A non-drug cholesterol treatment -- better than drugs
Several studies have tested a non-drug cholesterol treatment head to head against cholesterol lowering drugs. The cheaper non-drug alternative came out on top. But it would be best to let the results of these studies speak for themselves.
A study by Castaña, et al published in 2001 by the Journals of Gerontology Series A, Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences tested a group of elderly patients with high cholesterol and high risk for coronary heart disease.
Half of the study patients were assigned to take policosanol, a natural nutritional supplement, and half took a dummy pill, i.e. a sugar capsule. The patients taking policosanol received a 5mg daily dose for 12 weeks, followed by 10mg dose for the next 12 weeks. At the end of the study, those taking policosanol had lowered their LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) by 24%. Amazingly, their good cholesterol (HDL) levels had increased by 29%. Those taking policosanol had improved cardiovascular capacity. No side effects were reported by users of policosanol.
Patients taking the sugar pill and patients taking policosanol were all following a fat restricted diet. But only the patients taking policosanol had these positive benefits. I do not believe there is a prescription drug on the market that can match the positive effects of policosanol in this study.
Was this a fluke? By no means. Several studies have reported similar drops in bad cholesterol and gains in good cholesterol levels. These authors concluded simply, "...policosanol is effective, safe, and well tolerated in older [patients with high cholesterol]." What more could you ask?
What is policosanol? How does it work? Where can you buy it? Exactly how does it stack up against cholesterol lowering drugs? That is what I'll attempt to answer very soon in this space.
A study by Castaña, et al published in 2001 by the Journals of Gerontology Series A, Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences tested a group of elderly patients with high cholesterol and high risk for coronary heart disease.
Half of the study patients were assigned to take policosanol, a natural nutritional supplement, and half took a dummy pill, i.e. a sugar capsule. The patients taking policosanol received a 5mg daily dose for 12 weeks, followed by 10mg dose for the next 12 weeks. At the end of the study, those taking policosanol had lowered their LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) by 24%. Amazingly, their good cholesterol (HDL) levels had increased by 29%. Those taking policosanol had improved cardiovascular capacity. No side effects were reported by users of policosanol.
Patients taking the sugar pill and patients taking policosanol were all following a fat restricted diet. But only the patients taking policosanol had these positive benefits. I do not believe there is a prescription drug on the market that can match the positive effects of policosanol in this study.
Was this a fluke? By no means. Several studies have reported similar drops in bad cholesterol and gains in good cholesterol levels. These authors concluded simply, "...policosanol is effective, safe, and well tolerated in older [patients with high cholesterol]." What more could you ask?
What is policosanol? How does it work? Where can you buy it? Exactly how does it stack up against cholesterol lowering drugs? That is what I'll attempt to answer very soon in this space.
posted by thevitaminkid | 9:08 PM
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