Artichoke is one of the oldest known medicinal plants that has been used as a food and medicine for thousands of years for a wide range of conditions, such as liver disorders, jaundice, and indigestion. Artichoke is now being tested for use for various conditions, including high cholesterol, but has not yet been proved to be effective for controlling blood cholesterol. If you have high cholesterol, consult with your physician before taking artichoke to improve your cholesterol numbers.
About High Cholesterol
High levels of cholesterol in your blood can increase your risk of heart disease. High cholesterol usually does not produce symptoms so you need to have your cholesterol checked regularly. Cholesterol is measured as total cholesterol and as several components called LDL, or bad, cholesterol, which is directly linked to heart disease, and HDL, or good, cholesterol, which is protective of your heart. Taking supplements such as artichoke may help you to control your blood cholesterol levels.
How It Works
Laboratory studies have suggested that artichoke's effect on cholesterol may be due in part to blocking the manufacture of cholesterol in the body. Artichoke may also enhance the elimination of cholesterol from the body because it stimulates the liver to produce bile, which then transports fats and waste products into the intestine for elimination. Other research suggests that artichoke may prevent certain chemical processes affecting LDL cholesterol that may lower the risk of plaque buildup inside your arteries.
Dosing
Artichoke leaf extract is available in tablet and capsule form. The suggested adult dose of the standardized leaf extract is 300 mg to 640 mg three times daily for a minimum of six weeks. Artichoke leaf extract has been studied in daily doses of 900 mg to 1,500 mg to lower serum cholesterol.
Effectiveness
Preliminary human studies have shown that artichoke may cause a moderate lowering of blood cholesterol levels. One German trial published in 2000 found that 900 mg of artichoke extract daily significantly lowered serum cholesterol and LDL cholesterol compared to placebo, or inactive medicine. However, artichoke did not increase levels of HDL cholesterol in this study. Another study published in "Atherosclerosis" in 1977 showed that artichoke did not lower total cholesterol after three months of treatment.
References
- PaloAltoMedicalFoundation.org: Artichoke
- PaloAltoMedicalFoundation.org: Cholesterol
- Drugs.com: Artichoke
- "Arzneimitte-Forschung"; Efficacy of Artichoke dry extract in patients with hyperlipoproteinemia; W Englisch, et al.; Mar 2000
- "Atherosclerosis"; Inefficiency of cynarin as therapeutic regimen in familial type II hyperlipoproteinaemia; H Heckers, et al.; Feb 1977
