Nutraceuticals Including Policosanol and Red Yeast Rice Support Lipid Balancing

According to a recently published study, the combination of nutraceuticals that includes policosanol, red yeast rice, berberine, folic acid, coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), and astaxanthin supports healthy lipid levels. Policosanol, a compound derived from sugar cane, has been shown to enhance healthy cholesterol metabolism. Red yeast rice is the product of rice fermented with Monascus purpureus yeast; it supports lipid balancing. Berberine is an alkaloid derived from various plants used for immune and cardiovascular support.

Eighty subjects over the age of 75 with imbalanced lipid levels and who refused to use conventional cholesterol-balancing remedies were evaluated in this study. The subjects received either a placebo or a combination of 500 mg of berberine, 10 mg of policosanol, 200 mg of red yeast rice, 0.2 mg of folic acid, 2 mg of CoQ10, and 0.5 mg of astaxanthin. The subjects were assessed for lipid levels at the beginning of the study and again after 3, 6, and 12 months of supplementation.

The results of the study showed that the nutraceutical group had significantly enhanced lipid and blood sugar balance, including a 20 percent improved balance in total cholesterol, a 31 percent improved balance in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and a 10 percent improvement in insulin metabolism. The study also demonstrated that safety, tolerability, and compliance were high.

The study authors stated that this combination of nutraceuticals significantly enhances balanced lipid levels in elderly subjects with suboptimal cholesterol levels, and the combination of nutraceuticals is well-tolerated in these subjects.

Reference:

Marazzi G, Cacciotti L, Pelliccia F, Iaia L, Volterrani M, Caminiti G, Sposato B, Massaro R, Grieco F, Rosano G. Long-term effects of nutraceuticals (berberine, red yeast rice, policosanol) in elderly hypercholesterolemic patients. Adv Ther. 2011 Nov 21. Published Online Ahead of Print.