Your guide to Policosanol
Policosanol is a naturally occurring element that is typically found in the wax of the sugar cane plant. It has been used for many years in the Cuban culture as a treatment for heart disease, specifically for such conditions as artheriosclerosis.
The majority of the studies conducted on policosanol have been conducted in Cuba.
It is believed that Policosanol is able to reduce harmful cholesterol levels, increase circulation and reduce the risk of blood clots. Further benefits of policosanol may include treatment for certain conditions related to diabetes; particularly of the type II variety.
Policosanol is also thought to help certain populations, such as postmenopausal women who are more at risk for heart disease, with heart conditions like hypercholesterolemia. Early studies indicate that policosanol may work better than some traditional medications in treating heart conditions in regards to reduced side effects; although it is important that persons with heart disease or at risk for heart disease not attempt to self medicate solely with policosanol.
Specifically, studies indicate that policosanol does not contribute to liver damage as certain other medications might. It is even believed that policosanol might be a better blood thinning agent than aspirin.
Clicnical trails have shown
that Policosanol can lower one’s bad Cholesterol (LDL) by up to 20%
and raise beneficial cholesterol (HDL) by 10%.
This compound does not appear to have any negative side effects or drug interactions.
It should be noted that the one exception to drug interactions involves use with anti-coagulants as this compound works to thin blood.
There have been very rare cases of minimal weight loss and very slight altered sleep patterns, such as insomnia, associated with supplemental use of this compound. It is believed that there are no negative toxic side effects related to
the use of this compound.
When manufactured, policosanol is taken from sugar cane plants and mixed with alcohol to result in a purified product. Supplements are typically available in capsule form. The maximum recommended daily allowance of policosanol for therapeutic purposes is generally between 5 and 20 milligrams.
Consumers should review ingredient labels to insure that additives and fillers are not included in the product. Policosanol should be kept in a cool, dry location and away from direct sunlight and heat.
Precautions
We have found policosanol to be a very safe supplement, especially given the amount of clinical trails it has gone through. People think that because it comes from sugar cane wax, it may raise blood sugar levels, this is myth, and it doesn't raise blood sugar levels.
Another positive note about policosanol is that it doesn't appear to interact with prescription heart medications. Of course a doctor should always be consulted before taking any new health supplement. If you are taking any prescription drugs, then a doctor visit is highly recommended before taking policosanol.
Nutritional-Supplement-Guides Opinion
Policosanol is a desirable alternative to statin drugs, which have been documented to produce undesirable side effects, such as liver dysfunction and atrophy of muscle. Not only this, but there have probably been more studies and trials conducted on policosanol than most prescription drugs available. The efficacy, in short, is indisputable.
Another herb called gugulipid has been prooven in many clinical trails to also lower cholesterol, however, the added bonus of this particular herb is that it can also lower ones triglyceride level.
If you have a high triglyceride level in conjunction with high cholesterol, then this raises the risk of heart disease immensley. Both policosanol and gugulipid can be used together in a potent and effective cocktail for optimal health benefits.
Our tips on choosing a Policosanol Supplement
1. There are many supplements on the market that claim to use “Policosanol” but in all honesty are using “Octacosanol.” Also, many health products that derive their “Policosanol” from bees wax, not sugar cane wax. These are INCOMPLETE forms and will NOT give the results outlined in the above clinical trials that we discussed. The clinical trials we briefly discussed were done using only genuine policosanol from sugar cane wax.
The main reason why supplment companies use bees wax or Octacosanol is because these substances are many times cheaper. To be honest, genuine policosanol costs more than 20 times than that of Octacosanol. They may even mention clinical trails relating to their products, however, they do not apply to the supplements that they are producing due to low quality, or even completely different ingredients. The bottom line is that you would probably never find out about this, while they take your money, and your health doesn't get the benefits it deserves.
2. Make sure your Policosanol supplement is manufactured at pharmaceutical GMP compliant facilities, which produce supplements to the highest regulatory standards in the world. Many supplements are largely unregulated which means many health products do not contain the amount of ingredients stated on the label.
A Comprehensive Policosanol Supplement
A company we personally use called Xtend-Life natural products meets all of the above requirements and more. Their breakthrough and recommended cholesterol formula contains Policosanol along with gugulipid, in addition to many other heart healthy nutrients.
We here at Nutritional-Supplement-Guides have members of our family using this supplement with remarkable results.
We Have Been Using The Following Products For Over 3 Years And Have Achieved Optimal Health...
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