Cholesterol supplements are designed to keep your cholesterol at a healthy level. They do this using a variety of different methods and ingredients.
If your cholesterol levels are too high, you are at a higher risk for heart attack and stroke, so it is vital to lower them to a healthy level. Generally, this is done through both medication and diet. However, supplements can also play a key role when used correctly.
Here are some of our favorite supplements for lowering cholesterol levels:
Rankings
1. Nature Made CholestOff Complete Softgels
One inexpensive bottle of Nature Made CholestOFF contains a 20-day supply of cholesterol-lowering softgels. It contains a variety of ingredients designed to help lower your harmful cholesterol levels, including plant sterols.
It works by directly reducing the amount of cholesterol produced by your liver.
2. BRI Nutrition Odorless garlic
Garlic has been linked to lower levels of cholesterol in some cases. Because of this, taking garlic as a supplement may help you lower your cholesterol levels.
Each bottle comes with a 60-day supply, and they are incredibly inexpensive, so nothing is keeping you from trying them.
3. Citrus Bergamot Capsules
This formula is patented and clinically-proven. It is designed to help maintain healthy blood glucose levels while also increasing HDL cholesterol. In some cases, it may help with your weight as well.
These pills are organic, natural, and vegan. They are also made in the USA and tested for purity.
4. New Health HeartSavior Lower Cholesterol and Heart Health Supplement
This supplement contains six ingredients that may help lower your overall cholesterol levels and promote the creation of good cholesterol. It includes plant sterols and stanols, which decrease the amount of LDL cholesterol in your bloodstream.
This supplement is backed with a 90-day guarantee.
5. Qunol Ultra CoQ10 100mg
These soft gels contain the perfect amount of CoQ10, which can lower your LDL cholesterol levels. They are 100% water and fat-soluble, allowing your body to use the contents of these pills faster.
These may be particularly useful for statin drug users, as some studies have shown particularly good results when this supplement is paired with that particular drug.
6. Genius Heart and Cardiovascular Health Supplement
These supplements contain a variety of ingredients, including grape seed extract and vitamin K2. This pill may help you maintain healthy cholesterol levels and improve your cardiac function and health.
It also contains several other ingredients to improve your heart health, making it an excellent choice for those worried about their heart health.
7. NOW Supplements Cholesterol Pro
If you’re worried about your cardiovascular health, this supplement may be a great choice. It contains two ingredients that may be beneficial to your heart health. Plus, it is also soy-free and non-GMO.
It is made in a GMP-quality assured lab, so you can rest assured that the quality is fantastic. They are also packaged in the USA.
8. 1MD CholestMD
This supplement is specially formulated to support your heart health, which can help you with your cholesterol levels as well. It is designed to help you reach healthy cholesterol levels as quickly as possible.
With ingredients like rest yeast rice and garlic, this supplement is very high quality.
9. Healthy Origins Red Yeast Rice
Check lowest price
Red yeast rice is commonly considered to help lower cholesterol levels. Because of this, you may want to try just a red yeast rice supplement like this one.
It contains a high level of red yeast rice to help you see results as fast as possible.
Who Should Buy a Cholesterol Supplement?
Cholesterol supplements are usually taken by those who need to lower the LDL cholesterol levels. Most people realize that their levels are off after a trip to their doctor. Typically, they are given medication and prompted to make dietary changes. However, supplements can also be used besides these strategies to see faster results.
If this describes you, a cholesterol supplement may be just what you’re looking for. These supplements contain a wide variety of ingredients. If one doesn’t work, another one might. Feel free to try multiple supplements to find which one works best for you.
Cholesterol supplements may also be useful for those who are worried about their heart health. Many of these supplements are also very heart-healthy, which is extremely useful if you’re at risk for heart disease or other heart problems. Whether you have a family history of heart disease or just want to protect your heart, these supplements can also be useful in these cases.
How We Ranked
When ranking each product, we first considered how safe each supplement was. Supplements are not regulated by the FDA, which means they can contain just about anything. Because of this, it is vital to check the safety of a cholesterol supplement before you purchase it.
