Dosage For Lowering Cholesterol And Triglyceride Levels And Reducing Risk Of A Heart Attack
Adult dosage
- Extended-release tablet: The starting dosage is 500 mg taken by mouth once per day at bedtime. After 4 weeks, your doctor may increase your dosage by up to 500 mg. The standard maintenance dosage is 1,0002,000 mg taken once daily at bedtime.
- Oral tablet: The initial dosage is 250 mg taken by mouth once per day following your evening meal. Your doctor may gradually increase your dosage to a maximum of 6 grams per day. The standard dosage is 12 grams taken 23 times per day.
Child dosage
- Extended-release tablet: The starting dosage is 500 mg taken by mouth once per day at bedtime. After 4 weeks, your doctor may increase your childs dosage by up to 500 mg. The standard maintenance dosage is 1,0002,000 mg taken once daily at bedtime.
- Oral tablet: The initial dosage is 250 mg taken by mouth once per day following the evening meal. Your doctor may gradually increase your childs dosage to a maximum of 6 grams per day. The standard dosage is 12 grams taken 23 times per day.
Child dosage
This medication hasnt been studied in children and shouldnt be used in children younger than 16 years.
Senior dosage
The kidneys of older adults may not work as well as they used to. This can cause your body to process drugs more slowly. As a result, more of a drug stays in your body for a longer time. This increases your risk of side effects.
Dosage warnings
Who Should Buy A Cholesterol Supplement
Cholesterol supplements are usually taken by those who need to lower the LDL cholesterol levels. Most people realize that their levels are off after a trip to their doctor. Typically, they are given medication and prompted to make dietary changes. However, supplements can also be used besides these strategies to see faster results.
If this describes you, a cholesterol supplement may be just what youre looking for. These supplements contain a wide variety of ingredients. If one doesnt work, another one might. Feel free to try multiple supplements to find which one works best for you.
Cholesterol supplements may also be useful for those who are worried about their heart health. Many of these supplements are also very heart-healthy, which is extremely useful if youre at risk for heart disease or other heart problems. Whether you have a family history of heart disease or just want to protect your heart, these supplements can also be useful in these cases.
Lifestyle And Dietary Recommendations For Your Cholesterol
Now that we know the most prevalent risk factors when it comes to high cholesterol, we can move on to some great lifestyle and dietary changes that can help reduce your LDL and increase your HDL cholesterol levels. Many of these will involve reversing the risk factors enumerated above.
1. Exercise Regularly
As we briefly touched on above, regular exercise is one of the best ways to improve your cholesterol since it raises your HDL levels and simultaneously reduces your LDL and triglyceride levels in your bloodstream. For the best effects, it is recommended that you try to work out for at least 30 minutes, 4 to 6 times a week and that you consult a doctor when you are coming up with your workout plan.
2. Lose Weight
As we noted above, being overweight can lower your HDL levels and increase the LDL and triglyceride levels in your bloodstream. In general, if your body mass index is between 18 and 25, you are at a normal weight and are in the safe zone when it comes to the way that your weight interacts with your cholesterol levels. If your BMI ranges from 25 to 30, you are considered overweight, and if your BMI is over 30, then you are considered obese.
3. Quit Smoking
Given the harmful effects that smoking has on the lining of your arteries and that it lowers your HDL levels, quitting smoking can be a great way to improve your cholesterol.
4. Eat A Heart Healthy Diet
5. Take Supplements that Help Lower Your Cholesterol
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Serum Lipid Concentration Changes
The mean net changes between the treatment and placebo groups for LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides entered into the meta-analysis are presented in . In the LDL cholesterol category, 9 of the 11 trials had an intervention-related trend toward a reduction in LDL cholesterol but only 4 of these trials showed a statistically significant reduction when compared with the control group . For the HDL cholesterol category, a trend toward an intervention-related increase was observed for 6 of the 12 trials however, only 1 of these trials showed a statistically significant increase when compared with the control group . For the triglyceride category, a trend toward intervention-related reduction was also observed for 5 of the 10 trials but only 2 of these trials showed a statistically significant reduction when compared with the control group .
Net change in triglyceride concentration associated with vitamin C supplementation. The overall effect size is weighted by the inverse of the total variance of each trial.
Reduce Your Intake Of Saturated And Trans Fats
Adopt and follow a healthy diet thats low in saturated and trans fats. A diet high in these fats can raise levels of LDL cholesterol in the blood.
Saturated fat is usually solid at room temperature. Its found in animal products such as meat and dairy, but also in palm oil, coconut oil and full-cream milk. Read more about saturated fat-rich foods here.
Trans fats are found in store-bought baked goods, snack foods and deep-fried foods. There is strong evidence that trans fats increase levels of LDL cholesterol in the blood, while decreasing levels of HDL cholesterol.
Some foods contain cholesterol . Foods that contain cholesterol include liver, pate, kidneys, prawns and egg yolks. These types of food are not usually eaten in large quantities, so its OK to include them in your diet in small amounts.
