High cholesterol, also known as hypercholesterolemia, increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. The body needs cholesterol to build cell walls but makes all the cholesterol it needs. Eating cholesterol-rich foods increases cholesterol levels, which the blood then deposits along the artery walls. The University of Maryland Medical Center states that the normal range for total blood cholesterol is between 140 mg and 200 mg per decilitre. If yours is higher than this, cut fatty foods from your diet, lose any excess weight and get more exercise. You might also need to take cholesterol-lowering medicines known as statins. A compound called policosanol might also help lower high cholesterol, but evidence to prove this is mixed. Get medical advice before using it.
Properties and Potential Benefits
Policosanol is derived from sugar cane and yams and contains a chemical called octacosanol. Mississippi Baptist Health Systems notes that it might play a role in the treatment of numerous conditions, including Parkinson's disease and intermittent claudication. However, it is primarily used to lower high cholesterol and is used as a hypercholesterolemia treatment in parts of Latin America.
Administration
Policosanol is a waxy substance that is administered in capsules. The University of Maryland Medical Center states that 5 mg to 10 mg taken twice daily is sometimes used to lower high cholesterol. However, this is only a guideline. Check with your doctor or pharmacist that this dosage is suitable for you.
Scientific Evidence
The University of Maryland Medical Center states that it is difficult to determine whether policosanol is an effective treatment for high cholesterol because almost all of the studies evaluating its efficacy have been carried out in Cuba or Latin America using a proprietary formulation. In addition, the results of the first independent study into the effects of policosanol on hypercholesterolemia, published in the May 2006 issue of "JAMA," show that policosanol, when administered in normal and high doses, was no more effective than a placebo treatment.
Safety Considerations
Taking the maximum recommended dose of policosanol might be safe, according to Mississippi Baptist Health Systems. However, it might have a blood-thinning effect and should, therefore, not be used alongside anticoagulants, for example warfarin and heparin. Do not take policosanol alongside the Parkinson's disease treatment levodopa as it might heighten its effects. In theory, policosanol might also add to the effects of prescription cholesterol-lowering medicines, so talk with your doctor before using it alongside any existing medicines.
