cholestoff
cholestoff
hi all,
naturally, before you use anything i'd recommend running it by your doc.
here is the site for the cholestoff:
http://www.naturemade.com/ProductDatabase/prd_prod.asp?productid=62
as i mentioned, joey has taken omega 3 capsules, prescription dose niacin and now the cholestoff. he has omitted one at a time and seems to find the cholestoff to be very effective in lowering cholesterol.
i have since spoken to numerous people who take it and find the same results.
the following is a compilation that my brother, len, put together. he, too, has high cholesterol issues (genetically) despite being very fit, great shape, strong runner.
i have passed this on to numerous people, as he does research on everything he takes and does before embarking on any project.
please MAKE SURE TO INCLUDE YOUR DOCTOR IN THIS, especially at the end (red yeast rice and tea); some of these things are contraindicated for coumadin takers and for heart patients.
sorry that it's so long:
Here's a list of the supplements I have come to believe in. Recognize that different things will work for different people, and be sure to involve your general practitioner even if these are over the counter:
1. a good multivitamin. I take NOW Adam Superior Men's Multi (GMP certified). It has the hefty doses of the B vitamins that I seek, but in a better proportion than many of the multi's out there. It aslo has 200 mcg Chromium and 200 IU of Vit. E
2. Nature Made Cholest-Off -- plant sterols/ stanols. also referred to often as Beta Sitosterol (a large component of sterols/ stanols). take a tablet 30 mins. before a meal -- hinders the absorption of fat in the intestine. I think this is one of the best supplement I take, with the most observable results. While I'm a fan of Nature Made products, I know that Atkins makes this, too.
3. Schiff Niacin (Flush Free) (500 mg). Schiff is another high-quality product. Large dosages of B6 have been found to be helpful to lowering cholesterol, though they can strain the liver. But 500 mg (500 plus another 50 from the multivitamin) is not a high dosage relative to the dosages in the studies. The directions on the bottle may recommend a higher dosage, but I advise just taking 1/day.
4. Nature Made Fish Oil Omega-3/ Omega-6 1200 mg. When I have fish for dinner, I take a flaxseed oil capsule instead, but I've gotten the impression that more benefit accrues from the Fish Oil. (I used to also put a tablespoon of ground flaxseed in my oatmeal in the morning, but I've gotten lazy of late.).
5. Drink lots of tea. Green tea and black tea are good, but there's another tea called Jamaica, made from hibiscus flowers. It's supposed to be GREAT for reducing cholesterol. The problem is that I have not been able to find true Jamaica tea, which is made predominantly from the calyces of the hibiscus flower and then has some dried petals in there for coloring, too. The teas that I purchased on the web turned out to be black tea with some hibiscus flowers in it (from Adagio.com) and hibiscus tea made from the flower petals (from Uptontea.com).
In the past, I've taken lots of other stuff. Policosanol gets a lot of press, especially for reducing LDL (bad cholesterol) levels. But it didn't seem to help me much. Plus, the study everyone references was conducted in Cuba, and Policosanol is derived from sugar canes, so I'm skeptical. Avoid Gugullipid -- recent studies show it to be worthless, at best. Garlic pills didn't help me much.
I looked up relevant studies relating to all of the things that I take. You should do the same, and speak with your doctor before taking anything. Good luck.
Len _P.S. Give the above an honest 6 month try. If the above don't do enough, then consider adding red yeast rice to the regimen:
6. Now Red Yeast Rice 600mg with CoQ10 30mg -- probably the most controversial thing I take. Because this contains a statin -- lovastatin (in Mevacor), you MUST get your doctor's okay first and have your blood checked at least quarterly for possible liver damage. I take just one capsule a day before bedtime, and I have found it to be miraculous, even in what turns out to be a much smaller dosage than if I were to take a statin prescribed in pill form by my doctor. The instructions on the bottle might advise a larger dosage, but a single capsule a day has worked wonders.
hope this helps.
stay well, sylvia
Marguerite
