Excess cholesterol and triglycerides are a silent condition with no particular symptoms, very common in Italy5.
We are often unaware of them because we tend to be more concerned by other more evident conditions such as high blood pressure, recurring vascular disorders, overweight, etc.
Not many people know that, more often than we might think, high cholesterol and triglycerides levels can be of genetic origin6.
Some individuals have high cholesterol and triglycerides levels despite the fact that they stick to a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle (they do not smoke nor drink, and they regularly exercise).
This is due to the fact that the overproduction of cholesterol does not depend only on what we eat. In addition to the exogenous cholesterol (i.e. the one we take in with food), there is another type of cholesterol called endogenous, which is the one our body naturally produces.
What matters is that cholesterol high levels - be it endogenous or exogenous - are extremely common among many of us.
Suffice it to think that nearly 54% of the European population suffers from hypercholesterolemia - i.e. high cholesterol levels - which is equally spread between men and women, the latter being affected especially after the age of fifty7.
And this is the most widespread cardiovascular risk factor in Italy. And last data, but not least, 40% of those with hypercholesterolemia are not even aware of it!8
Only by reading these data we immediately understand how important prevention can be.
What does prevention mean in practical terms?
- See your medical doctor regularly for a check-up and specific blood tests
- Follow a healthy diet, quality and quantity wise
- Do not smoke nor drink alcohol
- Do some exercise regularly
- Take the right food supplements
Experimental Phytotherapy
Liposan Forte Nuova Formula is a 100% natural food supplement containing fermented Red Rice (Total Monacolines, including K, 3 mg/day) and titrated dry extracts from Barberry, Milk Thistle, Matured Garlic and Rosemary.
Particularly, the combination of Monacolins, Silymarin, Berberine and Rosemary has proved to be effective in reducing total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides (approx. - 20% in 3 months) in a functional clinical trial (Medicinal Plants vol. 15(4) 2016 published by Si.Fit. - Capriotti F., Censani S.).
Fermented red rice
- Cicero AFG, Fogacci F, Banach M. Red Yeast Rice for Hypercholesterolemia. Methodist Debakey Cardiovasc J. 2019 Jul-Sep;15(3):192-199. doi: 10.14797/mdcj-15-3-192. PMID: 31687098; PMCID: PMC6822657.
This retrospective work confirms that Fermented Red Rice is currently the most effective natural remedy for the containment of blood cholesterol levels, particularly for total Cholesterol, LDL Cholesterol and Apolipoprotein B, which are determinants of cardiovascular well-being. Besides, associated risks and side effects are minimal and are seen only in the frailest subjects or those with a higher sensitivity to monacolin K. They may see the onset of mild myalgia, however reversible with the suspension of the active principle.
- Heinz T, et al. Low daily dose of 3 mg monacolin K from RYR reduces the concentration of LDL-C in a randomized, placebo-controlled intervention. Nutr Res. 2016 Oct;36(10):1162-1170. doi: 10.1016/j.nutres.2016.07.005. Epub 2016 Jul 27. PMID: 27865358.
According to this interesting German study, a 3 mg daily dosage of Monacolin K can decrease by almost 15% the level of LDL cholesterol, which is the most harmful form of cholesterol for the cardiovascular system. Hence, the above daily dosage of Monacolin K is useful to lower cardiovascular risks.
Barberry
- Kong W, et al. Berberine is a novel cholesterol-lowering drug working through a unique mechanism distinct from statins. Nat Med. 2004 Dec;10(12):1344-51. doi: 10.1038/nm1135. Epub 2004 Nov 7. PMID: 15531889.
This functional study on hypercholesterolemic patients showed that administration of Berberine (Barberry active principle) for 3 months reduced serum cholesterol by 29%, triglycerides by 35% and LDL-cholesterol by 25%. These findings confirm that Berberine is a powerful natural active principle that normalizes lipemic levels, which is so important for the cardiovascular well-being, with a different and complementary mechanism to that of statins.
- Ju J, Li J, Lin Q, Xu H. Efficacy and safety of berberine for dyslipidaemias: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Phytomedicine. 2018 Nov 15;50:25-34. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2018.09.212. Epub 2018 Sep 28. PMID: 30466986.
This work reviews data obtained from as many as 16 different functional studies on Berberine from Barberry, administered to a total of 2'147 patients. Results confirm that Barberry active principles reduce the serum levels of Total Cholesterol, LDL Cholesterol and Triglycerides, while it increases the levels of HDL Cholesterol, the "good" cholesterol fraction that supports cardio-vascular well-being.
Milk thistle
- Cacciapuoti F, Scognamiglio A, Palumbo R, Forte R, Cacciapuoti F. Silymarin in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. World J Hepatol. 2013 Mar 27;5(3):109-13. doi: 10.4254/wjh.v5.i3.109. PMID: 23556042; PMCID: PMC3612568.
The study confirms that Milk Thistle and its active ingredient Silymarin have a strong protective action on the liver and its functions. Milk Thistle dry extract titrated in Silymarin was administered to 72 patients suffering from nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). After 3 months, blood tests confirmed that some parameters, including the ones indicative of early stage of atherosclerosis, had lowered, thus leading to the reduction of cardio-vascular risks.
