Policosanol...Miracle Cholesterol Lowering Supplement or Marketing Hype?

Would you like to improve your cholesterol and dramatically lower your  risks of having a heart attack or stroke?

Are the side effects of statin drugs dragging you down? Policosanol is the absolute best answer.

My name is Gene Millen, your guide on this website. Since my "near heart attack" in 1990 and a six way heart bypass operation, my wife and I have been very interested in learning about the best supplements to keep my heart ticking for a long, long time.

So far so good. During a recent treadmill test Dr. Manni, my cardiologist said as he grinned from ear to ear, "You came through with flying colors. Keep on doing what you are doing."

When I first heard about policosanol in 2002 it seemed like it was too good to be true. If it really worked like the policosanol research studies reported why didn't my doctor tell me about it?

Why do most doctors automatically write out a prescription for a statin drug?

Marcia Angell, former editor of the New England Journal of Medicine and author of "The Truth About the Drug Companies" gives us some revealing clues:

• The makers of Lipitor and Zocor alone spent $150 million on advertising in the year 2000 alone.

• The pharmaceutical giants employed 88,000 sales representatives in 2001 to "visit" doctors, promote their products and provide them with free samples. That comes out to one drug rep for every 6 practicing physicians!

• Medical protocol dictates that statin drugs are automatically prescribed as the "standard of care" regardless of the need. My cardiologist was "miffed" when I chose policosanol rather than take a statin drug.

• Physicians have never studied the research.

The physician who is up to speed on natural remedies is rarer than a do-do bird. Most doctors know little or nothing about the benefits of all natural policosanol.

Instead they automatically prescribe one of the statin drugs such as Lipitor, Zocor, Crestor and Vytorin to lower cholesterol. These drugs do a great job of lowering LDL cholesterol cholesterol but there are a lot of us who feel that the side effects outweigh the benefits.

The side effects of statin drugs

University of California San Diego Study.
The following study which was put together by a group of scientists, doctors and students at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine pulls no punches in analyzing the side effects of Lipitor, Zocor, Crestor, Vytorin and similar statin drugs.

• Changes in liver function.
  Your doctor will probably monitor blood tests to check that your liver continues to function well. If the liver function becomes too abnormal, your doctor will stop the drug.

• Muscle symptoms are common lipitor side effects, but occasionally something called “myopathy” occurs, involving actual damage to muscle tissue.

• Memory and Concentration. Some people report changes in memory, attention, or concentration on statins. They may have trouble finding the right word; may forget tasks they started to do; and may have trouble following conversations. Some describe "holes in their memory" and worry that they are developing Alzheimer's.

• Depression and Irritability. Many people report depression and changes in mood as Lipitor side effects.

• Higher rates of death from suicide and accidents. A number of studies have shown that those on drugs to lower cholesterol have an increase in accidents that could be the result of reduced concentration.

• Low serotonin has been reported as another side effect of statin drugs.  Cholesterol medications can lower activity of the brain chemical serotonin. Low serotonin activity is known to relate to suicide and depression in people.

• Headaches, Joint and Abdominal Pain. Although muscle pain is a well-recognized side effect of these drugs other pain effects include headaches, joint pains, and abdominal pain.

• Peripheral Neuropathy. A recent study has confirmed that peripheral neuropathy (tingling and numbness or burning pain) may occur with statins.

• Sleep problems, sexual function problems, fatigue, dizziness and a sense of detachment are also reported Lipitor side effects.

What is policosanol?
Whole Health MD describes policosanol as "a unique natural product derived from sugar cane wax and beeswax: It has proved effective at reducing cholesterol levels and for some individuals may be a reasonable natural alternative to the commonly prescribed "statin-type" cholesterol-lowering drugs."

Note: Although some cheaper forms of policosanol are derived from rice, plant waxes and bees wax these "bargain" formulas are often less effective. Sugar cane policosanol was used in the original clinical studies.

How does policosanol work?
Policosanol balances cholesterol levels by impacting both excessive manufacture and impaired breakdown of cholesterol. It is also an effective antioxidant and has several other benefits. (See Additional Policosanol Benefits below.)

