What is an alternative to taking a statin to lower cholesterol?

Ezetimibe. Ezetimibe is a tablet that lowers cholesterol. It may be prescribed if statins cannot be taken, or alongside a statin for extra cholesterol-lowering. It's a 'cholesterol absorption inhibitor' that limits the absorption of cholesterol in the small intestine.

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What can I take instead of statins to lower my 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.

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What is the new alternative to statins?

Ezetimibe. Ezetimibe (Zetia) is a medication that's often prescribed in cases where a statin alone isn't enough. If you've hit the maximum recommended dose of your statin but your cholesterol levels are still high, your healthcare provider might recommend it.

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Is there a better solution than statins?

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.

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What is the best natural alternative to statins?

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

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Alternatives to statin medications that help lower cholesterol without side effects

37 related questions found

What is the safest cholesterol-lowering medication?

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

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What to do if you can't tolerate statins?

Fibrates. Doctors often prescribe a fibrate for patients who can't take a statin. Like the statins, fibrates reduce the body's cholesterol production, but they are less effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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What do doctors recommend to lower cholesterol?

Losing weight can help lower cholesterol. Eat a heart-healthy diet. Focus on plant-based foods, including fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Limit saturated fats and trans fats.

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Are statins worth the risk?

If you have high cholesterol and are at high risk for cardiovascular disease, you should consider statins. That's because the benefits of statins greatly outweigh the risks. Statins reduce the risk of serious cardiovascular events like heart attack or stroke by up to 25%, and death by 10%.

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What is the best natural cholesterol lowering supplement?

What are the best supplements for lowering cholesterol?
  • Phytosterols.
  • Red yeast rice.
  • Beta-glucans.
  • Flaxseed.
  • Omega-3 fatty acids.
  • Psyllium.
  • Green tea.
  • Risks and side effects.

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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.

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What foods are high in statins?

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.

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How high should cholesterol be before taking statins?

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.

The most important thing your doctor will keep in mind when thinking about statin treatment is your long-term risk of a heart attack or stroke. If your risk is very low, you probably won't need a statin, unless your LDL is above 190 mg/dL (4.92 mmol/L).

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Why should you not stop taking statins?

You usually have to continue taking statins for life because if you stop taking them, your cholesterol will return to a high level. If you forget to take your dose, do not take an extra one to make up for it.

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Why statins are not needed?

Statins may lower cholesterol, but they do not address the underlying cause of heart disease, which is typically chronic inflammation (some people are genetically predisposed to cardiovascular disease).

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Should I or shouldn't I take statins?

Statins should be taken with caution if you're at an increased risk of developing a rare side effect called myopathy, which is where the tissues of your muscles become damaged and painful. Severe myopathy (rhabdomyolysis) can lead to kidney damage. Things that can increase this risk include: being over 70 years old.

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Can you change your diet instead of taking statins?

The good news, as the studies from the University of Toronto and the Pritikin Research Foundation have confirmed, is that diet works. The right diet – full of fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans and very low in saturated fat – can reduce, and maybe even eliminate, the need for statins. 1.

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Are bananas good for cholesterol?

The fiber and potassium in bananas can reduce the level of cholesterol and blood pressure. Banana is especially known as a good source of soluble fibre which will gives one a healthy body and good immune system.

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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.

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What is considered dangerously high cholesterol?

A person is considered at high risk for developing heart disease if their total cholesterol level is higher than 240 mg/dL, LDL levels are higher than 160 mg/dL (190 mg/dL is even higher risk), and if the HDL level is below 40 mg/dL.

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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.

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