Preferably, you should purchase a supplement made from a GMP-certified facility. These facilities are regulated by the FDA, even if the supplements produced in them aren’t. That means that you can rest assured there won’t be anything dangerous in the facility.
If you can’t get a supplement made in a GMP-facility, ensure that the pills at least come from the USA, UK, or a similar country. These countries have banned dangerous ingredients so that they won’t end up in your supplement.
Secondly, we also considered the ingredients in each supplement. Some ingredients work better than others. Preferably, you want to choose a supplement with scientifically-proven ingredients. You at least know that these ingredients work some of the time and aren’t just old wives’ tales.
Of course, these ingredients still might not work the same for everyone. So, you should plan on potentially trying many different supplements before you settle on one. You should stick with each supplement for at least three months to feel its maximum effects.
Finally, we considered the overall effectiveness of each supplement. You can gleam this somewhat from customer reviews. If reviews are mostly positive, the supplement is probably pretty useful.
The overall effectiveness is derived from both the ingredients and dosage.
Benefits
Cholesterol supplements often contain garlic. How exactly garlic works isn’t well-known. It may have some cholesterol-lowering effects and may prevent heart disease according to one study (1). This particular study was a meta-analysis, which means it looked at a wide variety of different studies to draw a single, over-arching conclusion.
They concluded that garlic powder could reduce LDL cholesterol, blood pressure, and a variety of other risk factors that may make you more likely to experience heart disease. However, they also decided that variations in conclusions drawn by different studies may have been the result of different processing procedures by the garlic powder each study used.
In other words, the garlic powder you get does matter. You want a high-quality powder that is highly concentrated, or it might not work.
While the effects of garlic on cholesterol are a little confusing, there is substantial evidence that it can affect things like blood pressure. So, even if it doesn’t lower your cholesterol substantially, it may reduce your other risk factors for heart problems (2).
Cholesterol supplements also contain red yeast rice in most cases. Out of all the supplements we looked at, the vast majority of them contain red yeast rice. This ingredient can lower your LDL cholesterol levels because it contains a chemical known as monacolin K.
This chemical has the same chemical makeup as lovastatin, which is a cholesterol-lowering medicine.
However, it is tough to find monacolin K in red yeast rice in the USA. Here, it is labeled as a medicine, so it cannot be sold as a supplement (3). Because of this, most of the red yeast rice in supplements do not do much to lower your cholesterol. Still, there is some evidence that it might still work, just at a slightly lower level.
Cholesterol supplements are natural. When it comes to taking supplements, it requires little to no effort on your part. All you have to do is purchase the correct supplement and then take it as instructed. Compared to other strategies for lowering your cholesterol, this is extremely easy.
Most of the time, cholesterol is controlled using diet and medication. When combined with these strategies, supplements can be beneficial, and won’t require significantly more effort on your part. This is one of the reasons many people turn to supplements when they learn that their cholesterol is too high.
Cholesterol supplements can reduce cholesterol quickly. Not all medications and cholesterol controlling strategies are made equally. Some are good at reducing cholesterol over time, but generally not very good at reducing cholesterol quickly. This is where supplements can be helpful. Many of them are very good at lowering cholesterol quickly.
If you’re worried about your cholesterol and want to lower it quickly, you need all the help you can get. If this describes you, look for supplements that are designed to lower cholesterol quickly.
Cholesterol supplements can prevent heart problems. One of the reasons that lowering your LDL cholesterol is so important is because it is associated with a variety of heart effects. This fatty-like substance can build up in your bloodstream and narrow or block arteries. Blocked arteries are not right.
Your liver produces all the cholesterol you need. But you often consume a lot with your food as well. However, all of this cholesterol is simply “extra.” It is recommended to eat as little cholesterol as possible, especially if you have problems with your heart or circulation (4). Having elevated LDL cholesterol levels has been associated with an increased risk of heart problems (5).
Because cholesterol is so innately tied to heart health, taking a cholesterol supplement can improve your overall heart health and prevent heart problems before they start. Untreated heart disease can be quite severe and can lead to everything from heart damage due to a lack of oxygen to heart failure.
