What are Cholesterol Medications with Least Side Effects?
Last updated September 23, 2013
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- Policosanol. It can be extracted from beeswax or produced from sugar cane. According some studies, it may be pretty helpful to lower LDL. But unfortunately, there is still no strong scientific evidence to confirm this issue.
- Red yeast rice. If you want to use it, make sure to choose a red yeast rice-containing product that is free from lovastatin (a substance that can be found in the Mevacor). Like policosanol, the effectiveness of red-yeast-rice supplement is also still debatable.
- Guggulipid! According to a clinical study in India, guggulipid provide a significant reduction of cholesterol in the bloodstream. What is it? It is the gum resin – derived from the mukul myrrh tree. But according to a US clinical trial, the effectiveness of guggulipid is also still debatable, especially for the issue of its efficacy & safety.
- Other supplements that may help lower LDL are garlic, artichoke leaf extract, fenugreek leaves, and fenugreek seeds – however again, the effectiveness of these supplements is not yet scientifically confirmed.
Lack of physical activity can increase the risk of raised LDL. In fact, regular exercise is also crucial for your weight control.
Learn more on how exercise can help boost the level of your HDL in this section!
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3 Comments
my dr mentioned that i try EZETIMIBE as i already suffer from chronic muscle and body pain.says this one does not fall in the statin family but cuts out the cholesterol in the food before your body has chance to absorb..any bad cholesterol..taking 1 – 10mg of this Teva-Ezetimibe daily..as i have terrible issues with the statins.this one he has told me works completely different way and not so hard on body? I really have lots i cannot do as i cannot walk..and am alone…i never had weight issues till about 5 yrs ago..2 yrs after lung cancer.(non-smoker!).but inflammation has caused the uric acid to inflammation in my body..i do have PKD..and mitral valve prolapse..and again never had issues with high blood pressure i was only 110 till about 53, 54 yrs old always moving..now i am terrified.and my spouse just passed 22 months ago..i really could use some advice..my cholesterol..my cardiologist said ..my triglycerides are good and the good cholesterol is good..and my number should be at 200 i am 8over the mark.i should be..and knowing how i suffer terribly with so much body pain.issued me the ezetimibe 10 mg 1 daily..and said it acts differently..as it directly makes sure the body does not absorb the foods cholesterols..before it hits my blood system..i am scared nd i do take lots of different supplements..but once again i am told so many things not to eat or drink naturally due to my health..i am 59..and scared..please help me i feel truly lost and alone in this fight..i wsas so athletic..but my feet are just so bad i cannot step on them even just to walk to kitchen..as every morning i start my day off with 3/4 cup warm spring water with tablespoon raw honey, 1 lemon.(juiced) 2 tablespoons of purathrive – liquid, liposomal turmeric with Fulvic acid..and three tablespoons of ACV..with Mother..early morning i have that to break my fast with my meds..then couple hours later around 9am i take my supplements with my steel cut oatmeal cooked and add approx 1/3cup of flax seed in that with pure maple syrup and almond milk..i have that..with blueberries/blackberrie/ or rasberries..and also a few large majoohd dates..i drink a full 10 oz of water several times day and night..and thru the day i drink my pure pommegrenade juice.carrot juice..eat my oranges.i have no lower teeth as i loved eating my almonds and brazil nuts..now i can’ t so now when i can i have couple tablespoons pure almond butter..etc..and sorry list is long enough to get into my evening.but everything i have is in doses that re sensible..i have learned to munch on.my berries..instead of sweets…and i luv.it..as well as their is a long list of supplements.and i do take meds for bp.and pain.and tummy..am i hopeless? Jackie
the cardiologist i saw..says my triglycerides are good as are my good cholesterol based on the good and bad cholesterol, the one he says is worrisome slightly/..is that it should be 200 and its 2.80..i have heard such horror stories regarding statins and meds taken to help lower cholesterol, although he does say to me, that this med has some of the least side effects and still helps lower your numbers/ please send me back something clarifying.your answer and easy to understand!!
God bless and thank you for taking time to be doing this..
While high blood cholesterol level may improve with a few changes in diet, sometimes it’s more difficult to control and here cholesterol medications are required. Your medications should outweigh the risks. Since high cholesterol will take a serious toll on your overall health, especially for your heart health, statins are sometimes prescribed.
But the number of high cholesterol alone is not enough to comprehensively tell you and your doctor whether or not you have to take statins. There are several factors that determine your treatment plan. The most important thing is your long-term risk of certain health conditions (e.g. stroke or heart attack). If your risk for such things is low, statins are less likely to be used – unless your bad cholesterol levels (LDL) are higher than 4.9 mmol/L (190 mg/dL). If possible, see another doctor for second opinion if you in-doubt with any advice or recommendation from your primary physician.
Also, it’s important to keep your stress under control. I do understand that your condition may make you feel anxious and stressed. But uncontrolled stress is very bad for overall health, including your blood cholesterol levels! All the best for you.