Van's Health Foods

Supplement reduces cholesterol, improves insulin sensitivity

Doctors said that 3 in 10 people discontinue taking statin drugs after six months due to side effects. In this study, 80 people with high cholesterol, aged at least 75, who refused to continue taking statins or other pharmaceutical treatments, took a nutritional supplement or a placebo. The supplement contained 500 mg goldenseal, 200 mg red yeast rice, 10 mg policosanol, 2 mg coenzyme Q10, 500 mcg astaxanthin, and 200 mcg folic acid per day.

After 12 months, the supplement group saw 20 percent lower total cholesterol levels, 31 percent lower LDL cholesterol, and 10 percent less insulin resistance. Doctors said the supplement was safe and there were no side effects.

Garlic reduces total cholesterol and triglycerides

Because people are more interested in finding alternative treatments for managing lipids in the blood, doctors analyzed results from 26 garlic studies. Doses in the studies included 600 to 900 mg of garlic powder, 8 to 15 mg of garlic oil, or 1.8 to 7.2 mg of aged garlic extract per day.

Those who began the study with higher total cholesterol levels, and who continued taking garlic over a longer term saw the most benefit. Garlic powder and aged garlic extract were more effective in reducing total cholesterol levels, while garlic oil best lowered triglyceride, or total lipid levels. Overall, compared to placebo, garlic in all forms reduced total cholesterol by 5.4 percent and triglycerides by 6.5 percent. Doctors concluded that garlic therapy should benefit those who have higher chances of heart disease.

Reference: Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture; January, 2012, Electronic Prepublication

From the June 2012 newsletter

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