Monday, September 12, 2011

What Choices Are There When Patients Can’t Take Prescription Medications to Lower Their Cholesterol?

Some of the patients we see in the Cardio Wellness Center prefer not to take prescription medications or are unable to take some of the prescription medications we use to lower cholesterol due to side effects.  Fortunately, I have been able to rely on quality over the counter supplements to help my patients get to their cholesterol goals.  Two of the over the counter supplements I use often are CardioTabs high dose quality fish oil for triglyceride lowering  and CardioTabs Red Yeast Rice for  LDL and triglyceride lowering. 

Recently we did an open label study on 8 patients who took CardioTabs Red Yeast Rice 2 capsules twice daily with food and 1 teaspoon of CardioTabs liquid fish oil daily.  After just  6 weeks of taking these supplements we saw significant changes in their cholesterol profiles.    The average changes were as follows:
Total Cholesterol  Reduction:  22 %
LDL Reduction:       28% 
Triglycerides Reduction:  22%
HDL (Good Cholesterol)  Raising     15%
Total Cholesterol/HDL ratio Reduction:  27%

 These results are similar to what we have seen with some cholesterol lowering prescription medications.  The patients in the study were amazed at the results they achieved with these over the counter supplements. This is an excellent non prescription regimen that is both safe and effective for patients who need support for achieving optimal cholesterol levels.  

*Please note  Red Yeast Rice should not be taken with statin medications.  If you are interested in changing your current regimen or need advice on how to better control your cholesterol profile please consult with your health care provider.