How can I lower my cholesterol? Do supplements work? How about psyllium or probiotics?

Subject: Science and tech

Section: Health

Why are we so worried about cholesterol?

There are two main types of cholesterol, both affecting your risk of heart disease and stroke. Both types are carried in the bloodstream inside molecules called lipoproteins.
Low-density lipoprotein or LDL cholesterol
- Also called “bad” cholesterol. This lipoprotein carries cholesterol from the liver to cells throughout the body. High levels of LDL cholesterol in the blood can lead to the build-up of plaque in arteries, which leads to an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.
High-density lipoprotein or HDL cholesterol
- Also called “good” cholesterol. This lipoprotein helps remove excess cholesterol from the bloodstream and transports it back to the liver for processing and excretion. Higher levels of HDL cholesterol are linked to a reduced risk of heart disease and stroke.

Soluble fibre:

Consuming soluble fiber reduced the LDL cholesterol.
Soluble fiber is a type of fiber that dissolves in water to form a gel-like substance in our gut. The gel can bind to cholesterol molecules preventing them from being absorbed into the bloodstream and allows them to be eliminated from the body through your faeces.
Soluble fiber rich foods are: fruits, vegetables, oats, barley, beans and lentils.
- Natural soluble fibers, such as inulin (for example, Benefiber) or psyllium (for example, Metamucil) or beta-glucan (for example, in ground oats)
- Synthetic soluble fibers, such as polydextrose (for example, STA-LITE), wheat dextrin (also found in Benefiber) or methylcellulose (such as Citrucel)
- Natural insoluble fibers, which bulk out your faeces, such as flax seeds.

Probiotics:

Probiotics are live microorganisms (bacteria and yeast) that are thought to have health benefits when consumed in adequate amounts. Human body contains both good and bad bacterias. These good bacteria are referred to as probiotics.
Inside the human body, they can live in the gut (mainly), mouth, vagina, urinary tract, skin, and lungs.
Probiotics help in lowering cholesterol but are not based on fiber.
Probiotics help to incorporate cholesterol into cells, and adjust the microbiome of the gut to favor elimination of cholesterol via the feces.

Red yeast rice:

Red yeast rice is a type of fermented rice that is produced using specific species of mold, Monascus ruber or Monascus purpureus (1Trusted Source, 2Trusted Source).
It’s been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries for its powerful health-promoting properties.
Red yeast rice contains the compound monacolin K — the same active ingredient found in prescription cholesterol-lowering medications like lovastatin (2Trusted Source).
For this reason, it’s often used as a cost-effective alternative to pricey medications to help reduce cholesterol levels and support heart health.