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CholestOff Dangers

CholestOff is a non-prescription medication that is advertised as being clinically proven to lower cholesterol. It works by blocking the cholesterol that is present in food. While Pharmavite, the parent company that produces CholestOff, claims that there are no significant side effects, it's important to educate yourself thoroughly on the drug before you take it.

  1. How it Works

    • CholestOff works by preventing dietary cholesterol from being absorbed by your body. By lowering the amount of cholesterol that you take in through the consumption of food, you will be able to lower your overall low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level.
      CholestOff's primary ingredients are plant sterol and stanols, which are natural cholesterol-lowering plant components. They are used in many cholesterol-lowering medications, and they can also be found naturally in many kinds of fruits, nuts, seeds, vegetables, cereals and vegetable oils.

    Recommended Usage

    • CholestOff.com recommends taking two tablets 15 to 30 minutes before each meal. You can cut the tablets in half or crush them, but you should still take the recommended amount. You do not have to wait any certain amount of time between meals. CholestOff is reported as being safe to take 15 to 30 minutes before every meal, regardless of how long it has been since the last dosage and meal.

    Is it Approved by the FDA?

    • As of late 2009, the Food and Drug Administration had not approved CholestOff, nor had it evaluated any of the statements made by CholestOff. In fact, the FDA rejected some of the claims made about CholestOff right on its packaging, due to a discrepancy with the ingredients. At that time, CholestOff claimed that plant stanols and sterols were the two main ingredients. The FDA found that it instead contained Reducol, an ingredient that contains unesterified sterols and stanols.

      When stanols and sterols undergo esterification, they are isolated, purified, chemically hydrogenated, and then combined with long-chain fatty acids, which are ommonly derived from vegetable oil fatty acids. Esterified stanols and sterols are preferred because they have a higher lipid solubility, and they are easier to incorporate into fatty foods such as margarine, cream cheese and yogurts.

      It is unknown if CholestOff still uses Reducol, or if the primary ingredients are actual plant stanols and sterols.

    Side Effects and Dangers

    • Pharmavite, the company that manufactures CholestOff, reports that there are "no known significant side effects." However, it recommends speaking with your physician if you plan on taking CholestOff while you're already taking a cholesterol-lowering medication.

      The company also says the National Cholesterol Education Program guidelines that recommends the intake of plant stanols and sterols as part of a healthy diet.

      Because there is a possibility that CholestOff uses unesterified sterols and stanols, you may wish to speak with your physician before adding the drug to your plans for managing high cholesterol.

    Should You Use CholestOff?

    • Even though CholestOff is promoted as having no significant side effects, you should still talk with your physician to determine if it is a good choice for you. You may find that a healthy diet consisting of low-cholesterol foods, daily exercise and perhaps the addition of prescription cholesterol-lowering medication may be a better choice.

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