NCCAM Takes to Twitter to Talk Cholesterol Supplements

Cholesterol is still the primary buzzword and blood test score consumers track in their heart health management. Cholesterol is also a factor in diabetes, another disease increasingly at the forefront of consumer's health worries. There are many natural ingredients that help with various aspects of cholesterol management, but which ones have scientific support and for what specific beneficial actions? For instance, niacin lowers LDL/bad cholesterol while raising HDL/good cholesterol, but the benefit may depend on type of niacin used. On the other hand, CoQ10, which helps energize the heart and bring benefits to other areas of heart health, has more of a secondary benefit in cholesterol management, as the use of statins may deliver unwanted side effects due to lowering levels of CoQ10; supplementation with CoQ10 can help these levels stabilize and inhibit effects such as myalgia.

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is hosting a Twitter chat on Feb. 28 to help educate consumers on the various approaches to managing cholesterol, including flaxseed and red yeast rice. The chat, which is being hosted in collaboration with NIH's National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLB), will feature participation by NIH Doctors Craig Hopp and John S. Williamson, who are slated to discuss the science on the safety and efficacy of commonly used complementary approaches to management of high cholesterol. They also plant o discuss potential drug interactions associated with the use of these remedies.

To participate in the chat, visit NCCAM's Twitter page or this link. Twitter users can ask questions and discuss experiences with complementary methods of cholesterol management by using the hastag #nccamchat.