Foods that contain saturated fats have a greater effect on blood cholesterol levels than foods that contain dietary cholesterol.
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Characteristics Of The Studies
The 11 groups making up the LDL cholesterol category consisted of a total of 549 individual subjects . All of the trials were conducted using adults with an age range of 48 to 82 years and a pooled mean age of 58.9 years. Men made up most of the subjects, with the pooled population consisting of 60% men. Eight trials used a parallel double-blind design, and 3 used a crossover double-blind design. The study duration varied from 4 to 24 weeks, with a median length of 10 weeks. Vitamin C supplementation for 5 of the 11 trials was 500 to 600 mg/d, whereas 5 trials used 1000 mg/d and 1 used 2000 mg/d. The pooled mean baseline LDL cholesterol concentrations for the treatment and control groups were 163.7 and 154.6 mg/dL, respectively. Comparative demographics between the placebo and vitamin C supplementation groups are presented in .
Medication May Be Needed
For some people, diet and lifestyle changes are not enough. High blood cholesterol levels often have a genetic component. Some people inherit altered genes that cause high cholesterol and this cannot usually be changed sufficiently by lifestyle or diet.
If you are at risk of coronary heart disease and your LDL cholesterol level doesnt drop after scrupulous attention to diet, your doctor may recommend medications to force your blood LDL levels down. Cell cholesterol levels, however, remain normal, so lowering blood cholesterol has no effect on most cell metabolic processes.
Some people get muscle aches from statins, which are the most commonly used medication to lower blood cholesterol. However, diet and exercise will still be important, even if you are taking medication. Your doctor may also refer you to a specialist who treats cardiovascular disease.
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Where To Find Vitamin E
As an antioxidant that can help protect cells from damage, vitamin E plays an important role in your overall health.
Many people get enough vitamin E from the foods they eat. Foods high in vitamin E include:
- Vegetable oils
- Fortified cereals and margarine
Palm oil and bran rice oil are especially rich in tocotrienols.
If you dont get enough vitamin E in your diet, you can also take vitamin E supplements. These are commonly found either in liquid or capsule form.
Since vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that can be stored in your body, its important not to take too much of it. For adults, the recommended dietary allowance is 15 milligrams per day.
Be sure to talk with your doctor before taking any supplements.
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Natural Herbs And Vitamins That Lower Cholesterol
Cholesterol is one of those needed things in your body that needs to be kept in a proper balance. If you have too much cholesterol, especially the bad LDL cholesterol, then you are increasing your risks of heart disease development and a number of other health issues. If you dont have enough cholesterol, then you arent able to keep other facets of the body balanced and youll increase your health risks in a number of other ways.
Thanks to recommendations from the American Medical Association, many doctors are beginning to proactively prescribe drugs to lower cholesterol levels in people who are considered to be at a high risk of heart disease because of high cholesterol levels. It is estimated that a third of all Americans are already suffering from high cholesterol because of the standard American diet, which means taking proactive steps to control bad cholesterol should be implemented now for many people.
Some people, however, dont tolerate prescription cholesterol medication very well. If you fall into that category or you just want to avoid pharmaceuticals as much as possible, there are some natural herbs and vitamins that have been proven to be able to lower bad cholesterol levels and keep your body balanced in a better way. You may need to make some changes to your diet to achieve your targeted cholesterol levels too, but at least you can do it without taking medication.
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What You Can Do: Eat More Omega
I advise my patients to eat real fish instead of taking a supplement, says Dr. Martin. The quality of OTC fish-oil supplements can vary, he says, and some may contain unwanted ingredients or contaminants. Meanwhile, fish is a good source of lean protein. Dr. Martins recommendation: Aim to eat about four ounces of oily fish such as tuna, salmon, or anchovies twice a week. Handy fact: A four-ounce fish filet will be around the size of your palm.
Who Can Take Supplements
Researchers are still seeking to confirm the benefits of supplements in treating high cholesterol. For this reason, it remains unclear who can or cannot take them. In general, they are considered safer to use in younger people with no history of serious heart-related illness or risk.
However, all people should speak to a healthcare provider before taking supplements.
One reason for this is because your own medical history may include other health conditions that may be affected by taking an herb or nutritional supplement.
Another concern may be the potential for interaction with any drugs you already take.
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How To Use Psyllium 28 % Oral Powder
Take this medication by mouth as directed by your doctor. If you are self-treating, follow all directions on the product package. If you have any questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist. To prevent choking from this medication, take it with a full glass of water or other liquid . If you are taking the wafers, chew them thoroughly before swallowing.
For powder forms of this medication, measure each dose according to the directions on the product label. Mix in a full glass of water or other liquid , stir completely, and drink right away. You may add more liquid to the mixture if it becomes too thick. When preparing the medication, be careful not to breathe in the powder since it may rarely cause an allergic reaction.
