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Is there anything besides niacin that helps raise HDL or lower LDL?
Inhibiting Cholesterol Synthesis
Inhibiting Absorption of Dietary Cholesterol
- Pantethine: 400 – 1200 mg daily
- Red Yeast Rice: 600 – 1200 mg daily
- Garlic; standardized extract: 1500 – 3000 mg daily
- Amla (Indian gooseberry); standardized extract: 500 – 1000 mg daily
- Gynostemma pentaphyllum (G. pentaphyllum) extract: 450 mg daily preferably in divided doses
- Statin drug (lowest dose needed to optimize LDL levels (ideally below 80 mg/dL)
- Rose hip extract (std. to 5% trans-tiliroside): 1119 mg daily preferably in divided doses
Enhancing Cholesterol Elimination
- Dietary Fiber: 25 – 30 grams daily
- Prebiotics: 5000 – 10 000 mg daily
- Plant Sterols: 600 – 1200 mg daily
- Soy isoflavones: 54 – 108 mg daily
Inhibiting Oxidation and Glycation of LDL
- Artichoke Leaf; standardized extract: 500 – 1000 mg daily
Optimizing the Lipid Profile
- CoQ10 (as ubiquinol): 100 – 300 mg daily
- High Gamma Tocopherol Vitamin E: 350 – 700 mg daily
- Pomegranate; standardized extract: 500 – 1000 mg daily
- Beta Carotene: 25 000 IU daily
- Lycopene: 15 – 30 mg daily
- Trans-Resveratrol: 250 – 500 mg daily
- Green tea; standardized extract: 700 – 1400 mg daily
- Black Tea; standardized extract: 350 – 700 mg daily
- Curcumin: 400 – 800 mg daily
Improving reverse cholesterol transport
- Niacin: 1000 – 2500 mg daily
- Omega 3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA): 1400 mg of EPA 1000 mg DHA daily
- Alpha-cyclodextrin: 2000 – 4000 mg daily
- Lactobacillus reuteri (NCIMB 30242): 5 billion colony forming units (CFUs) daily
- Testosterone replacement (men)
Why don't you want to take niacin? I started taking niacin about 2 years ago because it helped me a lot with sleep - it stimulates or sensitizes GABA receptors. It does make me tired if I take it during the day, so I don't take it then. But it's great at night. And then as an unintended side effect I found that it lowered my cholesterol.
If you do try niacin, do not get time-release or extended release - those forms have been associated with liver damage. And non-flushing niacin doesn't do the trick either. I don't mind the flush any more because it usually means I'll be asleep pretty soon.
Thanks! I have a lot of that laying around the house so that is very helpful!Life Extension usually has some good suggestions:
http://www.lifeextension.com/Protocols/Heart-Circulatory/Cholesterol-Management/Page-01
http://www.lifeextension.com/Protocols/Heart-Circulatory/Cholesterol-Management/Page-les
I have a really bad methylation profile, so niacin makes me feel weird mentally, and b12+folate makes me feel weird mentally too, so I try to be careful with methylation-type sups.