Does Policosanol Work? -- An Overview
Because
policosanol is a
dietary supplement, it can be marketed in the United States without any evidence that it is either safe or effective. Policosanol is commonly claimed to help treat the following conditions:
- High cholesterol
- Intermittent claudication (leg pain associated with peripheral artery disease).
Does Policosanol Work for High Cholesterol?
At this time, it is not clear if policosanol really works to treat high
cholesterol. Most of the studies that suggest the supplement is effective at
lowering cholesterol come from one manufacturer in Cuba. Several studies done outside Cuba have failed to show any cholesterol-lowering benefit from policosanol, even when Cuban policosanol was used. It is not clear what is causing these discrepancies.
The studies in favor of policosanol suggest that it may lower total cholesterol up to 29 percent and
LDL cholesterol ("bad" cholesterol) by up to 42 percent. Also, it may
increase HDL cholesterol ("good" cholesterol) by up to 34 percent. However, more research is necessary to clarify this issue.
Does Policosanol Work for Intermittent Claudication?
Some studies have shown that policosanol can improve intermittent claudication symptoms, allowing people to walk further.
Just like the studies of policosanol for high cholesterol, the studies of policosanol for intermittent claudication come from Cuba. Until these studies are confirmed with ones performed outside of Cuba, there is not enough evidence supporting that policosanol is effective for this use.
