More and more Americans are hearing from their doctors that
their cholesterol levels are too high and the doctor says, "I
recommend that you go on cholesterol medication ASAP." Later,
after being on the doctor's prescription, you find out there are
terrible side effects to the medication. If this sounds like
you, then Policosanol might be the solution for you - with zero
side effects. Policosanol is an all natural compound isolated
from plant waxes or bees wax, but for today's discussion we are
focusing only on plant based Policosanol.
Policosanol has had a consistent history of cholesterol reducing
properties in all research done with animal and in-vitro. When
administered 5 to 20mg/day, Policosanol has been shown to reduce
Low-density Lipoprotein (LDL)(Bad Cholesterol) by 10% - 31%
while increasing High-density Lipoprotein (HDL)(Good
cholesterol) by 8% - 29%.1 When compared with statins,
Policosanol shows comparable results at much lower doses and
zero side effects.1 Those of you who have used statins in the
past there is good news for your liver, Policosanol has shown
antioxidant protective properties for the liver in high does
100mg+/kg per day. The liver is the only organ that can
regenerate or repair its self. Policosanol has shown to promote
the liver's regeneration process and deserves more research in
this area.2
Besides the cholesterol lowering qualities of
Policosanol, this compound can reduce platelet
aggregation in the blood which may help prevent lipid or
cholesterol build up in the cardiovascular system.
If your not convinced that Policosanol can lower cholesterol,
there are certainly other options for addressing heart health
and cholesterol levels, such as guggul, niacin, plant sterols,
and Sytrinol all exhibit cholesterol-lowering abilities to
varying extents. These are just a few suggestions to help you
choose the right Supplement in managing your cholesterol levels.
References:
1. Nutr Rev. 2003 Nov;61(11):376-83.Role of
policosanols in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular
disease. Varady KA, Wang Y, Jones PJ.School of Dietetics and
Human Nutrition, McGill University, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue,
Quebec, Canada.
2: Drugs R D. 2003;4(1):29-35. Effect of policosanol on carbon
tetrachloride-induced acute liver damage in Sprague-Dawley rats.
Noa M, Mendoza S, Mas R, Mendoza N. Center of Natural Products
from the National Center for Scientific Research, Havana City,
Cuba.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These
statements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent
any disease. If you feel there is a physical problem like high
cholesterol, always consult your local physician or family
doctor first.
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