Cholesterol-Lowering Nutraceuticals Affecting Vascular Function and Cardiovascular Disease Risk
Curr Cardiol Rep. 2018 May 25;20(7):53. doi: 10.1007/s11886-018-0994-7.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The aim of this review is to provide an update on the effects of the dietary supplementation with cholesterol-lowering nutraceuticals and nutraceutical combinations affecting vascular function and CV risk in clinical interventional studies.
RECENT FINDINGS: Current evidence supports the mild-to-moderate cholesterol-lowering efficacy of red yeast rice, berberine, plant sterols, fibers, and some nutraceutical combinations whereas data on the individual cholesterol-lowering action of other nutraceuticals are either less striking or even inconclusive. There is also promising evidence on the vascular protective effects of some of the aforementioned nutraceuticals. However, except for red yeast rice, clinical interventional studies have not investigated their impact on CV outcomes. Evidence of both cholesterol-lowering and vascular protection is a prerogative of few single nutraceuticals and nutraceutical combinations, which may support their clinical use; however, caution on their uncontrolled adoption is necessary as they are freely available on the market and, therefore, subject to potential misuse.
PMID:29802549 | DOI:10.1007/s11886-018-0994-7