Diet Important to Lower Cholesterol Even When Taking Medication

Tuesday, December 06, 2005

ROCHESTER, Minn. —If you're taking a drug to lower cholesterol, you may wonder if you still need to watch your diet. The answer is yes.

Low-density lipoprotein is the most important type of cholesterol to treat. It's also the most responsive to treatment with cholesterol-lowering drugs, such as statins. However, many people taking these drugs have not reached their target LDL cholesterol level. Other strategies —such as diet changes —that can be safely combined with drug therapy are usually recommended.

The November issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter offers these diet changes to help lower cholesterol:

* Maintain a diet with a fat content between 10 percent and 20 percent.

* Minimize saturated and trans fats and high cholesterol foods.

* Consume adequate soluble fiber. Good sources include oat bran, dried beans, carrots, apples and citrus fruits.
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