Policosanol To Lower Cholesterol

More and more Americans are hearing from their doctors that their cholesterol levels are too high and the doctor says, “I recommend that you go on cholesterol medication ASAP”. Later, after being on the doctor’s prescription, you find out there are terrible side effects to the medication. If this sounds like you, then Policosanol might be the solution for you - with zero side effects. Policosanol is an all natural compound isolated from plant waxes or bees wax, but for today’s discussion we are focusing only on plant based Policosanol.

Policosanol has had a consistent history of cholesterol reducing properties in all research done with animal and in-vitro. When administered 5 to 20mg/day, Policosanol has been shown to reduce Low-density Lipoprotein (LDL)(Bad Cholesterol) by 10% - 31% while increasing High-density Lipoprotein (HDL)(Good cholesterol) by 8% - 29%.1 When compared with statins, Policosanol shows comparable results at much lower doses and zero side effects.1 Those of you who have used statins in the past there is good news for your liver, Policosanol has shown antioxidant protective properties for the liver in high does 100mg+/kg per day. The liver is the only organ that can regenerate or repair its self. Policosanol has shown to promote the liver’s regeneration process and deserves more research in this area.2
Besides the cholesterol lowering qualities of Policosanol, this compound can reduce platelet aggregation in the blood which may help prevent lipid or cholesterol build up in the cardiovascular system.

If your not convinced that Policosanol can lower cholesterol, there are certainly other options for addressing heart health and cholesterol levels, such as guggul, niacin, plant sterols, and Sytrinol all exhibit cholesterol-lowering abilities to varying extents. These are just a few suggestions to help you choose the right Supplement in managing your cholesterol levels.

References:
1. Nutr Rev. 2003 Nov;61(11):376-83.Role of policosanols in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Varady KA, Wang Y, Jones PJ.School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, McGill University, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada.

2: Drugs R D. 2003;4(1):29-35. Effect of policosanol on carbon tetrachloride-induced acute liver damage in Sprague-Dawley rats. Noa M, Mendoza S, Mas R, Mendoza N. Center of Natural Products from the National Center for Scientific Research, Havana City, Cuba.

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you feel there is a physical problem like high cholesterol, always consult your local physician or family doctor first.

The Truth About B Complex Vitamins

The B group of vitamins may be one of the most commonly misunderstood of the vitamins, simply because these are several distinct vitamins lumped together. The fact that the vitamins in this group are known by both letter and number becomes confusing to many people. It’s just often more difficult to remember numbers, meaning you may remember that it’s one of the “B vitamins,” but not remember which number is associated with that particular one. It may help to find out that each of the B vitamins also has a name.

• B1 is also thiamin
• B2 is also riboflavin
• B3 is also niacin
• B5 is also pantothenic acid
• B6 is also pyridoxine
• B7 is also biotin
• B9 is also folic acid
• B12 is also cobalamin

You should note that there are four additional substances in the B complex group, though they are not known as vitamins because they are not necessary for normal body function. They are choline, lipoic acid, PABA and inositol. When you purchase B complex vitamins, these four will not be included, and at least one or two of the recognized B vitamins may also be omitted. B5 and B7 are so widely available in food that most people simply get enough of these vitamins, even if they aren’t eating a healthy diet.
Arguably one of the most commonly recognized uses of the B vitamins is an energy booster. Some health care professionals tout the advantages of taking B12 in large doses to combat tiredness, but most seem to agree that starting a regimen of B vitamins is only advisable in severe cases.

More recently, research suggests that some Vitamin B deficiencies may aggravate certain health issues or health risks, and that an increase of those vitamins will help relieve symptoms or lessen the risk. Notably, Alzheimer’s is one of those diseases and sufferers of this disease sometimes show improvement from added Vitamin B on a daily basis. Vitamin B2 has also been used to help some migraine patients.
The correlation between certain health issues and vitamin deficiencies is certain, though finding the right treatment may be tricky. One of the most common problems with using vitamins from the B complex group to treat health issues is the fact that many diseases and health issues have overlapping symptoms. Treating those symptoms may ultimately cause more problems than it cures. Talk to your health care professional before taking extraordinary steps toward a vitamin regimen, including those that include complex B vitamins.