Best supplements for cholesterol: The herbal extract shown to lower high cholesterol

Cholesterol comes in different forms and not all are equally bad. The arch enemy of healthy cholesterol is LDL cholesterol, a waxy substance that forms in your blood vessels. High cholesterol means you have too much LDL cholesterol in your blood.

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Why is high cholesterol harmful?

High cholesterol can cause a dangerous accumulation of cholesterol and other deposits on the walls of your arteries.

These deposits can reduce blood flow through your arteries – a primary cause of heart attacks.

HDL cholesterol, on the other hand, is the good kind of cholesterol.

HDL picks up excess cholesterol in your blood and takes it back to your liver where it’s broken down and removed from your body.

The key to good heart health therefore lies in lowering LDL cholesterol while maximising HDL cholesterol.

Research shows that making even modest adjustments to your diet can boost HDL levels while lowering LDL levels.

One proven way to achieve this balancing act is to take supplements containing Gymnema sylvestre extract.

Gymnema sylvestre extract is derived from the leaves of the woody climbing shrub that’s native to the tropical forests of India, Africa and Australia.

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One study in moderately-obese people showed that Gymnema extract decreased triglycerides and LDL cholesterol by 20.2 percent and 19 percent, respectively.

Triglycerides are a type of fat that also increase your risk of heart disease.

What’s more, Gymnema extract extract increased HDL cholesterol levels by 22 percent.

Animal studies support these findings.

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In one study in rats on a high-fat diet, Gymnema extract aided weight maintenance and suppressed the accumulation of liver fats.

This is significant because having high levels of fat in your liver is also associated with an increased risk of serious health problems, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and kidney disease.

Another study found that Gymnema extract had an anti-obesity effect on animals fed a high-fat diet.

It also decreased blood fat and LDL cholesterol levels.

General tips for lowering LDL cholesterol

As a hard and fast rule, it is important to shun foods high in saturated fat to lower cholesterol levels

As the NHS points out, you can still have foods that contain a healthier type of fat called unsaturated fat.

Good sources of unsaturated fat include:

Oily fish, like mackerel and salmon
Brown rice, bread and pasta
Nuts and seeds
Fruits and vegetables

You should also aim to do at least 150 minutes (2.5 hours) of exercise a week, adds the NHS.

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