Lowering Cholesterol with Policosanol

Policosanol is a non prescription supplement that is touted as a natural way to treat high cholesterol levels. It is a mixture of alcohols isolated and refined from sugar cane. The main ingredient in Policosanol is octacosanol, but as the name implies, it is actually a mixture of many (hence the prefix "poli") alcohols, including hexacosanol, triacontanol and others.

Many animal studies with Policosanol, conducted in Cuba by a US based corporation, demonstrate a cholesterol lowering effect, and more recently human studies have suggested that LDL cholesterol can be reduced to a degree similar to that achieved with statins, and that HDL cholesterol can be increased by as much as 10 - 25% (an effect difficult to achieve with statins).

Studies completed in the US have shown no significant cholesterol lowering effect in human subjects after using Policosanol. This is controversial in that many people outside the United States take it to lower their cholesterol.

Policosanol reduces the platelet aggregation (i.e., the "stickiness" of platelets, the blood elements that promote blood clotting), so should be used with caution, if at all, in patients taking blood thinners such as Coumadin. Other reported side effects include skin rash, headache, insomnia, and gastrointestinal disturbances.

If you are considering using this drug, discuss it with your medical doctor first.

One problem with Policosanol is that there is a lot of variability in the available preparations. It is not clear, for instance, that it's derived from beeswax is as "potent" as the Policosanol derived from sugar cane, or that the mixtures of fatty alcohols in the various preparations are equally effective.

Policosanol has been shown to be an effective antioxidant. Free radicals which are charged molecules floating in the bloodstream can combine with LDL particles oxidizing them. Oxidized LDL cholesterol contributes to plaque formation and the progression of atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries thereby increasing the risk of strokes or heart attacks. Policosanol has been shown to protect against the oxidation of LDL cholesterol.

A lot is not known about Policosanol. Whether it is the large pharmaceutical companies blocking its introduction into the US market or it is in fact not a good supplement to be used to lower cholesterol is yet to be confirmed. It is a naturally derived supplement and one would hope that it is what it is touted to be, but only the future will tell.