Dosage is based on your age, medical condition, and response to treatment. Do not increase your dose or take this drug more often than directed.
This product may decrease the absorption of other medications you may be taking. Take this product at least 2 hours from your other medications. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information or if you have any questions.
It may take 1 to 3 days before this medication starts working. Use this medication regularly to get the most benefit from it. To help you remember, take it at the same time each day. Do not take this medication for more than 7 days unless directed by your doctor.
Bri Nutrition Odorless Garlic
Garlic has been linked to lower levels of cholesterol in some cases. Because of this, taking garlic as a supplement may help you lower your cholesterol levels.
Each bottle comes with a 60-day supply, and they are incredibly inexpensive, so nothing is keeping you from trying them.
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Dietary Supplements For Cholesterol: Are Any Worth A Try
Various herbs and other supplements have been touted for their ability to improve cholesterol levels. Here’s what the research shows and doesn’t show about some of the best-known products.
Hawthorne. The leaves, berries, and flowers of this plant are used to make medicine that was traditionally used to treat cardiovascular diseases. It may lower cholesterol by increasing the excretion of bile and decreasing the body’s production of cholesterol. Verdict: It may possibly help.
Red yeast rice. This Chinese medicine has been marketed in the United States as a supplement that’s said to lower cholesterol levels. Some red yeast rice products contain a chemical that’s identical to the active ingredient in the cholesterol-lowering drug lovastatin. But an independent analysis of 12 red yeast rice products found that although all claimed to have 600 milligrams of the active ingredient in each capsule, the actual content varied between 0.1 mg and 10.9 mg. In addition, one-third of the products were contaminated with a potentially toxic compound called citrinin, which can cause kidney failure. This cautionary tale illustrates the potential pitfalls of taking dietary supplements, which are virtually free of the testing and manufacturing requirements that apply to pharmaceutical drugs. Verdict: It may possibly help, but purity remains a problem.
Looking Forward To Reducing Your Cholesterol
High cholesterol is an issue that millions of Americans deal with, but luckily, there a number of ways that you can prevent the harmful effects of high levels of LDL cholesterol in your bloodstream. Since there are no symptoms of high cholesterol, it is important that you go to your doctor and get your cholesterol tested, especially if you fit any number of the risk factors, such as eating a poor diet filled with saturated fats and trans fats, being overweight, living a sedentary lifestyle without regular exercise, smoking cigarettes, being past adolescence, or having diabetes.
Luckily, there are many things that you can do to lower your cholesterol and avoid the risks. Of course, lifestyle changes like exercising regularly, eating healthily, and losing weight are great ways to boost your HDL cholesterol and lower your LDL cholesterol. On top of that, getting the right amount of vitamins to lower cholesterol, either through food sources or through dietary supplementation is an essential step in reaching your health goals.
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Key Takeaways: Which Vitamins Reduce Cholesterol
Knowing which vitamins are good for cholesterol and introducing them to your routine can be a useful way to boost results of a balanced diet and exercise routine but no single vitamin offers all the answers, and theyre not a substitute for making healthy lifestyle choices when tackling your blood cholesterol levels.
Similarly, sometimes overhauling the routine isnt enough. If you suffer from high cholesterol, its important you take it seriously and you should discuss any medications with your doctor. If youre on cholesterol medication, be careful how you mix it with supplements, and dont go substituting supplements for your prescribed meds.
Putting Together A Low Cholesterol Diet
When it comes to investing money, experts recommend creating a portfolio of diverse investments instead of putting all your eggs in one basket. The same holds true for eating your way to lower cholesterol. Adding several foods to lower cholesterol in different ways should work better than focusing on one or two.
A largely vegetarian “dietary portfolio of cholesterol-lowering foods” substantially lowers LDL, triglycerides, and blood pressure. The key dietary components are plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains instead of highly refined ones, and protein mostly from plants. Add margarine enriched with plant sterols oats, barley, psyllium, okra, and eggplant, all rich in soluble fiber soy protein and whole almonds.
Of course, shifting to a cholesterol-lowering diet takes more attention than popping a daily statin. It means expanding the variety of foods you usually put in your shopping cart and getting used to new textures and flavors. But it’s a “natural” way to lower cholesterol, and it avoids the risk of muscle problems and other side effects that plague some people who take statins.
Just as important, a diet that is heavy on fruits, vegetables, beans, and nuts is good for the body in ways beyond lowering cholesterol. It keeps blood pressure in check. It helps arteries stay flexible and responsive. It’s good for bones and digestive health, for vision and mental health.
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Data Abstraction And Statistical Analysis
Information on sample size, participant characteristics, study design, vitamin C dosage, duration of intervention, and treatment results with the 3 lipid categories were abstracted from the 13 studies. In the end, 11 separate LDL cholesterol, 12 HDL cholesterol, and 10 triglyceride group populations were identified from the 13 studies. The pooled demographics for each lipid category are presented in .
