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What Supplements Lower Cholesterol

Last Updated on 11/01/2022 by Steve Wanjie

What Supplements Lower Cholesterol?… is the question answered here.

Why would you want to Lower Cholesterol? 

High cholesterol is the leading cause of cardiovascular diseases, atherosclerosis, heart failure, stroke, and death.

You do not want bad cholesterol to catch up with you because you are smart and can do something about it.

Here are some statistics from WHO to give a clear picture of the risks associated with high cholesterol – the year 2008 Statistics.

Item:

Global Deaths

DALYS

Disease burden

Numbers:

2.6 million

29.7 million

2.229 billion

Percentage:

4.5%

2%

39% of the world total population

Raised cholesterol levels increase the risks of heart disease and stroke. Globally, a third of ischaemic heart disease is attributable to high cholesterol. Overall, raised cholesterol is estimated to cause 2.6 million deaths (4.5% of total) and 29.7 million DALYS, or 2% of total DALYS. Raised total cholesterol is a major cause of disease burden in both the developed and developing world as a risk factor for ischemic heart disease and stroke. In 2008, the global prevalence of raised total cholesterol among adults was 39% (37% for males and 40% for females).”

WHO
What Supplements Lower Cholesterol Infographic - What Supplements Lower Cholesterol
What Supplements Lower Cholesterol Infographic

The four most common supplements that lower cholesterol is;

a) green tea

b) omega-3 fatty acids

c) garlic

d) Flaxseeds powder

The benefits of using supplements that lower cholesterol include:

* A reduction in the risk of heart disease

* A decrease in the risk of cardiovascular disease

* Lowering harmful cholesterol levels

* Regulating blood sugar levels

* Manage symptoms associated with high cholesterol

What is Cholesterol in Simple Terms?

Cholesterol is a waxy substance found inside cells that form part of the cell membrane.

It helps transport lipids into and out of cells while also helping to create steroid hormones, vitamin D, and bile acids.

Cholesterol plays a vital role in your body by acting as a precursor for estrogen synthesis.

In addition, your body can convert cholesterol into other steroids such as progesterone or testosterone.

It is a type of fat in the body produced by the liver.

It is crucial for many bodily functions, such as:

  • Producing hormones
  • Protecting the brain cells
  • Maintaining healthy skin and hair
  • Strengthening bones and muscles
  • Helping to maintain a healthy diet.

Types of cholesterol: 

There are two types of cholesterol;

  • high-density lipoprotein (HDL)
  • low-density lipoprotein (LDL).

HDL cholesterol is considered the “good” type because it contains fewer particles that can clog up blood vessels, while LDL cholesterol is “bad.”

LDL particles tend to be large and dense, making them more likely to cause plaques on blood vessels.

High LDL cholesterol levels can increase the risk of heart attack or stroke by blocking arteries.

What Supplements Lower Cholesterol: What is the Role of Cholesterol in the Body?

Cholesterol is a type of lipid found in all body cells and has many functions.

For example, it produces vitamin D, bile acids, and hormones like testosterone.

You can breakdown the role of cholesterol in the body into three main categories:

1) It helps with cellular reproduction by participating in cell membrane synthesis;

2) Cholesterol regulates water balance by carrying solutes across membranes; and

3) Cholesterol synthesizes hormones, vitamins, and neurotransmitters.

How to Lower Your Total Cholesterol Naturally & Safely

You can lower your cholesterol naturally by following a few simple tips.

Dietary fat lowering tips include:

  • watching your diet
  • exercising regularly
  • using natural products
  • Eating a diet plan rich in plant-based foods, like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes.
  • Losing weight if you have weight issues.
  • Reducing stress
  • increasing your sleep to promote heart health
  • avoid eating a lot of bread, pastries, and other foods made from refined flour
  • Avoid processed or canned fruits, often full of sugar

What are The Best Supplements for Lowering Cholesterol in 2022

a) Green Tea Extract

How Does Green Tea Help Lower Cholesterol? 

Green tea is a superfood with many health benefits, including lowering cholesterol.

When you drink green tea, it can help to flush out cholesterol from the body to bring down the LDL cholesterol.

It has powerful cholesterol-fighting capabilities that help lower lipid levels and reduces heart disease risk.

Green tea supplement is from the leaves and stems of tea trees, steamed and then dried.

Green tea is rich in free radical-fighting antioxidants called catechins, which help protect cells from free radical damage.

b) omega-3 fatty acids 

How Does Omega-3 Fatty Acids Help Lower Cholesterol?

Omega-3s are essential for the health of your heart and body.

For example, they help lower cholesterol levels healthily without any side effects.

Omega-3s also reduce triglyceride levels and improve cardiovascular health.

These fatty acids are in cold-water fish, vegetable oils, and nuts like flaxseed oil and walnuts.

Omega-3s help the body produce more high-density lipoproteins, or HDLs, which carry cholesterol away from arteries and back to the liver for processing.

