Policosanol

The History & Background of Policosanol

Policosanol is a cholesterol-lowering natural mixture of alcohols that were isolated and purified from sugar cane wax. It is safe and well-tolerated, even in people with high use of concomitant medications. Patients with type II hypercholesterolemia or high cholesterol showed lipid profile improvements with the help of Policosanol. Recently it can also be generated from beeswax, fruits, grasses, and seed. It can be found in certain supplements because of the health benefits it could give.

Policosanol was first tested in a Cuban Lab in 1991. They carried out studies that showed that it is safe and is useful in lowering bad cholesterol. At present, it is used in more than 25 countries, mainly in North and South America and in the Caribbean region.

Use in Supplements

The Policosanol comes in handy whenever bodybuilders and athletes use anabolic steroids to get to their dream physique. The effect of anabolic steroids that increases bad cholesterol and decrease in good cholesterol, also known as lipid strain, can cause heart problems. Therefore the Policosanol is used as part of a supplement stack to keep the bad cholesterol low and keep the heart-healthy.

Common Dosing

The typical dosage of Policosanol for adults is between 5-40 milligrams daily. It is safe to take these doses for up to three years. Based on the studies, this dose range is safe and effective for patients with coronary heart disease and patients with type II hypercholesterolemia. Eighty grams of Policosanol has been taken daily for 12 weeks to treat high cholesterol. 10-40 milligrams are taken daily to treat platelet aggregation, and for intermittent claudication, 10-20 milligrams are advisable to take. However, there is no evidence that the Policosanol is safe for 18 years old below individuals.

Products Containing Policosanol

Potential Side Effects of Policosanol

The Policosanol is safe when taken by mouth with doses of 5-80 mg daily for up to 3 years. Otherwise, it can cause skin redness, rashes, migraines, insomnia, drowsiness, irritability, dizziness, upset stomach, increased appetite, urinating problem, weight loss, nose, and gum bleeds.

FAQs

How is policosanol different from octacosanol?

 Octacosonal is just one of the fatty alcohols found in policosonal. Although octacosanol is also sometimes sold separately as a dietary supplement, octacosanol by itself may not have the same activity as policosanol. The combination of fatty alcohols in policosanol appear to work synergistically to provide the benefits noted in clinical studies.

Does Policosanol interact with any medications?

No adverse interactions with beta-blockers, diuretics, calcium-channel blockers, NSAIDS, or other medications have been reported. However, policosanol may augment the blood-pressure lowering effect of propanolol and may have a synergistic action with aspirin. Caution is advised for patients taking anticoagulant medications or blood thinning medications. Medications that slow blood clotting (anticoagulant/ antiplatelet drugs) may interact with policosanol. Policosanol might slow blood clotting. Taking policosanol along with medications that also slow clotting might increase the chances of bruising and bleeding.

How long will it take to see benefits?

It may take up to 12 weeks for benefits to be seen, although each individual is different and your healthcare professional will monitor your response to policosanol at varying intervals.

Studies

A study was conducted to karate athletes and found that fish oil at 2.25g together with Policosanol at 10 mg was able to reduce reaction time and increase mood. It was completed in 21 days of supplementation. The study carried out on healthy and youthful individuals having improved their speed by approximately around 2%.

Another study is conducted on rats where Policosanol was used at 50 and 200mg/kg body weight and was able to preserve bone mass during a period of menopausal bone loss, theoretically the same as the mechanisms in reducing cholesterol.

Final Review of Policosanol

High cholesterol level is one of the main concern for most people in the world. With the risk of heart attack and another cardiovascular disease, many individuals take statin drugs, but these drugs have side effects. Policosanol is a natural cholesterol reducer safer than these statin drugs. So I suggest you buy these products, especially those with high cholesterol problems as well as the bodybuilders and athletes that use anabolic supplements in their workout and training.

References:

http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-137-policosanol.aspx?activeingredientid=137&activeingredientname=policosanol

https://www.evolutionary.org/policosanol/

https://examine.com/supplements/policosanol/