Vitamins that can lower your cholesterol levels

Dr. Praveen Kulkarni, Consultant- Cardiology, Global Hospitals at Mumbai talks about vitamins for lowering cholesterol.

In a bid to lower your cholesterol or triglycerides and keep heart diseases at bay, many of us often want life-changing supplements. In fact, nowadays many cardiologists suggest taking B vitamins, often referred to as energy vitamins , to give a boost of energy. But, which ones really work? Dr. Praveen Kulkarni, Consultant- Cardiology, Global Hospitals at Mumbai gives a rundown on some chosen supplements.

Psyllium: Psyllium husk fibre is a soluble viscous fibre. It has traditionally been used as a bulk laxative but added benefits in lowering blood cholesterol and sugars have been noted. Controlled studies done after consumption of 7-10 g of Psyllium husk has proven to reduce total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels by 4-6%. Largely devoid of major side effects, it acts by directing cholesterol into bile synthesis and reducing its blood levels.

Fish oil supplements: It was noted that populations with high intake of Omega 3 poly unsaturated fatty acids have low rates of cardiac diseases, kindling fresh interest in fish oils. Fish oils, rich in omega 3 PUFA, when administered in high doses (>6 g/day) reduce levels of triglycerides and indirectly reduce the levels of LDL cholesterol. However, the side effects in the form of fishy taste , nausea and GI disturbance are frequent reasons for discontinuation.

Coenzyme Q10: These are naturally occurring endogenous pro-vitamin, acting as anti-oxidants at the cellular level. Initial studies showed favourable results in patients of high cholesterol. Also, people taking statins have been noted to have low levels of circulating CoQ10. However, routine supplementation with CoQ10 in patients on statins/ high cholesterol in still not scientifically validated.

Vitamin B5: Also called as pantothenic acid, it plays an important role in cholesterol synthesis. Some studies have shown reduction in triglyceride levels with supplementation of Vitamin B5. Read more about 8 natural remedies that can help lower cholesterol levels

Vitamin B3: It is a water-soluble vitamin by the name Niacin. Vitamin B3 is an important vitamin catalysing a number of biochemical reactions at the cellular level. Higher doses of niacin have a favourable effect on the lipid profile. It increases HDL cholesterol and reduces triglyceride levels in the blood. Gastrointestinal side effects are very common with the doses required to bring this effect.

Vitamin C and Vitamin E: Both these vitamins are anti-oxidants, deficiency of which has been attributed to cause aging, cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Some studies have shown that they can slow down atherosclerosis and lower LDL cholesterol.

Antioxidants: They are molecules, which prevent cellular damage occurring due to free oxygen radicals during metabolism. Most antioxidants are naturally occurring and present in the body, example VitaminC/E, Coenzyme 10 etc. Antioxidants help maintain the balance in the tissues and play a role in aging and disease prevention. Read here Everything you wanted to know about cholesterol, lipid profile, VLDL, HDL and triglycerides

It is important to check with your doctor before taking any supplement: The exact nature of the disease, its line of management and the risk of complications need to be assessed by a doctor before definitive treatment. Unsupervised dietary supplements may give a false sense of a disease control. Also, when taken discriminately, risk of adverse side effects even with supplements looms large.

Remember, supplements are just a small part of total health and lifestyle management: All the naturally occurring supplements described above have a definite role in metabolism of cholesterol in particular and cardiac health in general. But the gold standard approach for sustained good cardiovascular health remains a balanced diet, rich in vitamins, plant sterols, minerals, polyunsaturated fatty acids complemented with regular exercise.

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