If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you know several ways you can help improve how your body manages cholesterol, including:
- Eating cholesterol fighting foods
- Getting enough fiber
- Eliminating dairy products
- Eliminating trans-fats
- Eliminating high-fructose corn syrup
- Reducing sugar in your diet
In addition, you can improve cholesterol and triglyceride metabolism by taking a high-quality fish oil daily. The key here is “high-quality” as it has been found that many fish-oil products contain contaminants that could be harmful to your health. Generally, you need about 2000-3000 mg of EPA + DHA per day; some people require more.
However, new research has shown that a compound called berberine hydrochloride (which is derived from plants such as goldenseal, Oregon grape root and barberry) was found to lower LDL cholesterol as much as simvastatin (27% vs. 28%). (1) Interestingly, a combination of both simvastatin and berberine lowered LDL cholesterol by 46% – much more than either product alone.
This is not too surprising as earlier research has shown berberine to have significant lipid lowering properties by a mechanism that is different from that exhibited by statin drugs. (2-5) In addition, berberine has shown astonishing positive effects on insulin resistance, high blood pressure and elevated liver enzymes.
Most studies used berberine hydrochloride at a dosage of approximately 1,000 mg daily. This dosage should be considered by anyone with concerns about cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity or insulin resistance. Of course, quality is the key; many products don’t contain what they say or they contain contaminants that aren’t on the label.
We only carry products that are third party tested for purity with a proven track record for clinical efficacy. Remember, the most expensive supplement is the one that doesn’t work – it doesn’t matter if it was cheap if it isn’t doing you any good. If you are looking for a high-quality berberine hydrochloride supplement, just contact us.
There are many ways to manage cholesterol naturally; if you are struggling with high cholesterol or have a family history, give us a call. If it can be done, we’ll figure out how to do it.
References
- Kong, WJ, et al, Combination of simvastatin with berberine improves the lipid lowering efficacy, Metabolism Clinical and Experimental, 57 (2008) 1029-1037.
- Kim, WS, et al, Berberine improves lipid dysregulation in obesity by controlling central and peripheral AMPK activity, Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 296: E812-E819, 2009.
- Brusq, JM, et al, Inhibition of lipid synthesis through activation of AMP kinase: an additional mechanism for the Hypolipidemic effects of berberine, Journal of Lipid Research Volume 47, 2006, 1281-1288.
- Zhao, W, et al, Reduction of blood lipid by berberine in hyperlipidemic patients with chronic hepatitis or liver cirrhosis, biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, 62 (2008) 730e731.
- Zhang, Y, et al, Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes and Dyslipidemia with the Natural Plant Alkaloid Berberine, J Clin Endocrinol Metab, July 2008, 93(7):2559-2565.