Alternatives for those of us with Fami. Hypercholesterlemia

[Brian C.]

I have told my endocrinologist that I would be quite happy with "High Average" cholesterol. Unfortunately, without the Lipitor I am back more than 3 standard deviations from the average. I do not want the xanthomas to return so this is my strategy :

Increase HDL-c : I am taking 500mg Niaspan (nicotinic acid) per diem.
Also on a low carb diet, especially avoiding sugar, refined flour products and milled rice. I take 1g Cod Liver Oil and 1g Krill Oil.

Increase Bile Secretion : To this end I have begun to take Artichoke Extract.
I may add Hawthorn.

Decrease LDL-c : To this end I have begun to take Alfalfa capsules rich in saponins and Berberine Hydrochloride from China.

Read the article "Berberine is a novel cholesterol-lowering drug working through a unique mechanism distinct from statins" as a PDF download from here :

*http://blog.case.edu/yxr10/2005/1/19/nm1135.pdf

Of course, don't forget to remove the asterisk before copying and pasting

It goes without saying this is all in addition to Dr Graveline's recommendations and copious CoE Q-10 and Carnitine plus R-Alpha-Lipoic Acid to repair my statin-ravaged body.

I will report numbers after my next blood testing.

Hope this will be of help to fellow members of the "One In Five Hundred Club".


Brian.

[Brian C.]

A synopsis for that referred paper, which is highly technical and because of that not really appropriate for the readership here (sorry), follows :

The team at the Institute of Molecular Biology in Beijing examined the active compounds from 700 herbs which have major applications in Chinese medicine and therefore proven clinical safety. From these herbs, Huang Lian (Coptis chinensis) provided an alkoloid compound named 'berberine' (BBR) that was shown to be most effective in increasing low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) activity ('upregulation of expression') in the liver. Two daily doses of 0.5g each for 3 months resulted in an average reduction in serum cholesterol of 29%, in LDL-c a reduction of 25% and a reduction of 35% in triglycerides. This was achieved with no side-effects and an improvement in liver function, thought due to reduced hepatic fat storage.

Sounds good to me so am taking 1g per diem of berberine hydrochloride obtained from chineseherb.co.uk

Brian

[Brian C.]

Also of interest is recent research by Schurger et al at the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands regarding a particular form of Vitamin K and its role in the decalcification of plaque and restoration of arterial elasticity, described in this monograph pdf :

*http://www.plthomas.com/PLTbrands/vitamin%20k2%20as%20MK-7%20monograph%20107.pdf

This form, Vit K2/melaquinone-7, is also beneficial for osteoparosis.
The effective daily dose is quite small at just 45 micrograms.

Brian.