MyFatDog        

WHAT ABOUT NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS?

In our opinion a lot of claims made by suppliers of nutritional supplements are unsubstantiated.  Part of this is due to lack of oversight by government agencies such as the FDA.  We are collecting information about nutritional supplements with advertized effects on blood fat levels are backed up by valid scientific information. 

Some nutritional supplements that have been shown to improve cholesterol and triglycerides are:

African mango (Irvingia gabonensis) seed extract:  Irvingia gabonensis has been linked to weight loss.  Small clinical studies have also shown that the extract is able to reduce LDL cholesterol levels.  However, the extract also appears to reduce HDL cholesterol levels which may counteract any benefit of LDL lowering.

Anthocyanidins, proanthocyanidins and tannins.  Other compounds found in various foods have been shown in small studies to have beneficial effects on cardiovascular health.   These compounds include: anthocyanidins, proanthocyanidins and tannins. A partial list of foods that contain these compounds are blueberry, blackberry, cranberry, grape, pomegranate, red cabbage, red wine, sweet potato and teas.  These foods don't always change your cholesterol or triglyceride levels but appear to be protective in other ways.  One way is that these compounds may protect LDL from being damaged through oxidation.  Another possibility is that these compounds may directly protect the blood vessel making it less likely to get clogged with plaque.   Larger studies would be needed to conclusively establish that these compounds are of any real benefit for cardiovascular health.  Since there are are other health benefits associated with eating several servings of fresh fruit and vegetables each day, eating fruits and vegetables as a source of these compounds certainly won't hurt.  However, taking supplements in the form of purified anthocyanidins, proanthocyanidins and tannins may not offer any benefit.

Chromium - can make the body more sensitive to insulin and this can lead to less VLDL being made and possibly less LDL from being made.  This will only work if you are deficient in chromium intake to begin with.

Fish oil - can reduce the amount of VLDL made by the liver.  This results in lower triglyceride levels.  However, some studies have shown that fish oil can increase LDL cholesterol levels.

HEP-40 - This is a non-absorbable polysaccharide (repeating type of sugar, similar to some forms of fiber) that is derived from algae, fungi and the shells from crustaceans like shrimp.  It binds to cholesterol in your gut and prevents it from being absorbed, much like some type of fiber and oat bran.

Oat bran - can bind cholesterol in your gut and prevent it from being absorbed.

Plant sterols - these can compete with cholesterol for absorption in the gut causing less cholesterol to be absorbed.

Red yeast rice - This has been shown to contain compounds that are similar to what is found in statin drugs and some studies have reported LDL lowering effects that are comparable to statin drugs.  However, like statins, red yeast rice can be associated with harmful effects causing muscle weakness.  The US FDA issued a letter in 2007 warning consumers to avoid red yeast rice products promoted as treatments to lower cholesterol levels since these can contain a naturally-occurring version of lovastatin, an unauthorized drug.

Resveratrol - Resveratrol is a compound that is present in red wine that has been associated with anti-aging and antidiabetic effects in animals. It has also been reported to have antioxidant properties and has been shown to reduce LDL oxidation.  Most studies testing resveratrol in animals have produced beneficial effects but a few studies have reported toxic effects.  Results for that study testing the anti-aging and anti-diabetic effects of resveratrol should be reported in 2010.