Cholesterol supplements can prevent strokes. There is no direct link between cholesterol and stroke. There is no study showing a clear link between the two (6).
However, some studies have found that there may be an indirect link (7). One particular study found that a thickening of the carotid artery might be a predictor of a stroke. Reducing cholesterol was found to prevent the thickening of the carotid artery. In this way, cholesterol might be indirectly related to strokes.
It is generally suggested that patients who have previously had a stroke should take statins to reduce their risk of another one. So, even if there is no direct evidence, the medical community generally accepts that there is likely some link between high cholesterol and strokes.
When you take a cholesterol supplement, your cholesterol may lower, which would prevent strokes. This may be particularly valuable in people who have other risk factors.
Cholesterol supplements may be able to help those with diabetes. Diabetes and cholesterol have a strange relationship. Those with diabetes tend to have more LDL particles that stick to arteries. They also tend to have damaged blood vessels more commonly from the presence of LDL. Because of this, cholesterol and diabetes tend to go hand-in-hand.
If you have diabetes, you may want to consider taking a cholesterol supplement to prevent diabetes from forming. Of course, you should also speak to your doctor and learn about other ways you can lower your chance of developing diabetes.
Cholesterol supplements can prevent high blood pressure. High blood pressure and high cholesterol are linked very closely. When your arteries are hardened and clogged with fat, your heart has to pump harder to work. This leads to your blood pressure rising.
Blood pressure is also associated with an increased chance of heart disease, as well as a variety of other health problems.
When you can a cholesterol supplement and lower your LDL cholesterol, you may also be lowering your chance for high blood pressure and preventing yet another factor associated with heart problems.
Side Effects
Cholesterol supplements can interfere with other medications. Some cholesterol supplements can interfere with some medications, especially those that treat diabetes. This is because many cholesterol supplements mirror the way that certain medications treat cholesterol. If you take a supplement and a medication, you may end up taking way more than you need.
It is essential to choose the cholesterol supplements you take carefully when you’re on medications. You don’t want to lower your cholesterol too much since your body does need cholesterol to function. You want cholesterol in your system, just not too much.
Cholesterol supplements can cause muscle pain and damage. This is especially true for supplements that contain statins, which include quite a few that we reviewed (8). Often, this pain is some sort of soreness or tiredness. While these muscle pain can occur after physical exercise, muscle pain caused by cholesterol supplements won’t have any apparent cause.
However, there is some confusion involved here. The risk of muscle pain when taking a statin only increases by about 5%, so it is still quite rare. But, the number of people who complain about muscle pain is higher when they’re taking a statin than when they’re not – even when they’re taking a placebo. In other words, if people know that their medication might cause muscle pain, they’re more likely to cause muscle pain.
Many of these patients might be mis-associating their muscle pain with their medication when that might not be the case.
Cholesterol supplements can cause a variety of side effects. On top of muscle pain, some supplements can also cause other side effects. Most of these only apply to supplements that contain statins. Most others do not cause high levels of side effects or any side effects at all. Because of this, side effects are more of an issue when you are taking statin-containing drugs.
Side effects, including things like headaches, difficulty sleeping, flushing, drowsiness, dizziness, and nausea. Sometimes, abdominal pain, bloating, and diarrhea is also common. In these cases, taking the supplement with food can help prevent gastrointestinal symptoms in many cases (9).
Dosage
You should always follow the dosage instructions on the back of the supplement bottle you purchase. Different supplements have different ingredients and different concentrations. Because of this, we cannot provide an overarching dosage for all supplements.
Instead, we highly recommend following the dosage instructions that go with your supplement. Most companies have their dosage at that particular level for a reason, so it is essential to stick with their instructions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best natural cholesterol-lowering supplement?
We reviewed many different supplements, but our favorite was by far CholestAid. This supplement provides targeted cardiovascular support, which includes balancing your cholesterol levels. It is an expert-formulated pill that includes everything from niacinamide and garlic powder. It also includes a variety of other heart-supporting ingredients for well-rounded heart health.
