Cholesterol and triglycerides are essential fats in your blood. When your doctor requests a blood test to evaluate your blood or lipid levels, you will be tested to find out the blood values of low density lipoproteins, or LDL; high density lipoproteins or HDL; total cholesterol, total cholesterol /HDL ratio and triglycerides. All these values must be in the normal range; otherwise you are at higher risk to develop heart diseases such as angina or heart attacks, and strokes. Always talk to a doctor before starting to take policosano, or other natural supplements that may help improve your triglycerides and cholesterol levels.
Research
A randomized single-blind research study published in the 2003 issue of "Clinical Drug Investigation" compared policosanol with conventional drug atorvastatin in 40 participants suffering from high blood cholesterol levels associated with diabetes.
The subjects were on six weeks cholesterol lowering diet followed by eight weeks of daily treatment with either policosanol or atorvastatin.
The study shows that policosanol reduced triglycerides by 15.6 percent while atorvastatin lowered them only by 13.9 percent. While both medications significantly reduced LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol, atorvastatin was found more effective in improving LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol.
Policosanol showed more efficacy in improving HDL and total cholesterol/ HDL compared with atorvastatin. Policosanol, but not atorvastatin, was found to reduce the clumping of the platelets in the blood, which leads to a reduced risk of blood clots.
Policosanol with Red Yeast Rice and Berberine
Policosanol combined with two other natural supplements -- berberine and red yeast rice -- was also found effective in managing blood fat levels in a double blind, randomized, double blind placebo controlled study featured in the November 2010 issue of "Clinical Drug Investigation." In this study, policosanol significantly reduced triglycerides, LDL and insulin sensitivity compared to the placebo group. This study involved 50 participants, and no adverse reactions from using the natural supplements have been reported.
Review of Policosanol Effectiveness and Safety
Based on a review of the studies that evaluated policosanol for improving cholesterol and triglycerides levels, Michael Murray, ND, author of "The Pill Book Guide To Natural Medicines," gives policosanol a grade of "A" for both effectiveness and safety. A supplement gets this rating when a natural product yields excellent results in multiple double blind studies and has an excellent safety profile. The daily dosage of policosanol in these studies ranged from 5 mg to 20 mg per day. This dose will likely be adjusted by your doctor based on your condition and blood cholesterol and triglycerides levels.
Considerations
Consult a qualified health care professional to find optimal dosage of policosanol, possible side effects and drug or herb interactions. Keep in mind that policosanol should not be used to replace any conventional drugs used to lower your blood triglycerides levels. It is not approved by U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a cholesterol lowering agent.
References
- "The Pill Book Guide to Natural Medicines"; Micheal Murray, ND; 2004
- "Clinical Drug Investigation"; Comparison of the Effects of Policosanol and Atorvastatin on Lipid Profile and Platelet Aggregation in Patients with Dyslipidaemia and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus; G.Castano et al; 2003
- "Clinical Drug Investigation." ; Effects of a Nutraceutical Combination (Berberine, Red Yeast Rice and Policosanols) on Lipid Levels and Endothelial Function Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study.; F.Affuso et al; November, 2010
- Merck Manual: Cholesterol Disorders
