Background

There is a natural cholesterol nutrient, policosanol, that I have followed for awhile.  Now, I can finally recommend it.  Policosanol is a powerful nutrient that can do what few other food, nutrient – or even conventional treatments – can to maintain healthy cholesterol and triglycerides levels.

Much to the surprise of the medical community, it came from research effort in Cuba.  They have been quietly studying a strain of the sugar cane plant that has shown to be a critical source for a recently discovered cholesterol breakthrough!  Many clinical studies indicated that what they were seeing was actually real!  I have held off until I started to see studies in the US confirm the results.  Then, I knew I wanted it in our High Cholesterol Formula!

Policosanol is a naturally occurring component of beeswax and whole sugar cane.  Most of it today comes from a mixture of eight waxy substances derived from sugarcane wax.  The most important one is octacosanol which is typically 60% of the mixture.  Policosanol is a naturally occurring component of beeswax and whole sugar cane.

Results

More than 80 studies performed mostly by a single research institute suggest that policosanol obtained from Cuban sugar cane at doses of 5-40 mg/dL exerts cholesterol-lowering effects equivalent to that of statin drugs!  Now some new US studies are also reporting good results.  It can…

Lower your levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol by a whopping 22 percent…

• Increase your levels of beneficial “good” HDL cholesterol by 14 percent…
• Reduce your levels of dangerous blood triglycerides by 16 percent!
• And lower your total cholesterol by an impressive 16 percent…

Numerous animal models studies have been conducted using policosanol.  One study found that pre-treatment with policosanol and omega-3 fatty acids prevented arterial wall thickening and endothelial damage in animals whose arteries had been damaged artificially.

Artery-Scrubbing Power Makes Policosanol Remarkable!

In fact, it’s the ONLY nutrient I’ve ever seen to fully support healthy cardiovascular and circulatory systems.

1. Policosanol lowers your total cholesterol fast!

As you may know, your total cholesterol is made up of LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, and HDL, the “good” cholesterol.  Your body needs some cholesterol to survive and thrive.  But if you have too much LDL and not enough HDL, your total cholesterol numbers get too high.

   Here’s how policosanol comes to the rescue:  Because it can get your HDL and LDL into the correct proportions, it can lower your total cholesterol fast. Over 14 clinical trials have shown a lower total cholesterol by a hefty 16 percent – excellent results in a short amount of time!

2. Policosanol gets rid of “bad” LDL cholesterol.

Policosanol helps your liver to metabolize – burn up – that extra LDL cholesterol.  In one important large-scale study, just 10 mg of policosanol daily lowered LDL numbers by an astounding 22 percent!  Even better, policosanol helps limit your body’s ability to make more LDL.  It keeps fat cells from oxidizing for healthier blood vessels.  It also helps keep artery walls from thickening and reduces deadly blood clots and arterial inflammation.

3. Policosanol helps your body make MORE “good” HDL cholesterol.

HDL, the “good” cholesterol, has the most important job.  It sweeps your arteries clean by carrying the excess LDL cholesterol back to the liver.  So the higher your HDL, the better.  In fact, studies prove that just a tiny amount of this nutrient can boost “good” HDL cholesterol as much as 14 percent!

4. Policosanol lowers triglycerides-the dangerous blood fats.

Most people are so worried about their cholesterol they don’t realize triglycerides are just as important.  Triglycerides are fatty particles that are stored in body fat.  They are often linked to low HDL levels.  Simply put – higher triglycerides mean higher health risk.  But a double-blind study showed policosanol lowered serum triglycerides by 16%!

Some research suggests that policosanol is effective in lowering cholesterol in patients with progressive atherosclerosis and diabetes.  One study tested policosanol in patients suffering ischemic stroke who were also treated with aspirin and vitamins.  They achieved substantially positive results, with improvements in neurological outcomes and recurrent events.

One of the better ones is a well designed clinical trial involving nearly 30,000 patients. The research includes:

• Long term randomized double-blind studies comparing policosanol to a placebo,
• Blind comparative trials versus statin drugs, fibrates, niacin and probucol.

The results: policosanol is a safe answer to
high cholesterol levels vs pharmaceutical drugs.

Policosanol Mechanisms

The active substances work to lower cholesterol levels by several mechanisms including blocking the formation of cholesterol in the liver.  Policosanol boosts the activity of an enzyme called AMP-kinase, which in turn naturally modulates HMG-CoA reductase activity (the main enzyme of natural cholesterol synthesis).  The research confirms that policosanol is indicated as an adjunct to dietary and lifestyle recommendations to reduce elevated LDL-C and total cholesterol levels.

Policosanol produces a significant reduction
of serum total cholesterol and LDL-C levels.
Triglyceridesare also significantly reduced.

Research shows policosanol lowers total cholesterol and LDL-C by:

1. Inhibiting cholesterol synthesis at a point between the formation of acetate and mevalonate.
2. Exerting no direct inhibition on HMG-CoA reductase.
3. Significantly increasing LDL receptor dependent processing as demonstrated by increasing the incorporation of LDL into the hepatocyte and stimulating its catabolism.
4. Policosanol not only effectively decreases serum cholesterol levels, but also reduces the cholesterol content in different tissues such as liver, heart and fatty tissue.
5. The cholesterol-lowering effects of policosanol are persistent and it does not lose its effect over time.
6. Policosanol reduces platelet aggregation by altering prostaglandin synthesis. Specifically, policosanol lowers serum levels of the pro-aggregatory thromboxane A2, while increasing the anti-aggregatory prostaglandin prostacyclin.
7. Policosanol prevents and reverses atherosclerotic lesions and thrombosis.
8. Policosanol prevents intimal thickening and smooth muscle cell proferation.
9. Policosanol is an effective antioxidant in preventing LDL oxidation.

