The word cholesterol has become synonymous with poor health. The word cholesterol is normally connected to the sentence that states that high cholesterol is the primary factor for coronary heart disease and heart attacks [i].
Cholesterol is not a bad thing. On the contrary, cholesterol performs an important role in forming cell membranes, regulating hormones, insulating nerves, and more. Excess cholesterol is the problem. For most people who talk and read about this topic, the scenario almost alwaysentails an excessive amount of cholesterol, or the situation referred to as hypercholesterolemia.
Too much cholesterol within the body’s blood is unable to dissolve easily and cannot be easily carried to cells using the carrier LDL or low-density lipoprotein. This can create a build-up of LDL cholesterol (a.k.a. “bad cholesterol”), and start to interfere with arteries that transport blood to the heart and brain. LDL cholesterol build-up often cause heart attack and stroke [ii].
It’s not easy to cut back one’s cholesterol levels. Eliminating certain foods from one’s diet is one of the first steps that should be taken and some with hypercholesterolemia require medical intervention. Dozens of cholesterol-lowering drugs are on the market that have unfortunate side effects such as increasing liver enzymes, nausea, diarrhea, and muscle tenderness [iii]. Out-of-pocket statin medications are also costly if not covered by a drug plan.
One product that has got a lot of attention is policosinol resulting from its capability to help lower cholesterol levels. Derived from the wax of sugarcanes and honeybees, policosinol is said by some to reduce cholesterol, offer no identified side effects, be safe in high doses, increase blood flow, reduce platelet clumps, and stop atherosclerosis (plaque buildup on the artery walls)[iv].
Studies have been performed on policosinol efficacy, and there is some empirical evidence that supports it as a high LDL cholesterol remedy. Researchers at the University of Bonn reviewed 60 clinical trials in 2002 involving 3000 patients which concluded cautiously that policosinol is an alternative to statin drugs although additional testing is required [v].
There are some who are nonetheless skeptical concerning the effects of policosinol and think of it as more of a wonder cure than an actual remedy.
Many point out that policosinol isn’t FDA approved. As such, it has not been subjected to the rigorous testing that comes with approving a new drug, including supervised preclinical trials and standardized testing in successively larger populations of people. The approval rate for the FDA is low, however because it only approves 1 out of 5000 or .0002 of applicants.
However, this instigates another debate – whether or not the FDA approval process is the most appropriate technique to accept drugs into drug plans, and whether doctors ought to be permitted to prescribe non-FDA-approved drugs without undue concerns for malpractice lawsuits. Indeed, an MD might have personally benefited from a natural remedy like policosinol, however to prescribe that to a patient requires more support than personal preference, or even personal testimony.
Two separate debates coexist concerning policosinol’s effectiveness and the FDA approval. This debate makes it frustrating for all sides, particularly for many who just want a good solution.
There is currently an effort going on to develop or discover a safe and free of side-effects remedy. Additional research on policosinol will further make clear whether that step ought to be towards FDA approval, or towards a warning label.
REFERENCES
[i] Source: “Heart Mender”. CNN.Com. http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2001/americasbest/science.medicine/pro.pridker.html
[ii] Source: “Cholesterol”. American Heart Association. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4488
[iii] Source: “Statin Medications: What are the Side Effects?”. Mayoclinic.com http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?id=AN00587
[iv] Source: “Policosinol “. Wholehealthmd.com. http://www.wholehealthmd.com/refshelf/substances_view/1,1525,10127,00.html
[v] Source: “Policosinol : clinical pharmacology and therapeutic significance of a new lipid-lowering agent”. Gouni-Berthold I, Berthold HK. Am Heart J. 2002 Feb;143(2):356-65.
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