- Formisano E, et al. Efficacy of Nutraceutical Combination of Monacolin K, Berberine, and Silymarin on Lipid Profile and PCSK9 Plasma Level in a Cohort of Hypercholesterolemic Patients. J Med Food. 2020 Jun;23(6):658-666. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2019.0168. Epub 2019 Oct 30. PMID: 31663806.
The study was carried out on 53 patients with congenital hypercholesterolemia and confirmed that a combination of Monacolin, Berberine and Silymarin has effects comparable to the ones obtained with Atorvastatin, a synthetic statin, especially on LDL-Cholesterol levels. Improvements of the p-CSK-9 protein - a critical element in congenital cholesterol dyslipidemia - were also observed, a result which is not achievable with the use of Atorvastatin. All this leads to the conclusion that the association of these natural active ingredients can play an important role in normalizing serum fat levels.
Matured (Aged) Garlic
- Jung ES, et al. Reduction of blood lipid parameters by a 12-wk supplementation of aged black garlic: a randomized controlled trial. Nutrition. 2014 Sep;30(9):1034-9. doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2014.02.014. Epub 2014 Mar 12. PMID: 24976429.
The action of Matured or Aged Garlic (also known as Black Garlic) was tested on 60 participants in a double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial. After 12 weeks, the group being administered Aged Black Garlic showed improved parameters compared to the placebo group in terms of HDL cholesterol and Apolipoprotein B levels, determinants of the cardiovascular well-being. The study proves that Aged Garlic deploys a protective action on the circulatory system.
- Munday JS, et al. Daily supplementation with aged garlic extract, but not raw garlic, protects low density lipoprotein against in vitro oxidation. Atherosclerosis. 1999 Apr;143(2):399-404. doi: 10.1016/s0021-9150(98)00293-7. PMID: 10217370.
LDL isolated from subjects given an Aged Garlic Extract (AGE), but not raw garlic, was significantly more resistant to oxidation than LDL isolated from subjects receiving no supplement. These results suggest that, if antioxidants are proven to be antiatherogenic, Aged Garlic Extract may be useful in preventing atherosclerotic disease and therefore reduce the cardiovascular risk.
Rosemary
- Kim GH, et al. Ursolic Acid Suppresses Cholesterol Biosynthesis and Exerts Anti-Cancer Effects in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells. Int J Mol Sci. 2019 Sep 26;20(19):4767. doi: 10.3390/ijms20194767. PMID: 31561416; PMCID: PMC6802365.
This interesting in vitro study confirms that Ursolic acid, a natural pentacyclic terpenoid found in Rosemary, can counteract the endogenous production of cholesterol by culture liver cells. The data obtained may lead to the conclusion that Ursolic acid can be a promising cholesterol-lowering nutraceutical for the prevention and the treatment of chronic diseases related to excess cholesterol.
- Tu Z, Moss-Pierce T, Ford P, Jiang TA. Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) extract regulates glucose and lipid metabolism by activating AMPK and PPAR pathways in HepG2 cells. J Agric Food Chem. 2013 Mar 20;61(11):2803-10. doi: 10.1021/jf400298c. Epub 2013 Mar 6. PMID: 23432097.
Rosemary has experimentally been proven to lower blood glucose and cholesterol levels in several in vivo studies. On a liver cell culture, Rosemary extract has the potential to increase hepatic glycolysis and fatty acid oxidation. Such action is fundamental to support the organic metabolic well-being, prevent the increase of sugar and fat levels in the blood and keep them under control thus granting the general well-being of the whole body.
DISCLAIMER
The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your medical condition.
Works of reference
1 Lin CC, Li TC, Lai MM. Efficacy and safety of Monascus purpureus Went rice in subjects with hyperlipidemia. Eur J Endocrinol. 2005 Nov;153(5):679-86. doi: 10.1530/eje.1.02012. PMID: 16260426.4 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20858178/
2 Federico A, Dallio M, Loguercio C. Silymarin/Silybin and Chronic Liver Disease: A Marriage of Many Years. Molecules. 2017 Jan 24;22(2):191. doi: 10.3390/molecules22020191. PMID: 28125040; PMCID: PMC6155865.
3 Iloon Kashkooli R, et al. The effect of berberis vulgaris extract on transaminase activities in non-alcoholic Fatty liver disease. Hepat Mon. 2015 Feb 5;15(2):e25067. doi: 10.5812/hepatmon.25067. PMID: 25788958; PMCID: PMC4350248.
4 Ulven SM, et al. Metabolic effects of krill oil are essentially similar to those of fish oil but at lower dose of EPA and DHA, in healthy volunteers. Lipids. 2011 Jan;46(1):37-46. doi: 10.1007/s11745-010-3490-4. Epub 2010 Nov 2. PMID: 21042875; PMCID: PMC3024511.
5 Epicentro – Istituto Superiore di Sanità - Aspetti epidemiologici: Ipercolesterolemia in Italia.
6 ANIF - Associazione Nazionale Ipercolesterolemia Familiare - Risposte ai quesiti sull'ipercolesterolemia.
7 Quotidianosanita.it - Daiichi Sankyo Italia, una campagna per prevenire l’ipercolesterolemia.
8 Istituto Superiore di Sanità: Progetto Cuore 2012.
I nostri testi hanno scopo divulgativo, non vanno intesi come indicazione di diagnosi e cura di stati patologici e non vogliono sostituirsi in alcun modo al parere del Medico.