Cholesterol is a fat your body needs for many processes, including maintenance of cellular membranes and production of hormones, vitamin D and bile acids. But if your blood cholesterol is too high, you are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease, heart attack and stroke. Several traditional remedies that are available as supplements may help lower your blood cholesterol naturally. These include red yeast rice, garlic and guggul. Consult your doctor to determine if consuming one or more of these supplements is advisable for you.
Red Yeast Rice
Red yeast rice is a traditional remedy used for thousands of years in Chinese herbal medicine. Produced by growing a fungus, Monascus purpureus, on rice, red yeast rice contains several natural components that reduce the activity of a liver enzyme called HMG-CoA reductase. Liver cells use this enzyme to produce cholesterol, which is released into the blood. When its activity is suppressed by red yeast rice, the liver manufactures less cholesterol and its blood levels fall.
Garlic
Crushed garlic contains a natural compound called allicin, which has several positive effects on the cardiovascular system. Like red yeast rice, allicin lowers levels of HMG-CoA reductase in the liver, reducing production of cholesterol. Allicin also suppresses oxidation of low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, which is also called bad cholesterol. When oxidized, LDL produces fatty deposits in arteries called plaque, which interfere with blood flow. Allicin also blocks aggregation of platelets, suppressing formation of blood clots that may raise your risk of a stroke.
Guggul
Guggul is a resin harvested from a small Asian tree. It is used by practitioners of traditional Indian medicine, or Ayurveda, for many disorders. Its active ingredient, guggulsterone, is a type of fat that may lower your cholesterol level. Although the exact mechanism is not well understood, guggul may act on the liver in two different ways. First, it suppresses production of cholesterol by the liver and, second, it decreases synthesis of bile acids, which are released from the liver into the intestine to emulsify dietary fats. Because fewer bile acids are made, your body absorbs less cholesterol from food.
Recommendations and Precautions
Red yeast rice, garlic supplements and guggul are all considered safe and with no serious side effects. Each is available from health food stores in capsules or as tablets. You may experience mild gastric upset or heartburn from one or more of these preparations. Both guggul and garlic may interact with certain prescription medications, including blood thinners, insulin or immunosuppressive drugs. Do not consume any of these supplements if you are already taking statin drugs, and discuss their use in detail with your doctor before adding them to your regimen.
References
- MedlinePlus: Red Yeast
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Garlic
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center: Garlic
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center: Red Yeast Rice
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center: Guggul
- National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute: High Blood Cholesterol
