High cholesterol and obesity are coronary risk factors. This
randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study was
undertaken to investigate the long-term effectiveness and
safety in obese patients with Type II Hypercholesterolemia.
129 patients were placed on step one cholesterol-lowering diet
and were then randomized to either 5mg Policosanol (from sugar
cane wax) or placebo taken once daily with the evening meal for
3 years. Patients had a high frequency of coronary risk factors
especially hypertension and were evenly matched in both groups.
After one year Policosanol lowered LDL-Cholesterol by 24.3%,
lowered total cholesterol by 15.8%, and increased HDL by 21.9%.
Placebo caused very little change. At the completion of the 3 year
study LDL-cholesterol was down 31.8%, total-cholesterol dropped
20.1%, and beneficial HDL increased by 24.6%. The patients taking
Policosanol had fewer side effects and fewer cardiovascular events
than the patients on placebo. The study is published in the current
issue of the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition,
2004;13(Supplement):S102.
Is Gugulipid Safe?
Gugulipid is an herb used commercially to help lower cholesterol.
Researchers have uncovered the ability of Guggulsterone, Gugulipids
active ingredient, to trigger the livers breakdown of drugs
including medication for HIV/AIDS, and chemotherapy reducing the
effects of these and other (unknown) medications. It is already
known that Guggulsterone somehow interacts with both estrogen and
progesterone, and has an interaction with statin-cholesterol
lowering drugs. Commentary by Jerry Hickey, R.Ph. ? I have never
found Gugulipid to be helpful for lowering cholesterol. Due to the
discovery of this troubling effect on important drugs, and because
we cannot accurately pinpoint what other drugs Gugulipid may
interact with, and due to a possible lack of benefit I will warn
my clients to avoid this herb.
Supplement use could save US billions
The findings of a study commissioned by the Dietary Supplement
Education Alliance, which were presented at a Congressional hearing
on September 22 2004, revealed that billions of dollars could be
saved each year by supplementation with commonly available nutritional
products. The study focused on calcium with vitamin D, folic acid,
omega-3 fatty acids, glucosamine and saw palmetto.
Professor Jeffrey Blumberg of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science
and Policy at Tufts University commented on the study: "As our country
faces an ever-growing crisis in health care, it is important to recognize
the role that dietary supplements can play in reducing our burden of
disease and the costs to manage it."
