Researchers at the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, pound what might be the final nail in the policosanol coffin. Continue reading Policosanols as nutraceuticals: Fact or fiction
Category Archives: Policosanol
Should you trust supplements to lower cholesterol levels?
Researchers from Concord Hospital, in New Hampshire reviewed the evidence and graciously provide us with succinct conclusions.
Here’s what we know. Continue reading Should you trust supplements to lower cholesterol levels?
Functional foods and cardiovascular risk
Researchers from the University of Milano, Italy, list what we know. Continue reading Functional foods and cardiovascular risk
Consumer Alert: Hardcore Energize Bullet and New Whey
The US Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers not to buy or use Hardcore Energize Bullet (photo) or New Whey liquid products due to suspected product tampering.
The products are sold in small test tube-like vials. Continue reading Consumer Alert: Hardcore Energize Bullet and New Whey
A final nail in the policosanol coffin
Over the past 2 years, researchers from all over the world have failed to confirm the results of early studies in Cuba that reported a cholesterol-lowering effect with policosanol (a mixture of fatty alcohols from waxes of sugar cane).
Here’s the latest study from researchers at the McGill University in Montreal, Canada. Continue reading A final nail in the policosanol coffin
More negative results with policosanol
Here’s the latest in a string of negative results using Cuban sugar cane-derived policosanol.
The results are important because the researchers from Azienda Ospedaliera in Padua, Italy confirmed that the tablets contained the correct amount of policosanol. Continue reading More negative results with policosanol
Lack of support for dietary supplements to prevent or treat heart disease
A literature review published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found 15 supplements that had been studied for their benefits in preventing or treating coronary heart disease.
According to the researchers from the University of Washington in Seattle…
- “Most had little data available and most of the data were of poor quality. Continue reading Lack of support for dietary supplements to prevent or treat heart disease
Consumer Alert: 3 red yeast products
The FDA warns to avoid these “natural” treatments for high cholesterol. Continue reading Consumer Alert: 3 red yeast products
LipidShield: The rest of the story
A news release promotes this product as a “natural cholesterol supplement [that is] effective without side effects.”
And on the LipidShield website there is an unpublished study in 30 men and women to prove it. Continue reading LipidShield: The rest of the story
More evidence that policosanol does not lower cholesterol
Policosanol is available in the United States as a nutritional supplement with claims that it lowers cholesterol levels. It has been covered extensively on this blog.
With the increase in combination therapy to control hypercholesterolemia, its now been tried and failed when used in combination with atorvastatin (Lipitor).
Continue reading More evidence that policosanol does not lower cholesterol
The most disappointing CAM in 2006
Most disappointing: Why does policosanol reliably lower cholesterol in Cuba but nowhere else?
Policosanol: Another negative study result
Healthcare is expensive, but there is nothing more expensive than paying for drugs that just don’t work.
That appears to be the case with policosanol — at least for anyone living outside Cuba.
CAM for heart disease: Current state of the evidence
During a seminar at the American Heart Association 2006 meeting titled “The Science Behind Popular Nutrition Claims,” medical researchers summarized the research on a number of complementary options to “help maintain a healthy heart.”
Here is a summary of the Medscape article. Links to more info are highlighted.
Continue reading CAM for heart disease: Current state of the evidence
McGill researchers report policosanol is ineffective in lowering cholesterol
A new study adds to the mystery of policosanol. Past posts here have summarized the ongoing debate over its effectiveness as a treatment for high cholesterol levels. Studies conducted by the Center of Natural Products at the National Center for Scientific Research in Havana report a dose-dependent reduction in LDL (bad) cholesterol of up to 29%.
Outside of Cuba, the results are inconsistent. One proposed reason is the source of the policosanol.
But wait!
Continue reading McGill researchers report policosanol is ineffective in lowering cholesterol
Effects of policosanol in patients with ischemic stroke
This blog has chronicled the lipid-lowering effects of policosanol, which lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol levels by 20% to 30%. Its mechanism of action differs from statins. However, it’s close enough that for safety, I would be cautious taking policosanol and a statin at the same time. One-A-Day Cholesterol Plus contains policosanol.
Now, a new study reports that policosanol has a positive effect on recovery in patients with ischemic stroke. This might be an overstatement, but let’s take a closer look.
Continue reading Effects of policosanol in patients with ischemic stroke
How policosanol lowers cholesterol and implications for your safety
In a previous post I reviewed policosanol, which can lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels by 20% to 30%.
The source of policosanol seems to influence its activity, with Cuban sugar cane-based policosanol being most effective. It’s available on the Internet and in stores. In fact, One-A-Day Cholesterol Plus contains sugar cane-based policosanol.
Now, a study conducted at the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy shows how it works.
Continue reading How policosanol lowers cholesterol and implications for your safety
ConsumerLab.com tests cholesterol-lowering supplements
Three of 16 products failed the content analysis test. One product did not release its ingredients and two others had less than half the expected ingredients.
That’s less than a 20% failure rate, which is better than often reported by this lab.
An article in Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals reports that the following supplements were tested: sterols, policosanol, guggulsterones, fish oil, garlic, niacin, soy protein, red yeast rice, and stanols. I highlighted the supplements discussed at this blog.
Continue reading ConsumerLab.com tests cholesterol-lowering supplements
Know the source: Policosanol and cholesterol
The advertisement claims that policosanol (or polycosanol) — a pure extract of sugar cane wax — has been the subject of many clinical trials, even more than most pharmaceutical drugs. And it has outperformed some of popular prescription drugs.
But the positive studies have been primarily sponsored by one company in Cuba and conducted by one research center in Havana.
Continue reading Know the source: Policosanol and cholesterol