Cholesterol Lowering Supplements

[Guest guest]

Cholesterol Lowering Supplements

http://www.spacedoc.net/cholesterol_lowering_supplements.html

 

A number of supplements are currently being used for the purpose of

cholesterol lowering but for the most part their effect, if any, is modest and

significant documentation is lacking.

 

Only for two of these commonly used supplements does there exist ample

justification for use based upon carefully controlled research: niacin and

stanol

esters. For the remainder including: Policosanol - the pure extract of sugar

cane wax; Guggulipid Extract - an ancient herb from India; Green Tea Extract;

Garlic; Psyllium and Beta Glucan, either the evidence is not there or the

results

are too minimal to satisfy most people.

 

Niacin:

High doses of niacin (available by prescription) have been shown to prevent

and / or improve both high LDL cholesterol and low HDL cholesterol. Because the

common side effects of niacin can be prevented or minimized by starting with

low dose therapy and slowly raising the dose as tolerated, many people try the

low dose OTC pills for this purpose. Consult with your health food specialist

as to reliability of the product before starting. If any doubt exists, the

prescription form should be considered. In either case starting with a small

dose with slow increase is recommended.

 

Niacin is available in several different supplement forms: niacinamide,

nicotinic acid, and inositol hexaniacinate. The form of niacin that is best

tolerated with the least symptoms is inositol hexaniacinate. Niacin is available

as a

tablet or capsule in both regular and timed-release forms. The timed-release

tablets and capsules may have fewer side effects than the regular niacin;

however, the timed-release are more likely to cause liver damage and are

therefore

not recommended for long-term treatment. Regardless of the form of niacin

being used, periodic checking of liver function tests is recommended when

high-dose ( 2 – 6 gm per day ) of niacin is used. A starting dose of 25 mg

regular

niacin is reasonable with 25 mg increases every few days to tolerance or effect

 

High doses ( 75 mg or more ) of niacin can cause side effects. The most

common side effect is called " niacin flush, " which is a burning, tingling

sensation

in the face and chest, and red or " flushed " skin. Taking an aspirin 30

minutes prior to the niacin may help reduce this symptom.

 

At the high doses frequently required to lower cholesterol, liver damage and

stomach ulcers can occur. When taking pharmacologic doses of niacin, your

doctor or other healthcare practitioner may wish to provide periodic testing.

People with a history of liver disease or stomach ulcers should not take niacin

supplements. The possibility of side effects when taking other medication must

always be considered.

 

Stanol Esters:

Plant sterols and stanols are substances that occur naturally in small

amounts in many grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Since they

have powerful cholesterol-lowering properties, manufacturers have started adding

them to foods. You can now get stanols or sterols in margarine spreads, orange

juice, cereals, and even granola bars.

 

On a molecular level, sterols and stanols look a lot like cholesterol. So

when they travel through your digestive tract, they get in the way. They can

prevent some of the real cholesterol from being absorbed into your bloodstream

which just goes out with the waste.

 

Experts have been studying the effects of food fortified with plant sterols

for decades. One important study from 1995 of people with high cholesterol

found that less than an ounce of stanol-fortified margarine a day could lower

" bad " LDL cholesterol by 14%. The results were published in The New England

Journal of Medicine.

 

A more recent study from the University of California Davis Medical Center

looked at the effects of sterol-fortified orange juice. Of 72 adults, half

received regular orange juice and half the fortified OJ. After just two weeks,

the

people who drank the stanol-fortified juice had a 12.4% drop in their LDL

cholesterol levels. The results were published in the journal Arteriosclerosis,

Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology in 2004.

 

NASA is sufficiently convinced of the usefulness of this product that it is

routinely recommended when indicated during astronaut physicals. Stanol ester

supplements are available but not reliable as to amount. Best advice is robust

intake of the fortified orange juice, margarine and other foodstuffs.

 

Duane Graveline MD MPH

Former USAF Flight Surgeon

Former NASA Astronaut

Retired Family Doctor

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

--- Margarine lowers cholseterol???? I would question the validity

of the majority of this info. Should we really be researching NASA

for information on this topic? Could be similar to obtaining

alternative health advice from the FDA.

 

 

 

In , surpriseshan2

wrote:

> Cholesterol Lowering Supplements

> http://www.spacedoc.net/cholesterol_lowering_supplements.html

 

> A number of supplements are currently being used for the purpose

of cholesterol lowering but for the most part their effect, if any,

is modest and significant documentation is lacking.

 

 

 

 

 

> Only for two of these commonly used supplements does there exist

ample justification for use based upon carefully controlled

research: niacin and stanol esters.

 

For the remainder including: Policosanol - the pure extract of sugar cane wax;

Guggulipid Extract - an ancient herb from India; Green

Tea Extract; Garlic; Psyllium and Beta Glucan, either the evidence

is not there or the results are too minimal to satisfy most people.

 

 

> Experts have been studying the effects of food fortified with

plant sterols for decades. One important study from 1995 of people

with high cholesterol

 

found that less than an ounce of

" stanol-fortified margarine " a day could lower " bad " LDL cholesterol by 14%.

 

The results were published in

" The New England Journal of Medicine " .

 

 

 

> A more recent study from the University of California Davis

Medical Center looked at the effects of sterol-fortified orange

juice. Of 72 adults, half received regular orange juice and half the

fortified OJ. After just two weeks, the people who drank the stanol-

fortified juice had a 12.4% drop in their LDL cholesterol levels.

The results were published in the journal Arteriosclerosis,

> Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology in 2004.

>

 

 

> NASA is sufficiently convinced of the usefulness of this product

that it is routinely recommended when indicated during astronaut

physicals. Stanol ester

> supplements are available but not reliable as to amount. Best

advice is robust intake of the fortified orange juice, margarine

and other foodstuffs.

>

> Duane Graveline MD MPH

> Former USAF Flight Surgeon

> Former NASA Astronaut

> Retired Family Doctor