Lowering Cholesterol with Policosanol?
Policosanol is a non prescription supplement that is touted as a natural way to treat high cholesterol levels. It is a mixture of alcohols isolated and refined from sugar cane. The main ingredient in Policosanol is octacosanol, but as the name implies, Policosanol is actually a mixture of many (hence the prefix “poli”) alcohols, including hexacosanol, triacontanol and others. Many animal studies with Policosanol, conducted in Cuba by a US based corporation, demonstrate a cholesterol lowering effect, and more recently human studies have suggested that LDL cholesterol can be reduced to a degree similar to that achieved with statins, and that HDL cholesterol can be increased by as much as 10 – 25% (an effect difficult to achieve with statins).
Studies completed in the US have shown no significant cholesterol lowering effect in human subjects after using Policosanol. Policosanol is controversial in that many people outside the United States take it to lower their cholesterol.
If you are considering using this drug, discuss it with your medical doctor first. It hasn’t yet been proven to be effective in US studies.