Posted 3/16/07 |
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| NAME: | Policosanol | |
| DESCRIPTION: | Policosanol is the generic term used for a mixture of long chain fatty alcohols, primarily octacosanol. | |
| FUNCTION: | Policosanol is used to lower (bad) LDL cholesterol and increase (good) HDL cholesterol and to help prevent atherosclerosis. Its mechanism of action of policosanols is still not yet fully understood. | |
| SOURCES: | Octacosanol and related substances are also found in: wheat germ oil, vegetable oils, alfalfa, and various animal products.
Policosanols are derived from beeswax, wheat germ, and sugar cane extracts, as well as (most recently) certain insects. |
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| DOSAGE: | A recommended starting dose of policosanol is 5 mg daily taken once a day at dinner time. The dose can be doubled to 5 milligrams twice a day, taken at lunch and dinner time. | |
| DATA: | The effectiveness of policosanols is, as of this posting, a topic of much debate and controversy: in over 80 studies published by various (but related) government-owned Cuban enterprises, sugar cane-derived policosanols were shown to be extrememly effective, lowering LDL ("bad") choleserol as much as 31%, with virtually no side effects reported. However, in 2006, three independent studies failed to show any benefit (at usual or even high doses) of policosanol supplementation, casting a great shadow doubt over these findings. (See SUPPLEMENT Vol. 2, Issue 7: "Policontroversy! Cuban Studies Questioned as Policosanols Fail Tests")
There is currently a research project underway titled Preliminary Study of Safety and Efficacy of Policosanol, studying policosanol's effects on HIV-related dyslipidemia at Chicago's Rush University Medical Center. Researchers there still hold hope for policosanols. |
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| CAUTIONS: | If you are taking any blood-thinning medications (such as warfarin or daily aspirin), consult your doctor before using this supplement.
Policosanol has been found not to interact with three types of medications used for high blood pressure: calcium-channel antagonists, diuretics, and beta-blockers. Because of possible antithrombotic activity, the following should not take policosanols: those taking warfarin (or other blood-thinners) and hemophliacs. Also, policosanol supplementation should be stopped before any surgery. Policosanols should not be taken by: pregnant or breast-feeding women. |
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| FOR MORE INFORMATION: |
SUPPLEMENT Vol. 2, Issue 7: "Policontroversy! Cuban Studies Questioned as Policosanols Fail Tests"
SUPPLEMENT Vol.1, Issue 1: "Policosanols vs. Prescriptions?" JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) has one of the damning studies posted and available to non-members. Physician's Desk Reference details a number of encouraging policosanol studies. |
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| RELATED PRODUCTS: |
Policosanol (Source Naturals) Each bottle, 60 tablets. Each tablet contains 10 mg of policosanol (derived from bees wax) along with 41 mg of calcium. | |
| PRODUCT NOTES: | From the manufacturer: Recommended dose is two tablets, in the evening, for the first three months. Thereafter 1-2 tablets daily.
Source Naturals also recommends that a minimum of 15 mg of Coenzyme Q10 be taken daily per each of these 10mg tablets, since some studies indicate that CoQ10 levels in the body are lowered by compounds that work on the same metabolic pathway as policosanols. |
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