In these studies, policosanol has demonstrated significant improvements in LDL-C, total cholesterol, HDL-C, and the ratios of total cholesterol to HDL-C and LDL-C to HDL-C.  Policosanol is shown to lower cholesterol within the first 6-8 weeks of use.

From comparative studies it can be concluded that 10 mg of policosanol is equivalent in efficacy to 20 mg of lovastatin, 10 mg pravastatin, and 10 mg of simvastatin.  But, while these drugs have well-known side effects, policosanol is completely safe!

Policosanol has not been shown to produce any adverse drug interaction.  It can be used in diabetics, elderly subjects, and even in patients with impaired liver function or severe liver damage – without fear of side effects!

A-Z Index, – under “Artery Plaque Reduction”, and “Cholesterol – High Cholesterol Formula“, or:

Artery Plaque Reduction – to help dissolve and remove artery cholesterol.

High Cholesterol Formula  – how to lower and maintain cholesterol balance.

Policosanol Research References:

1. Dalmer Laboratory. (1990): Policosanol: Experimental Pharmacokinetics. Data on file.2. Menindez R., Sotolongo V., Fraga V., et al. (1996): Niveles plasmaticus y cxcrecion de la radiactividad total en voluntariois sanos tras la administracion ora de octacosanol-

3H. Rev. CENIC Cicn. Biol. 27:32-35.

2. Menindez R., Sotolongo V., Fraga V., et al. (1996): Niveles plasmaticus y cxcrecion de la radiactividad total en voluntariois sanos tras la administracion ora de octacosanol-3H. Rev. CENIC Cicn. Biol. 27:32-35.

3. Arruzazabala M. L., Carbajal D., Mas R., et al. (1994): Cholesterol-lowering effects of policosanol in rabbits. Biol. Res. 27:205-209.

4. Menindez R., Arruzazabala M.L., Mas R., et al. (1997): Cholesterol-lowering effect of policosanol on rabbits with hypercholesterolemia induced by a wheat starch-casein diet. Br. J. Nutr. 77:323-932.

5. Menindez R., Fernandez L, Del Rio A., et al. (1994): Policosanol inhibits cholesterol biosynthesis and enhances LDL processing in cultured human fibroblasts. Biol. Res. 27:199-203.

6. Menindez R., Amor A.M. Gonzilez R.M. Fraga V. and Mds R. (1996): Effect of policosanol on the hepatic cholesterol biosynthesis of normocholesterolcmic rats. Biol. Res. 29:253-257.

7. Cruz Bustillo D., Mederos C.M. Mas R., et al. (1991): Efecto hipocolesterol mico del Ateromixol (PPG) en el cerdo en ceba. Rev. CENIC Cien. Biol. 22:62-63.

8. Arruzazabala M. L., Valdes S., Mas R., et al. (1995): Effect of policosanol succesive dose increase in platelet aggregation healthy volunteers. Pharmacol. Res. 34:181-185.

9. Valdes S., Arruzazabala M.L., Carbajal D., et al. (1996): Effect of policosanol on platelet aggregation in healthy volunteers. Intern. J. Clin. Pharmacol. Res. 16:67-72.

10. Carbajal D, Arruzazabala M. L., Mas R., et al. (1998): Effect of policosanol on platelet aggregation and serum levels of arachidonic acid metabolites in healthy volunteers. Prostaglandins Leuko. Essent. Fatty Acids 58(1):61-4.

11. Noa M., Herrera M., Magrancr J. and Mas R. (1994): Effect of policosanol on isoprenaline-induccd myocardial necrosis in rats. J. Pharm. Pharmacol. 46:282-285.

12. Carbajal D, Arruzazabala M. L., Mas R., et al. (1994). Effects of policosanol on experimental thrombosis models. Prostaglandins Leuko. Essent. Fatty Acids 50:249-251.

13. Arruzazabala M.L., Carbajal D., Molina V., et al. (1993): Effect of policosanol on cerebral ischcmia in mongolian gerbils: Role of prostacyclin and thromboxane Az. Prostaglandins Leuko. Essent. Fatty Acids 49:695-697.

14. Noa M., Mas R., and Magraner J. (1994): Effect of policosanol on lipofundin-induced lesions in rats. J. Pharm. Pharmacol. 47:289-291.

15. Noa M., Mas R. and Mesa A. del R. (1997): Effect of policosanol in circulating endothelial cell in experimental models in Sprague-Dawley rats and in rabbits. Br. J. Nutr. 49:999-1002.

16. Noa M, Mas R, Mesa R. (1998): Effect of policosanol on intimal thickening in rabbit cuffed carotid artery. Int. J. Cardiol. 67(2):125-32,

17. Batista J., Stusser I. L., Penichet M. and Uguet E. (1995): Doppler-ultrasound pilot studyof thecffects of long-term policosanol therapy on carotid-vertebral atherosclerosis. Curr. Ther. Res. 56:906-914.

18. Fraga V., Menindez R., Anior A.M., et al. (1997): Effect of policosanol on in vivo and in vitro rat liver microsomal lipid pcroxidation. Arch. Medical Res. 28:355-360.

19. Mas R., Menindez R., Fraga V., etal. (1997): Modification of rat lipoprotein peroxidation by oral administration of policosanol. Abstract from the 4th International Conference on Preventive Cardiology, June 29-July3. Can. J. Cardiol. 13:Suppl. B. 310B.