Statin Drug Alternatives

Statin drugs to lower cholesterol may have serious side-effects. There are natural alternatives that some clinical tests have shown to be effective, although many have failed other tests and some have unpleasant side-effects of their own.

Red Yeast Rice

Rice fermented with a kind of yeast called Monascus purpureus produces a substance called red yeast rice. The Chinese have used this as a food and medicine for more than 1,000 years. The medical literature includes a number of studies on the use of red yeast rice to reduce cholesterol using 2.4 gm daily in a divided dose. One study found the following lipid (cholesterol) decreases: total cholesterol, 20 percent; low-density lipoprotein (LDL,) 34 percent; and triglycerides, 32 percent. High-density lipoprotein (HDL), the "good" cholesterol, increased by 18 percent. Similar but not exact findings appear in other studies.

Policosanol

Policosanol comes from sugar cane. Between 1993 and 2009 the National Library of Medicine in their PubMed database indexed 137 studies, including nine major review articles, reporting on the effects of policosanol as a treatment for hyperlipidemia (elevated cholesterol) in human and animal subjects. Dosages used were either 10 or 20 mg per day. Reports in in 2002 showed decreases of 21.1 percent in total cholesterol, 29.9 percent in LDL, 13.6 percent in triglyceride. There was a 12.5 percent increase in HDL. A 2009 study on 21 individuals found no effect on cholesterol at all. Of the total number of studies, most are favorable although some that are more recent cast some doubts.

Plant Sterols/Stanols

A 2008 meta-analysis of 59 clinical studies on the efficacy of plant stanols/sterols in lowering cholesterol found there were reductions in LDL levels. However, these were closely related to the baseline level, that is, the higher the beginning LDL reading, the greater the reduction. Another factor in effectiveness was the food that contained the sterols/stanols. There was a greater effect when the substances were in mayonnaise, salad dressings, milk or yoghurt.

Niacin

Niacin (Vitamin B3, nicotinic acid) has a long history in the treatment of hyperlipidemia. As of August 2009, the National Library of Medicine had reported on 1,914 articles, including 527 detailed reviews, on the use of niacin in reducing cholesterol. Reviewing all of these would be a daunting task; but the consensus indicates that niacin is effective. Some patients reported stomache upsets and a "niacin flush," which may occur a short time after taking a dose.

Other Natural Agents

Various substances may help in lowering cholesterol, but solid evidence for these based on clinical trials is sparse. Some possible agents are soy, soluble fiber, walnuts, almonds, yoghurt, black tea, exercise and fish oils.