Policosanol

Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in every cell and in blood stream fats. It is a necessary part of a healthy body, but when levels get too high, you are at greater risk for developing cardiovascular disease which may lead to a stroke or heart attack. Excessive cholesterol in the blood leads to sticky deposits which can block blood flow to the heart or brain. Increasingly inactive lifestyles along with diets high in saturated fats have led to more and more Americans developing high cholesterol levels.

Policosanol is a newer addition for maintaining healthy cholesterol levels. Policosanol is a natural waxy substance from the coating of sugar cane or yams. It has been studied extensively against statin and other groups of cholesterol lowering drugs and has proven not only safe but highly effective as well. One recent study compared policosanol with lovastatin and simvastatin in patients with LDL levels over 160. After eight weeks, policosanol (10 mg/day) lowered LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels 24% compared with 22% for lovastatin and 15% for simvastatin. Perhaps more surprisingly policosanol increased HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels significantly while the other two drugs had no measurable impact on HDL. Policosanol also appears to significantly lower platelet aggregation, part of the process leading to blood clots. Policosanol was as effective at reducing aggregation as aspirin. It does not affect coagulation.

The standard dose of policosanol is 10 mg per day. Results are typically seen in six to eight weeks. In clinical trials no adverse side effects or drug interactions were noted. Policosanol was safe for all adult groups including diabetics, the elderly, and those with high blood pressure. Because policosanol thins the blood, hemophiliacs and those on blood thinning medication like warfarin (Coumadin) should avoid its use. Stop using policosanol prior to surgery. Learn more