This combination of ingredients is often better than a single ingredient for lowering your cholesterol. You never know how you may interact with a particular ingredient. Some may not work for you at all, even if they have performed well in clinical trials. Because of this, this supplement works well for many more people than other single-ingredient supplements.
Do cholesterol supplements reduce cholesterol fast?
Yes, many do. Many are very good at reducing cholesterol levels quickly. However, it depends on the ingredients in the supplement, as well as their potency. Some are quite good at reducing it quickly, while others are more of a long-term solution.
We recommend trying one with multiple ingredients in it is possible. This increases the chance that you’ll react positively to the supplement and that your cholesterol levels will get lowered quickly.
Do any supplements lower cholesterol?
Yes. Many supplements can lower your cholesterol. Those with garlic are very common. You can even get supplements that contain plant statins, which are very commonly used for the treatment of high cholesterol.
We reviewed tons of supplements previously in this article, so you should be able to find a great supplement there.
What vitamins are good for cholesterol?
Niacin is a B vitamin that is commonly used to boost good cholesterol by lowering bad cholesterol. This is often used as a prescription for lowering cholesterol, so you may be able to get a high-dose from your doctor.
However, you can also find lower doses available in a supplemental form that you can purchase without a prescription.
Do turmeric cholesterol supplements lower cholesterol?
Yes. To a point. Studies have found that turmeric can lower the overall amount of cholesterol in your system, which includes LDL cholesterol (10). These effects are quite significant. Still, turmeric works best when used alongside other supplements and treatments – just like most supplements.
We recommend choosing a supplement containing multiple ingredients to ensure that you’re covering all your basis. It is best if you can enact dietary changes as well. Work with your doctor to figure out the best plan for you.
What is the best over the counter medicine for high cholesterol?
We prefer CholestAid for lowering cholesterol. It contains a variety of high-quality ingredients that are designed to prevent the build-up of fats in your arteries and support your heart health. Its ingredients include niacinamide, garlic powder, and pine bark extract – many of which can help lower your overall cholesterol levels.
It also dissolves very quickly, so your body can more efficiently utilize the ingredients within it.
Do you have to walk for a cholesterol supplement to work?
Walking can help lower cholesterol. However, it works better for some people than others. For example, those who have diabetes may benefit most from walking. Typically, though, you don’t have to walk extra. Instead, you just need to meet the minimum requirement for adult exercise every day – which is about 30 to 40 minutes of moderate exercise.
However, while walking can be useful for lowering your overall cholesterol levels, it is not necessary to walk to make a supplement work. Many work by themselves just fine. Still, you may notice better results if you walk as well since you’ll be attacking your cholesterol levels while you’re at it.
Can green tea supplements lower cholesterol?
There is little evidence that green tea supplements can lower your cholesterol. Green tea supplements are best known for helping you lose weight. If you weigh less, you may inadvertently lower your cholesterol. Because of this, there are some claims on the internet that green tea supplements can lower your cholesterol directly, but this is likely, not true.
Some evidence has found that a specific antioxidant found in green tea can help lower cholesterol, but this has not been studied substantially. More research is needed before we know for sure whether or not this supplement helps lower cholesterol levels.
How can I naturally lower my cholesterol?
There are many ways to lower your cholesterol naturally. One of these ways is to use a cholesterol supplement. These contain ingredients that may be able to lower your cholesterol naturally. How they work depends mostly on the ingredients. Some work inside the liver to prevent more cholesterol from being made, while others affect the cholesterol already in your bloodstream.
There are other ways to lower you cholesterol as well naturally. Walking is a common and very accessible way to lower your cholesterol. Dietary changes are also widespread and suggested by most doctors. Cholesterol problems are primarily caused by consuming too much cholesterol in your diet. Therefore, if you lower the amount of cholesterol you’re consuming, you’ll also lower the amount of cholesterol in your bloodstream.
Alex is a fitness aficionado, empowers others towards healthier, active lives through small, sustainable changes for lasting results. Visit Gearuptofit.com for insightful tips and resources to enrich a balanced lifestyle.