Heart disease is the leading cause of death among Americans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which also states that high cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease, affecting one in six adults. Taking steps to keep your cholesterol in a healthy range will help keep your cardiovascular system in good condition and avoid heart problems. Citrus pectin is a traditional remedy that may help lower your blood cholesterol. Discuss its use with your doctor before adding it to your normal routine.
Good and Bad Cholesterol
Cholesterol travels in your blood in a complex with protein called a lipoprotein. Low-density lipoprotein or LDL is called "bad" cholesterol because it contributes to formation of fatty deposits called plaque when its level is too high. Plaque builds up on artery walls, potentially narrowing them and interfering with blood flow, an especially dangerous situation for the coronary arteries that supply the heart. High-density lipoprotein or HDL is called "good" cholesterol because it scavenges extra cholesterol from your blood and carries it to the liver where is it degraded. Lowering LDL levels and raising HDL levels can be very helpful in slowing production or reducing the amount of plaque in your arteries.
Citrus Pectin
Pectin is a soluble fiber found in the cell walls of all plants. It is especially concentrated in the peel and pulp of citrus fruits. Like all soluble fiber, pectin is good for your digestive tract, helping slow the digestive process, keeping you regular and preventing diarrhea. However, citrus pectin also has properties that make it useful in lowering blood levels of LDL and slowing deposition of plaque in your arteries. Chemically, citrus pectin is a large and complex carbohydrate that is often modified to make it less complex and more easily digestible, producing a supplement called modified citrus pectin, or MCP.
MCP Research
Research into the effects of modified citrus pectin on blood cholesterol indicates that it lowers cholesterol and improves cardiovascular health. In a clinical study published in the "American Journal of Preventive Medicine" in 1999, subjects who took a daily fiber supplement of pectin and other soluble fibers for 15 weeks had lower total cholesterol and LDL levels, and improved ratios between HDL and LDL, than others who consumed insoluble fibers. A laboratory study published in the same year in the "Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry" reported that laboratory animals fed pectin had reduced oxidation of LDL, a step in the production of arterial plaque, in addition to lowered levels of LDL and total cholesterol. compared to animals fed a placebo.
Recommendations
You may increase your intake of citrus pectin by adding citrus fruits to your regular diet, consuming the pulp along with the juice. Alternatively, modified citrus pectin is available from most health food stores in capsules. Although no recommended dose has been established, clinical studies generally use a dosage of 10 to 20 g daily. MCP is considered a safe supplement with no significant side effects, although it may cause some bloating when first consumed. Talk to your doctor about citrus pectin to decide if it is a good choice for you.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: High Cholesterol: Understand Your Risks
- National Cholesterol Education Program: High Blood Cholesterol: What You Need to Know
- "American Journal of Preventive Medicine"; Long-Term Blood Cholesterol-Lowering Effects of a Dietary Fiber Supplement; R. Knopp et al.; July 1999
- Memorial Sloan-Ketering Cancer Center: pectin
- "Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry"; Pectin and Psyllium Decrease the Susceptibility of LDL to Oxidation in Guinea Pigs; M. Vergara-Jimenez et al.; February 1999
- Drugs.com: Pectin
