| Although it may seem like an easy decision, it is | | | | It is possible to get bewildered by the number of |
| always worthwhile to pause and reflect before | | | | suppliers and claims made about different |
| starting to take policosanol supplement. The issues | | | | offerings. One can ask a few simple questions to |
| can be grouped and analyzed under a few | | | | help in identifying a reputable supplier. The |
| subheadings as follows: | | | | following checks are helpful in this regard: |
| Can I Expect Benefits And What Are They? | | | | Quality of ingredients: Only high quality ingredients |
| Many studies have reported the benefits | | | | are acceptable. Nutraceuticals manufactured to |
| conferred by policosanol which are listed below. | | | | the same exacting standards as pharmaceuticals |
| However it is worth mentioning that other studies | | | | are what one should expect - it's your health |
| have not been able to reproduce the benefits and | | | | after all. |
| we do not yet have a final word on this. | | | | Do they use natural ingredients? Due to the rapid |
| * It lowers the level of LDL i.e. "bad" cholesterol in | | | | developments in organic chemistry, petrochemicals |
| the blood. | | | | can now be used to manufacture what we |
| * It lowers the level of total cholesterol in the | | | | currently consider to be natural compounds. This |
| blood. | | | | is cheap but introduces impurities and deprives |
| * It raises the level of HDL i.e. "good" cholesterol | | | | you of the herbal remedy that you are seeking. |
| in the blood. | | | | Make sure that your supplier only uses natural |
| * It is ideal for diabetics because it does not raise | | | | ingredients. |
| blood sugar level. | | | | Do they use enteric coating: The absorption of |
| * These effects are the same or better than | | | | supplement nutrients happens in the alkaline |
| what is achieved by statins without the nasty side | | | | environment of the upper intestine. If a |
| effects. | | | | supplement is not protected from the acidic |
| How Does One Take It? | | | | stomach environment then a large part of its |
| It can only be taken as a supplement either singly | | | | value is lost. Good suppliers will use enteric coating |
| or in combination with other ingredients. Policosanol | | | | to protect their capsules from stomach acids. |
| is prepared from sugar cane wax, bees wax, rice | | | | Do they provide value for money: While your |
| bran and wheat germ hence unlike other | | | | policosanol supplements need not be "cheap", they |
| supplements, this is not really one that has a rich | | | | should however provide good value for money |
| dietary source. The one thing though, is that it is | | | | especially from the quality perspective. |
| better to take policosanol as part of a | | | | Will I Suffer Adverse Effects? |
| multi-ingredient nutrition supplement that comes | | | | No significant adverse effects have been reported |
| with many other components. These all tend to | | | | from human clinical trials apart from weight loss, |
| work synergistically together to give the best | | | | excessive urination and headaches in a very small |
| results. | | | | proportion of patients. Numerous animal studies |
| Who Will Provide My Supplement? | | | | have not demonstrated any toxicity in mammals. |