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Herbal Treaments for High Cholesterol

High cholesterol can lead to several serious health problems, including heart attacks. Some people take medication to lower their cholesterol, but others try to lower their high cholesterol with diet and herbal supplements. Different herbal supplements have been researched and studied over the years to see which ones are most effective in lowering cholesterol. Garlic, barley and red yeast rice are three herbal supplements that have been studied and shown to lower cholesterol in many people.

  1. Garlic

    • According to all-about-lowering-cholesterol.com, a study of 220 patients showed that they took 800 milligrams of powdered garlic for four months. Their results were a 12 percent drop in cholesterol and a 17 percent drop in triglycerides. Many people take a garlic supplement, which is available at many health food stores or in the vitamin section at drug stores. You can also eat a small clove of fresh garlic daily. As with any supplement, you should consult your doctor first for possible side effects.

    Barley

    • The Mayo Clinic suggests barley as a cholesterol-lowering herbal supplement. Barley has no known side effects. It lowers total cholesterol and LDL, low-density lipoprotein, cholesterol, which is the bad cholesterol. The usual suggested daily dosage for barley when trying to lower cholesterol is 3 grams of barley oil extract or 30 grams of barley bran flour. You could make or purchase bran muffins and bran bread, which are often flavored with honey and raisins.

    Red Yeast Rice

    • Red yeast rice is rice that has been fermented by red yeast. It has been used for many centuries by the Chinese in cooking and as a food preservative. Chinese and Japanese cultures still use red yeast rice in many recipes today. Recently, Chinese and American scientists have been studying the effects of red yeast rice on lowering cholesterol, according to MedicineNet.com. The Food and Drug Administration is regulating the amount of cholesterol-lowering ingredients that can be in red yeast rice supplemental products. The products you are buying in health-food stores and pharmacies in the United States are safe and shown to be effective.

    Other Supplements

    • Other herbal supplements that may lower cholesterol are artichoke extract, ground flaxseed and fish oil. With artichoke extract, it is recommended to take 1,800 to 1,920 milligrams a day, divided into two to three doses. Ground flaxseed can be used in recipes. It is recommended to take 40 to 50 grams a day. You can also stir ground flaxseed into cereal or yogurt. With fish oil, you can take 2 to 4 grams a day in liquid oil or oil-filled capsules.

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