Can policosanol lower cholesterol better than Lipitor, Zocor or Crestor without side effects?
Let's ask one of the most renowned natural doctors.

Dr. Michael Murray ND, author of Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine says this about policosanol:

Recent Policosanol Clinical Trials
Policosanol shown to be more effective
than Zocor and other statin drugs.
Reported in New Hope Natural Media, 6/6/02

"In a six-month study, 10 mg per day of Policosanol reduced total cholesterol by 16% and LDL cholesterol by 24%, and increased HDL cholesterol by 29%."

Several other studies have compared Policosanol with some of the conventional medications used for lowering cholesterol and the results have shown that of 5 to 20 mg per day to be more effective than Lovastatin (Mevacor®), pravastatin (Pravachol®)and Simvastatin (Zocor®).

Double Blind Study Comparing Policosanol to Statin Drugs
In a 1997 head-to-head study policosanol was compared with statin drugs lovastatin (Mevacor), simvastatin (Zocor) and pravastatin (Pravachol)

Policosanol and ZOCOR were found to be equally effective in lowering cholesterol  during an eight week study...but policosanol also significantly increased HDL-cholesterol levels and Zocor did not.

Is policosanol safe?
Policosanol is one of the most widely tested natural products. In clinical trials of nearly 30,000 persons policosanol derived from sugar cane has been proven to be safe. Side effects are rare and minimal.

• Numerous clinical trails show that elderly persons, diabetics and those with liver damage can safely take policosanol.

• Studies show that this all natural product made from sugar cane  DOES NOT affect blood thinning and there is no interaction between policosanol and blood-thinning medication such as warfarin.

• In short and long-term clinical studies, it has been simultaneously used with calcium antagonists,  beta-blockers and diuretics with no evidence of clinically relevant adverse interactions. 

• NASAIDs, anti-depressants,  digoxin, warfarin, thyroid hormones and anti-ulcer drugs have also shown no evidence of clinically relevant adverse interactions with policosanol.

What are the side effects of policosanol?
The side effects of policosanol are rare and minimal. In studies of  27,879 patients (17,225 patients for two years and 10,654 patients for four years), only 86 patients (0.31%) reported adverse effects, the most frequent of which was weight loss.

How long does it take to get results?
Detailed clinical trials have shown that Policosanol produces beneficial effects on cholesterol control within the first 6-8 weeks of use.

What is the recommended dosage?
Dosage used in the clinical studies was from 10 mg to 20 mg per day. It was shown that increasing the dose to 40 mg had little additional benefit. The majority of persons take 20 mg per day.

Cautions
It is a good idea to have your cholesterol checked after 8-12 weeks of use and reduce your dosage if it causes your cholesterol to drop below 150 mg/dL.

Note: Many doctors fail to tell you that your risk of stroke increases if your cholesterol becomes too low.

Pregnant or nursing women should not take policosanol without consulting with a health care professional.

Additional Benefits of Policosanol

• Increases protective HDL cholesterol levels. Most statin drugs do NOT improve HDLs. HDL cholesterol levels typically increase by 15 to 25% after only two months of policosanol use.

• The "good" HDL cholesterol is the "Superman" heart protector. HDL cholesterol acts like a miniature hydraulic vacuum cleaner, streaming through your arteries scooping up the heart- stopping LDL cholesterol, and carrying it back to your liver where it can be “dealt with”.

  HDLs also douse the fires of inflammation. It is this smoldering inflammation and oxidation that causes the cholesterol in our arteries to turn rancid and clog our arteries.

  Scientific studies also show that people with the highest levels of HDL cholesterol have the greatest longevity.

• New studies show that oxidation and inflammation are more important contributors to artery clogging than just high LDLs alone.

• Policosanol doesn’t interfere with sex life as statins often do.

• Lowers Lp(a) cholesterol. Many researchers say this is the "baddest" form of cholesterol.

• Reduces platelet aggregation (stickiness) which lowers risk of arterial blood clots.

• Improves intermittent claudication (pain in the leg muscles due to inadequate blood supply).

• This all natural supplement may prevent and reverse atherosclerotic lesions and thrombosis (clotting).

Warning: Do NOT buy any Policosanol product unless it meets the following criteria.