Cholesterol Natural Over the Counter Options

[Nismo]

Hello, I have a question about Natural Cholesterol over the counter options vs Statins.

http/cholesterolinstitute.net/Re...

​A few of these seem to offer good for the body items that help with cholesterol.

​Particularly, this one seems to have the best ratings from that page: HeartSavior

​

If you read the customer reviews on Amazon, it seems to lower numbers quite a bit. So, why then do Drs recommend Statins if they have negative effects of taking the good substances out of your body that it needs along with causing memory issues and muscle pain for some folks?

[sandybrown]

I was looking for home for this site "http/cholesterolinstitute.net", I am afraid there is a data problem!!

HeartSavior information is available. Do you have any data that explain the benefit of any supplement product advertised by this group?

[DakCB-UK in reply to sandybrown]

cholesterolinstitute.net/Re... should be a working link.

HeartSavior contains red yeast rice which is a HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor related to statins, as well as CoQ10, plant sterols and stanols, niacin and some other things I don't recognise. It's easy to see how it could lower cholesterol but it's difficult to see why it's any better for you than taking statins, stanols and CoQ10 as commonly sold. As I have problems with statins, I'd expect I'd have similar problems with red yeast rice.

[AlexandriaUK]

I tried loads of items OTC even the margarines and yogurts etc, non lowered mine significantly so at 8.2

I decided to go on low dose simvastatin, with diet changes which included swapping from so called healthier spreads to butter and only good oils, like good quality extra virgin oil and watching what I eat I have lost about 4/5 lbs in weight and after 2 months it went down to 5.5 but they made me ache so moved over to atorvastatin, had non fasting bloods last Tuesday after having fish and chips as a treat the night before and my Horlicks before bed,actually forgot about tests and really thought it would go up again, got results this morning 5.2 so with a low enough dose that is not going to cause any major problems I'm happy.

Also its nuts but my LFTs are all normal, the hematologist I saw 2 years ago said it was probably caused by fatty liver and to change diet, I have and normal, well I'm not normal but results are.

[CDreamer]

I have recently had test ordered by Nutrionist which have highlighted a number of issues which may explain why my cholesterol is rising at a rather alarming rate.

Her recommendations were to take Plant Sterols as a supplement with every meal as those in foods would not be sufficiently efficacious. I take Sterolvite from The Natural Pharmacy. Personally I wouldn't buy any supplement through any source other than a reputable retailer - Biocare or Lambert's or Nature's Aid seem to be the ones recommended by the Professionals.

Plant Sterols have been shown to lower cholesterol by about 10% - but then cholesterol may not be the best indicator of heart disease - homocysteine levels tend to be a more accurate predictor but NHS don't offer this test so needs to be done privately.

There was an interesting case on Doctor in the House TV series (BBC- I think?) talking about this test.

[sandybrown in reply to CDreamer]

What blood test did your Nutritionist ask for to check on cholesterol and why?

I did watch the TV programme, I have the name of B vitamin that was discussed in the TV programme. I want to take this Vitamin B complex, but I have made an appointment ask my GP for homocysteine blood test and also to ask in I can take the Vitamin B complex!!!

[CDreamer in reply to sandybrown]

They were GI tests not bloods. NHS won't test for homocysteine. My local hospital will on instruction from GP for cost of £60 + cost of time & travel to get there. Going in a couple of weeks after I have seen my cardiologist.

[sandybrown in reply to CDreamer]

Thank you.

[DakCB-UK in reply to CDreamer]

Sterols/stanols, it depends on the food. I can see that you're unlikely to get a consistent dose from the spreads, but the widely-available one-shot drink mini-bottles should work.

It looks to me like Sterolvite contains only 300mg of sterol, so you need to take three a day for the 2g dose, so about £1/day, which compares poorly to the drinks at about 60p/day - although both are often available discounted and capsules are easier to transport and store.

[clajac]

Niacin