If you've started to exercise and eat healthier foods to lower your cholesterol, you might wonder if a dietary supplement can help. Here are some cholesterol-lowering supplements to think about. Check with your healthcare professional before you try any.
| Cholesterol-lowering supplement | What it might do | Side effects and how it affects other medicines |
|---|---|---|
| Berberine | May lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the "bad" cholesterol, total cholesterol and triglycerides | May cause loose stools trouble passing stool, gas, stomach upset or vomiting; may cause harm to babies during pregnancy and breastfeeding |
| Fish oil | May lower triglycerides, a type of fat in the blood that raises the risk of heart disease | May cause a fishy aftertaste, bad breath, gas, upset stomach, vomiting or loose stools; may affect some blood-thinning medicines |
| Flaxseed, ground | May lower LDL cholesterol | May cause gas, bloating or loose stool; may affect some blood-thinning medicines |
| Garlic | May slightly lower cholesterol, but studies have had mixed results | May cause bad breath, body odor, upset stomach, vomiting and gas; may affect some blood-thinning medicines |
| Green tea or green tea extract | May lower LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol | May cause upset stomach, vomiting, gas or loose stool; may affect blood-thinning medicines |
| Niacin | May lower LDL cholesterol and triglycerides; may improve high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the "good" cholesterol | May cause itching and flushing, which are more common at the higher doses most often needed to affect cholesterol |
| Plant stanols and sterols | May lower LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol and triglycerides | May cause loose stool |
Red yeast rice — Natural doesn't mean safe
Some red yeast rice products have a substance called monacolin K. Monacolin K is like the active ingredient in lovastatin, a prescription medicine that lowers cholesterol. The amount of monacolin K in different brands of red rice yeast varies widely.
Products that have monacolin K can cause the same types of side effects as lovastatin. These may include damage to the muscles, kidneys and liver. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration has ruled that dietary supplements that have more than trace amounts of monacolin K are not approved and can't be sold legally as dietary supplements.
Dietary supplements may not be enough
Dietary supplements may help, but you also might need prescription medicines to get your cholesterol numbers to a safe level. Be sure to tell your healthcare professional if you take any dietary supplements. Some supplements can affect the medicines you take.
