Taking care of yourself requires thinking about what goes into your body, the exercise your body undergoes and the internal workings you can't see. High cholesterol--and the problems the condition causes--is an area of concern for doctors and patients alike. Many ingredients tout themselves as a way to reduce cholesterol, and pectin is one of those citrus ingredients.
Pectin
The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center states that pectin is a soluble fiber that is present in most plants but is concentrated in the peel or pulp of citrus fruits like lemons, oranges and grapefruits, as well as apples. Pectin is often used as a gelling agent in food. In the 1820s pectin was identified as the key to making jams and jellies due to its gelling qualities. Once this quality was established, pectin was used to help other fruits and extracts that didn't set well become more viable as jams.
Cholesterol
According to the American Heart Association, cholesterol is "a soft, waxy substance found among the lipids, fats, in the bloodstream and in all your body's cells." While cholesterol is often thought of as a bad thing, it is necessary to form cell membranes, some hormones and other functions. Cholesterol can't dissolve in the blood so it has to be taken to and from cells by lipoproteins. These lipoproteins are where the terms HDL and LDL come from. HDL is high-density lipoprotein and LDL is low-density lipoprotein. A high level of cholesterol is a risk factor for coronary heart disease.
Research
Since a 1987 study showed that a large daily dose of pectin lowers overall cholesterol levels, the fiber has been used as part of a natural treatment regimen. The study had a group consuming about three tablespoons of pectin a day. Over the course of the 16-week study, the group that took the pectin had an average reduction in cholesterol of 9 percent, with a maximum reduction of 19 percent seen.
Uses
Since pectin is a soluble fiber, it binds cholesterol in the stomach and intestines. This means that the cholesterol isn't absorbed into the bloodstream completely. Drugs.com states that "pectin has been used in antidiarrheal products and to lower blood lipoprotein levels." Using pectin as an antidiarrheal evacuates the unabsorbed cholesterol from the body so it cannot build up in the bloodstream. To lower cholesterol levels, pectin amounts of between 10 and 20 grams a day are used.
Considerations
Pectin may cause minor abdominal pain, cramps and diarrhea which typically go away when the fiber is no longer ingested. When pectin is taken with lovastatin, there may be an increase in the LDL levels of patients with hypercholesterolemia. As pectin interacts with the digestive system and eliminating products from the body, pectin use may inhibit the absorption of other medications.
