Nutritional Supplements That Lower CholesterolOften times diet and exercise cannot help reduce our cholesterol. Medication and nutritional supplements are sometimes needed. We need cholesterol to be healthy, however it is dangerous to have too much 'bad' cholesterol, or LDL, and too little 'good' cholesterol, or HDL. Over 100 million americans suffer from elevated cholesterol levels according to the American Heart Association. That is one in five people who are considered to have high cholesterol levels. The cholesterol that we get from our food only accounts for about 15% of the cholesterol in our bodies. Often times, diet alone may not help if cholesterol levels are too high. Medication and nutritional supplements are recommended. For those who want to avoid prescription medication, nutritional supplements are very effective. Supplements containing garlic, Niacin (vitamin B3), plant sterols, plant stanols, psyllium, beta glucan, yeast rice extracts, policosanol, and fenugreek are all excellent for lowering cholesterol. The above cholesterol lowering substances all work in different ways. It is recommended to get advice on which is most appropriate, especially if taking other medication. For example psyllium and plant sterols will affect the absorption of cholesterol, where as soluble fibers like beta glucan (as found in barley and oats) and fenugreek lower HDL levels. The Indian home remedy Guggul extract is used in prescription medication to lower cholesterol and triglycerides. Red yeast rice extract is a typical Chinese medicine for the heart and has statins that are commonly found in prescription anti-cholesterol medication. |