Cholesterol

• 4 things you should know
• Are you at risk?
• Cholesterol testing: 4 things you should know
• CRP and other tests for heart disease risk
• How to achieve your cholesterol targets
• Talking to your doctor
• Cholesterol diary
• Health features
• Health tools
• Support groups
• Related medications
• Related conditions

Cholesterol

Ask an Expert: High Cholesterol

With our high cholesterol expert, Dr. Choi

Click here to ask Dr. Choi a question about high cholesterol

Latest Question

What natural or herbal product can I take to help lower my cholesterol?

Dr. Choi's Response

There are many natural health products that may help lower cholesterol. The challenge is to separate products that have been clinically proven to lower cholesterol from those that are unproven.

• niacin, a B vitamin, has been used by medical doctors in high doses to improve cholesterol, but it has the troublesome side effect of "flushing"
• fish oil has been proven to reduce a form of "bad" cholesterol called triglycerides
• plant sterols lower cholesterol by reducing the amount of dietary cholesterol you would normally absorb through the intestines
• studies on garlic are inconclusive and there may be no benefit to lowering cholesterol levels
• policosanols, isolated from plant waxes, have not been shown to be effective

It is important discuss the role of "natural" or herbal products with your physician when creating your cholesterol treatment plan, as there may be side effects or interactions with prescription medications associated with some of these products. Some of these products may be marketed as "natural," but this does not guarantee that they are safe or effective.

Click here to ask Dr. Choi a question about high cholesterol

• Are high cholesterol levels and underactive thyroid related? If my thyroid function was normal, would this help my cholesterol level?
• Are there any foods that raise the level of good cholesterol?
• Are there any natural health products that can lower my cholesterol levels?
• Are there home kits to measure your cholesterol? If they exist, can you tell me how accurate they are?
• Currently I am taking omega 3 tablets (2 each day). Is it true that this can help lower my cholesterol or help it to not increase?
• How are HDL and LDL related to cholesterol?
• How are triglycerides and cholesterol related?
• How long should it take to see results from my medications?
• How long will I need to keep taking my cholesterol medication?
• How often should I have my cholesterol tested, and what cholesterol level should I be aiming for?
• I am 57 years old and have chronic depression and acute anxiety. My mother has a history of depression and high cholesterol. Is it true that depression and anxiety can increase your risk of heart disease?
• I am on a statin medication and I have recently been diagnosed with fatty liver. Should I stop taking my medication?
• I have high cholesterol and just started a new medication. My doctor says it's called a "statin." How do these medications work?
• I have read that taking niacin in addition to statins can increase the level of HDL ("good" cholesterol). Is this correct and if so, is it safe?
• I heard you can't eat grapefruit if you have high cholesterol. Is this true?
• I know that cholesterol can form plaques on the inside walls of blood vessels of people with high cholesterol. My question is, once the plaque forms, can reducing cholesterol levels also reduce plaque deposits in blood vessels?
• I know that treating high cholesterol is supposed to lower a person's risk of heart disease. But I already have heart disease. Does that mean it's too late to bother treating my cholesterol?
• I recently discovered that I have cholesterol spots in my eyes. What is this condition and is it serious?
• I take 40 mg of atorvastatin and 12.5 mg hydrochlorothiazide daily for high cholesterol and blood pressure. I have heard that Coenzyme Q10 is very beneficial to the heart. Can I safely take this supplement with my medication?
• I'm 35 years old, and my doctor has told me I have high cholesterol levels. I'm otherwise healthy and not overweight, so are high cholesterol levels really a concern for me?
• I'm 49 years old and I think I am starting to go through menopause. I've heard that menopause can affect my cholesterol levels. Should I have my cholesterol checked?
• I'm a vegetarian, I workout a lot, and my total cholesterol is not going down, even though I take cholesterol-lowering medications each day. What should I do?
• I'm currently using a "statin" medication to help lower my cholesterol. My doctor says that my cholesterol is still not under control and wants to switch me to another "statin" medication. Will switching to another "statin" medication really help me and my high cholesterol?
• I'm having trouble remembering to take my cholesterol-lowering medications. Can you suggest ways to make it easier to remember?
• I'm not a smoker, but I live with one so I'm constantly exposed to secondhand smoke. Could this affect my cholesterol levels?
• I'm on a reduced-cholesterol diet. Are eggs high in omega fatty acids (e.g. omega-3) a good choice for me?
• I'm planning to get pregnant. Will I need to stop taking my cholesterol medication while I am pregnant?
• I've heard that drinking red wine is good for my heart. Will it help lower my cholesterol?
• I've heard that there is both good and bad cholesterol. I know the bad cholesterol causes heart disease. What does the good cholesterol do?
• If I didn't get treatment for my high cholesterol, what could happen to me?
• Is it possible for children to have high cholesterol levels? I worry about my children getting this condition.
• Is it safe to take cholesterol medications while breast-feeding?
• Is it unusual to be taking more than one medication for high cholesterol?
• Is one statin as damaging to muscles as any other statins?
• My cholesterol level is supposed to be o.k. and yet my dr. has me on cholesterol medication in my case as a prevention. He says it's his package for the treatment of diabetes. Have you heard of this?
• My doctor has advised me to start a weight-loss and diet program to help lower my cholesterol. How long will it take to see results?
• My doctor has prescribed a cholesterol-lowering medication for me. Once I start taking it, how often should my cholesterol levels be checked?
• My doctor recommended that I try to eat less saturated and trans fats. Why are these types of fats particularly bad?
• My doctor said my cholesterol ratio is too high. What is a cholesterol ratio, and what does it mean for me if my cholesterol ratio is high?
• My doctor told me I have a small cholesterol lump under my eye. What is that?
• My friend says that her HDL (good cholesterol) is very high; is that good? Should women take cholesterol medication?
• My friend says that some of the medications for cholesterol hurt your muscles. Is that true?
• Now that I'm on medications for cholesterol, does this mean I can stop my diet?
• The American reading of cholesterol levels is different from the Canadian. Can you tell me how the scale differs? Why is the American system of cholesterol measurement different than that in Canada? My cholesterol was 7.1 and I was put on medication and it lowered my cholesterol to 4.0. In American terms what would that number be?
• What happens when you have been prescribed a cholesterol medication like CrestorŽ (rosuvastatin) but have difficulties remembering to take it? I often start and stop on an ongoing basis. Is there any harm in this?
• What is the acceptable level of daily cholesterol intake for people with high cholesterol?
• What is the best defense against inflammation that can cause heart disease?
• What is the current thinking on treating young women in their 30s with no other risk factors other than an elevated (6.6) cholesterol level and family history of high cholesterol, with medication?
• Why do I have to continue taking cholesterol medications even though I am at my target cholesterol levels?
• Why does the US use mg/dL to measure cholesterol levels instead of mmol/L? Which unit of measurement is more accurate?
• Why is there a push to ban trans fats from foods in Canada?
• Will Co-Q10 help reduce the risk of muscle damage from statin medications?

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