According to a new study, when compared to the drugs given for a statin, a cholesterol-lowering medication, at least six supplements that individuals frequently take for heart health do not actually lower their “bad” cholesterol or even improve cardiovascular health.
As per NBC News, participants in the study, which was presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2022 and was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology on Sunday, received six popular dietary supplements, including fish oil, red yeast rice, garlic, cinnamon, plant sterols, and turmeric. Given that some individuals allegedly think that these supplements may reduce their “bad” cholesterol.
Patients believe studies have been done and that they are as effective as statins and can save them because they are natural, but natural doesn’t mean safe, and it doesn’t mean they are effective, according to Dr. Steven Nissen, a cardiologist, and researcher at the Cleveland Clinic and a co-author of the study. He continued by referring to these supplements as the “snake oil” of the twenty-first century.
Low-density lipoproteins, or LDL, are referred described as “bad” cholesterol in the medical profession because their accumulation results in fatty deposits in the arteries. This accumulation can obstruct both blood and oxygen flow, leading to a heart attack or stroke. 190 adults between the ages of 40 and 75 who have never had a history of cardiovascular disease served as the study’s subjects.
A randomized, single-blind clinical trial was conducted to compare the effects of supplements and medications. Participants were divided into groups that received rosuvastatin, a low-dose statin, a placebo, and various supplements, such as fish oil, cinnamon, garlic, turmeric, plant sterols, or red yeast rice.
At the end of the 28-day study, the participant’s average LDL had decreased by at least 40% on a statin, and their total cholesterol had decreased by at least 24%, and their blood triglycerides (a kind of fat present in the blood) had decreased by at least 19%.
The volunteers who took supplements did not experience any appreciable reduction in LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, or blood triglycerides, the researchers found. Actually, their outcomes were comparable to those of those who took a placebo.
While all the groups experienced similar side events, the study found that individuals who took plant sterols or red yeast rice experienced a larger number of issues. The manufacturer of rosuvastatin, AstraZeneca, provided an unrestricted grant for the research but had no additional involvement or input, according to the paper.
However, the Council for Responsible Nutrition, a trade group for the dietary supplement sector, stated in a statement that these “supplements are not meant to substitute pharmaceuticals or other medical treatments.” Dietary supplements are not “quick cures,” it was said, and their effects might not be apparent after “research that barely spans four weeks.” In the trial, the novel drug also seemed to be secure.
Brown noted that aside from some patients experiencing lightheadedness when their blood pressure dropped, “no symptoms different from placebo effects occurred in this trial,” adding that two patients also saw an increase in potassium levels. There were no patients who were unable to complete the trial due to a spike in potassium, despite the fact that high potassium levels might create issues with cardiac rhythm.
Many people with resistant hypertension currently have to deal with the repercussions, which include a higher risk of heart disease, a heart attack, and a stroke.
According to cardiology expert Dr. Johanna Contreras, director of the Ambulatory Heart Failure Network at the Mount Sinai Health System Network in New York City, who was not involved in the study, the trial not only demonstrated that the medication lowers blood pressure but also that a higher dose lowers it even more. And it only occurs once per day. That’s fantastic. When the medicine might receive FDA approval is unknown.
Dr. Donald Lloyd-Jones, chair of the department of preventive medicine at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine and the recent past president of the American Heart Association stated that the results of the clinical trial indicate the treatment “merits further exploration.” It has a significant effect and is promising. However, neither the Food and Drug Administration nor the prime time of clinical trials has been reached yet.
Spironolactone, a drug that targets the same route by lessening the effects of aldosterone, is currently available, according to Lloyd-Jones, who was not involved in the study. Although effective, that medicine does have negative effects because it blocks the aldosterone receptor.
According to Lloyd-Jones, if this “pans out in phase 3 trials, it could be an essential addition” to the current list of medications. I’m cautiously optimistic right now, but more information is absolutely needed.
According to Dr. Nathaniel Smilowitz, an assistant professor of medicine at the Leon H. Charney Division of Cardiology at NYU Langone Health, the finding is “significant because it suggests a new target for antihypertensive medication.” Smilowitz did not take part in the investigation. Even so, it would primarily be used for those with uncontrolled hypertension. Smilowitz said there are less expensive options available for other patients.
