Vitamins & Nutritional Supplements for High Cholesterol

Glucomannan is a water-soluble dietaryfiber that is derived from konjac root. Controlled and double-blind trials have shown that supplementation with glucomannan significantly reduced total blood cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides, and in some cases raised HDL cholesterol. Effective amounts of glucomannan for lowering blood cholesterol have been 4 to 13 grams per day.

Test tube and animal studies indicate that policosanol is capable of inhibiting cholesterol production by the liver. Extensive preliminary and double-blind research in Cuba and other countries in Latin America has demonstrated that taking 10 to 20 mg per day of policosanol extracted from sugar cane results in significant changes in blood cholesterol levels, including total cholesterol (17 to 21% lower on average), LDL cholesterol (21 to 29% lower), and HDL cholesterol (7 to 29% higher). However, virtually all of this research was conducted by a single research group from Cuba. Follow-up double-blind studies performed in the United States, Canada, and Germany found that sugar cane-derived policosanol in amounts of 10 to 80 mg per day taken for 12 weeks had no effect on serum cholesterol levels in people with initially high cholesterol levels. Until additional independent studies are performed, the effect of policosanol on serum cholesterol levels must be considered uncertain.

The combined results of nine double-blind trials indicate that supplementation withHMB (beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate effectively lowers total and LDL cholesterol. All trials used 3 grams per day, taken for three to eight weeks...