for lowering serum cholesterol, you need to look at the benefits as well as the drawbacks of taking them--most importantly, do they work? Many supplement claims are simply too good to be true and almost every drug has side effects. Some of the most recent supplements touted to lower cholesterol include policosanol, gugulipid, omega-3 fatty acids, garlic cholesterol, flax seed and red yeast rice. Prescribed drugs have better documented rates of success but almost always have side effects such as constipation and abdominal cramps. The most prescribed drugs include HMG CoA reductase inhibitors (the "statin" drugs), bile acid sequestrants, niacin, gemfibrozil, probucol and clofibrate. If you're trying to decide which way to go, vitamins vs. prescribed drugs, discuss all of your options with your physician.
2. Deciding How to Approach High Cholesterol Levels
It's hard to pick up the newspaper without reading about the newest miracle drugs for reducing cholesterol. There are literally hundreds of them. Some of the most recent entries include beta-sitosterol, D-limonene, green tea extract, lecithin, oryzanol, pumpkin oil and vitamin E. Before putting your confidence into these non-prescription alternatives for lowering cholesterol, do your homework and talk to your doctor. If your cholesterol levels are only slightly elevated, there may be no harm in following a conservative approach. However, if your cholesterol has been high for some time, you may need more aggressive treatment.
3. The Recommended Ways of Lowering Cholesterol
If your doctor has told you that you need to takes steps to lower your cholesterol, there are several approaches. The first step (and sometimes the most difficult) is to make lifestyle modifications that include changes in your diet and exercise routine. By adding 20 minutes of aerobic exercise to your daily routine, you'll help reduce LDL levels while increasing your HDL. Another importance approach is to lower the cholesterol and fat in your diet. By reducing the amount of saturated fat in your diet, you'll reduce the LDL in your blood that directly reflects on your cholesterol level. If you're a cigarette smoker, quit. Research has shown that quitting smoking is the single, most important step you can take to improving your lipid profile and eliminating the most preventable cause of premature heart attacks.
4. The Role of Oat Bran and Other Fibers
For people looking for safe alternatives to drug therapy for treating their high cholesterol, there's supporting evidence that oat bran and other fibers can be successful in lowering LDL levels in the blood. Oats have been consumed for hundreds of years as a filling and inexpensive food. It wasn't until the 1970s that oats began gaining the attention of the medical community for their ability to lower cholesterol. Some researchers believe that oats accomplish this by binding to bile acids in the intestines, preventing them from being converted to cholesterol.
5. Managing Your Cholesterol Using Herbs
No discussion of how to manage high cholesterol would be complete without mentioning the role of herbs in reducing LDLs and raising HDLs. While the evidence is still out concerning their efficacy, herbs have been used for thousands of years to treat everything from atherosclerosis to hypertension. Some of the most popular herbs currently being used for treating high cholesterol are licorice root, Hawthorn berry, alfalfa herb, garlic bulb, capsicum fruit, red yeast rice, psyllium, butcher's broom and fenugreek seeds.
Last Updated: April 13, 2008
Allen R. Smith is a health and fitness enthusiast and freelance writer living in Vail, Colorado. He earned his Master's Degree in Exercise Physiology and his Exercise Specialist certification with the American College of Sports Medicine at San Diego State University. He has extensive experience working with individuals at high risk for cardiovascular disease.
