Cholesterol-Lowering Herbs | Lower Your Cholesterol With Herbs

Cholesterol-Lowering Herbs

Herbs are in a funny category when it comes to the medical community. 

Research has shown that many of them are effective at helping to cure a variety of conditions, yet most will never get enough recognition to be used in drugs that are officially marketed to the public. 

However, this should not keep you from trying them out if you are looking for alternative ways to lower your cholesterol; just make sure you let your doctor know about your intentions. 

The herbs that have been found to lower cholesterol include guggul and policosinol. Guggul comes from the mukul myrrh tree found in India, where it has been used since ancient times.  In India it was used to treat a variety of ailments, though it was not known until today’s time that the herb also has the ability to lower a person’s cholesterol level.  While medical science has yet to uncover the specifics on exactly how it goes about doing this, researchers theorize it is by blocking the actual production of LDL cholesterol. 

It should be noted that in various studies, it appeared that guggul only lowered cholesterol in individuals who were already eating diets low in fat and high in fiber.  When tested on Americans who ate very fatty diets, it appeared to elevate LDL cholesterol levels.  It had the same effect on people taking cholesterol-lowering medications.  So, perhaps guggul only works by accentuating the LDL-fighting nutrients already present in healthy foods, though at the moment researchers don’t know for sure.
The other herb that can help lower cholesterol is policosinol.  This herb is extracted from the Saccharum officinarum plant.  It lowers cholesterol by limiting LDL cholesterol and increasing HDL cholesterol.  How it does this is not yet known.  Additionally, while most of the studies conducted on the herb have shown it is effective at lowering cholesterol, there was a more recent study that had shown the herb did nothing when it came to lowering cholesterol levels.  Which study do you go by?  Until you try it you won’t be able to tell, which is why you should consult with your doctor first before considering taking the herb.

If either guggul or policosinol sound interesting, you can obtain them at a pharmacy or any health food store.  Be aware, however, that although they are herbs, they can still include side effects and negatively interfere with any current drugs you might be taking.  Also, if you are pregnant, you should not under any circumstances take guggul, since it has been shown to raise thyroid hormone, too much of which could harm a developing fetus.  However, according to Jennifer Mull, author of Policosinol on About.com, pregnant women can take policosinol as long as they do not have an allergy to bees, yams, sugar cane or beeswax, common ingredients that are packaged in policosinol supplements.  Keep in mind that everyone, pregnant or not, should never overdose on any type of supplement.  Always follow the directions that are stated on the bottle.  And if your doctor thinks it’s a bad idea to try out these herbs, listen to him or her first and foremost.