When omega-3s raise HDL levels, good cholesterol increases in the bloodstream, but harmful cholesterol also decreases.

c) garlic

How Does Garlic Help Lower Cholesterol? 

Garlic is a natural remedy used for centuries for various health benefits.

For example, the active ingredients in garlic help lower cholesterol levels and blood pressure.

Garlic lowers cholesterol due to allicin, a compound that helps regulate cholesterol production.

Allicin also helps improve blood flow and decrease the clotting of blood vessels that also helps reduce high blood pressure.

It is rich in sulfur compounds and contains antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber.

It is also good at fighting infections.

A study done in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that garlic lowers cholesterol levels by up to 5%.

Garlic also has anti-inflammatory compounds in it, which may be the reason why it helps fight against heart disease and cancer.

d) Flaxseeds powder

How Does Flaxseeds powder Help Lower Cholesterol? 

Flaxseeds are rich in dietary fibers, minerals, vitamins, and protein.

In addition, they reduce cholesterol by manipulating bile acid production in the body.

Cholesterol is a type of fat that circulates in the blood and lowers good HDL cholesterol.

The fibrils that makeup flaxseeds are microscopic, so you can’t digest them. 

Bile acids help digest large molecules such as proteins and fats by breaking them down into smaller molecules called fatty acids.

Flaxseeds lower cholesterol levels by decreasing the production of bile acids in the body.

e) Berberine

How Does Berberine Help Lower Cholesterol? 

Berberine is a plant extract that is known to lower cholesterol.

Most of the studies on berberine were in rodents, but some were on humans.

Berberine lowers cholesterol by preventing the liver from producing certain enzymes that lead to excess cholesterol in the bloodstream.

It also hurts high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels, increasing heart health and reducing cardiovascular disease risk.

Berberine also increases insulin sensitivity and decreases blood sugar levels, leading to many other benefits for your overall health.

Berberine is available in supplement form. You can take it with or without food.

You can use it for both acute and chronic conditions and prevention purposes, depending on your preference.

f) Niacin

How Does Flaxseeds Niacin Help Lower Cholesterol? 

Niacin, or vitamin B3, is a water-soluble vitamin that can help lower cholesterol naturally.

Niacin in nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) is converted into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP).

NAD+ and NADP are coenzymes in the respiratory chain – they are necessary to produce energy from nutrients.

NAD+ also regulates gene expression by increasing the transcriptional activity of genes involved in cellular respiration and oxidative stress.

Niacin lowers cholesterol by inhibiting hepatic hydroxymethyl glutaryl coenzyme A (HMG CoA) reductase.

This enzyme produces HMG CoA, which leads to increased levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in the blood due to increased levels of high-density lipoprotein.

How To Choose The Best Supplement To Lower Your Cholesterol

When it comes to choosing the best supplement for lowering your cholesterol, you need to consider a few factors:

1. What is the goal of taking this supplement?

  • Reduce LDL cholesterol levels
  • Reduce triglyceride levels
  • Boost HDL cholesterol levels

2. What is the current cholesterol level?

3. What are the potential side effects of taking this supplement?

4. How much do you want to spend on this supplement?

What do the Mayo Clinic and WebMD Say about Cholesterol?

The Mayo Clinic and WebMD offer different opinions on cholesterol and what it does in the body.

While Mayo Clinic treats cholesterol as a risk factor for heart disease, WebMD sees it as a natural substance that has no impact on the health of your arteries.

The Mayo Clinic offers an overview of cholesterol.

It says that “cholesterol is a natural substance in your blood that comes from two main sources: the food you eat and the body’s production.

” It continues to say that “the more of it there is in your blood, the higher your risk of heart disease.”

Web MD states that this “natural molecule called cholesterol” has no impact on either blood pressure or artery walls.

However, the site also mentions high cholesterol levels in foods such as eggs and shrimp.

What Are the Dangers of Cholesterol Supplements?

Cholesterol is a substance found in the body that helps build and maintain cells.

It is also involved in fat composition and blood function.

People take cholesterol supplements to help lower their cholesterol levels when they stay too high or have heart problems.

However, the risks of taking these supplements are not fully known, and it could be too risky for some people to take them.

But all these risks aren’t enough reason for you not to take the supplements if that’s what you need to do for good health.

Cholesterol can result in serious complications such as heart attack or stroke if it stays too high for long periods.

And isn’t treated with other measures like diet and exercise included.

-Reducing stress and increasing your sleep to promote heart health.

There are many ways to lower your total cholesterol naturally.

First, you should avoid eating a lot of bread, pastries, and other foods made from refined flour.

You should also add more fruits and vegetables to your diet.

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By Steve Wanjie

Steve Wanjie is a digital marketing specialist, SEO Expert, expert article writer, blogger, sex educationist, and businessman. He is the founder of Dijito Marketing and Laikipo.com. He works and lives in Nairobi Kenya.

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