Five Supplements That May Lower Cholesterol

December 27, 2014 Day 9: Five Supplements That May Lower Cholesterol Facts and Tips about Cholesterol Drugs By Beth Isaac, PharmD You may be wondering if there are any "natural" ways to lower your cholesterol. There is a lot of controversy surrounding nutritional supplements and cholesterol. Several supplements have gained attention and been evaluated for their potential benefit in lowering cholesterol. However, nutritional supplements are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the same manner as prescription cholesterol-lowering medications. You may not be getting exactly what the label says, and you can't be sure of how much active ingredient the supplement contains or if the product may be contaminated. The safety and effectiveness of these products is not required to be demonstrated to the FDA, and most have not been studied enough, so manufacturers cannot claim they are proven to work. Nutritional supplements are not approved treatments by the FDA, should be used cautiously, and should not be used in place of drug therapy for most people. Let's take a look at some of the supplements that may lower your cholesterol. Learn the pros and cons of non-prescription, 'natural' ways to bring your cholesterol numbers down. » Next Newsletter: Risks of Not Taking Your Cholesterol Medication