What can I take instead of statins to lower cholesterol?

7 cholesterol-lowering alternatives to statins
  • Fibrates. Mostly used for lowering triglyceride levels in patients whose levels are very high and could cause pancreatitis. ...
  • Plant stanols and sterols. ...
  • Cholestyramine and other bile acid-binding resins. ...
  • Niacin. ...
  • Policosanol. ...
  • Red yeast rice extract (RYRE) ...
  • Natural products.


How can I lower my cholesterol without taking statins?

A few changes in your diet can reduce cholesterol and improve your heart health:
  1. Reduce saturated fats. Saturated fats, found primarily in red meat and full-fat dairy products, raise your total cholesterol. ...
  2. Eliminate trans fats. ...
  3. Eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids. ...
  4. Increase soluble fiber. ...
  5. Add whey protein.


What is the safest drug to take for high cholesterol?

According to a research review people who take simvastatin (Zocor) or pravastatin (Pravachol) may experience fewer side effects.


What natural supplement can replace statins?

9 Natural Cholesterol Reducers
  • Niacin.
  • Soluble fiber.
  • Psyllium.
  • Phytosterols.
  • Soy.
  • Garlic.
  • Red yeast rice.
  • Ginger.


Is there a drug for cholesterol that is not a statin?

There are many non-statin medications your doctor might prescribe: Bile acid-binding resins, like cholestyramine (Locholest, Prevalite, Questran), colesevelam (WelChol), and colestipol (Colestid) stick to cholesterol-rich bile acids in your intestines and lower your LDL levels.


Alternatives to statin medications that help lower cholesterol without side effects



Can CoQ10 replace statins?

ANSWER: Although a coenzyme Q10 supplement may be helpful for some people who take a statin medication, no research studies have confirmed that it has benefits for everyone who takes statins.

Can you get off statins once you start?

If you're taking a statin medication to lower your cholesterol, you will need to keep taking your prescription, or your cholesterol will likely go back up. Stopping your statin can put you at risk of having heart disease and other preventable health problems like stroke and heart attack from high cholesterol.

What reduces cholesterol quickly naturally?

Oatmeal, oat bran and high-fiber foods

Soluble fiber is also found in such foods as kidney beans, Brussels sprouts, apples and pears. Soluble fiber can reduce the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream. Five to 10 grams or more of soluble fiber a day decreases your LDL cholesterol.


What foods mimic statins?

Natural Alternatives to Statins: Foods That Help Lower Cholesterol
  • Foods high in soluble fiber and plant phytosterols, such as legumes, avocados, broccoli and other fruits and vegetables.
  • Whole grains, including oatmeal, quinoa and barley.


Can exercise replace statins?

The findings of our NMA suggest that moderate statin dose and high-intensity exercise interventions are often potentially effective in terms of improvements on arterial stiffness. High-intensity exercise interventions should therefore be considered as a viable alternative to, or alongside, moderate statin dose therapy.

What is the new cholesterol medication for 2022?

The randomized controlled trial (RCT) of bempedoic acid with cardiovascular endpoints isn't expected to be completed until the end of 2022. The other new medicine is inclisiran, which is a subcutaneous injection given twice a year in the office, after initially being given at baseline and then at 3 months.


What is the new drug to lower cholesterol?

Inclisiran will only be given to people who are unable to lower their cholesterol with statins and/or lifestyle changes, or are unable to tolerate statin medication.

What is a natural statin?

These are most commonly found in fruits, vegetables, including figs, avocados, nuts, oilseeds, oils such as rice bran, olive oil and whole grains, including barley, oats, whole wheat. Taking two grams of plant sterols or stanols per day usually results in a 10 per cent lowering of LDL (bad) cholesterol.

What to do if you don't want to take statins?

7 cholesterol-lowering alternatives to statins
  1. Fibrates. Mostly used for lowering triglyceride levels in patients whose levels are very high and could cause pancreatitis. ...
  2. Plant stanols and sterols. ...
  3. Cholestyramine and other bile acid-binding resins. ...
  4. Niacin. ...
  5. Policosanol. ...
  6. Red yeast rice extract (RYRE) ...
  7. Natural products.


What vitamins to take to lower cholesterol?

Niacin is a B vitamin. Doctors sometimes suggest it for patients with high cholesterol or heart concerns. It increases the level of good cholesterol and reduces triglycerides, another fat that can clog arteries. You can get niacin from foods, especially liver and chicken, or from supplements.

Will CoQ10 help lower cholesterol?

Although more studies are needed, some research suggests that CoQ10 may help reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and total cholesterol levels in people with diabetes, lowering their risk of heart disease.

Why do people not take statins?

Fear of side effects and perceived side effects are the most common reasons for declining or discontinuing statin therapy. Willingness to take a statin is high, among both patients who have declined statin therapy and those who have never been offered one.


What drinks are good for cholesterol?

There are certain drinks that can help maintain an ideal cholesterol level. Some of the best drinks for cholesterol management include green tea, pomegranate juice, citrus juice, soy milk, plant-based smoothies, and red wine.

How long does it take for oatmeal to lower cholesterol?

6. Oats. Oats significantly improved blood cholesterol levels over a period of 4 weeks in a small 2017 study .

Is peanut butter good to lower cholesterol?

Due to its high amount of unsaturated fats, peanut butter may help reduce a person's LDL cholesterol levels. Having optimal LDL levels is linked with a lower risk of heart disease. A 2015 study found that people who had a high intake of nuts may have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease mortality.


Does drinking water lower cholesterol?

When people have high cholesterol their LDL (bad) is high and their HDL (good) is low. Eating healthy, regular exercise and drinking plenty of water will help to bring down cholesterol levels within 2-3 weeks.

Why do statins have to be taken at night?

So, why do people take statins at night? Many statins work more effectively when they are taken at night. This is because the enzyme which makes the cholesterol is more active at night. Also, the half-life, or the amount of time it takes for half the dose to leave your body, of some statins is short.

Why are some doctors against statins?

Statin use has been linked to a higher risk of developing diabetes because the medication can fuel mild glucose elevations in predisposed individuals — an effect that can often be countervailed by exercise and losing as little as a few pounds.


What should a 70 year old cholesterol be?

After having their cholesterol tested, seniors should be given a number between 190 and 260. Healthy seniors should keep their total cholesterol below 200 and their LDL cholesterol around 100. If your elderly loved one's LDL cholesterol level is above 160, he or she must start making sweeping lifestyle changes.

What do cardiologists say about CoQ10?

Recent research links low blood levels of CoQ10 with low levels of heart-protective “good” cholesterol which in turn may further increase risk for heart disease. Cholesterol-lowering statins may also reduce blood levels of CoQ10.