Cholesterol Management at a Glance | NCCIH

Cholesterol Management at a Glance | NCCIH

Cholesterol Management at a Glance

A variety of herbal supplements have been studied for their effects on blood cholesterol levels.

For certain herbal products, including flaxseed, green tea, soy protein supplements, and garlic, research suggests that they may indeed have cholesterol-lowering effects. However, the effects tend to be small—much smaller than those of cholesterol-lowering drugs.

Other herbal products, such as artichoke extract, policosanol, and guggulipid, haven’t been shown to lower cholesterol levels.

If you have high cholesterol levels, follow your health care provider’s instructions on how to treat your condition. Don’t substitute herbal products for your cholesterol-lowering medicine.

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