Researchers in Italy have assessed the impact of a five-ingredient food supplement containing berberine, olive, fenugreek, artichoke and sunflower seed extracts on cholesterol levels in people with borderline-high cholesterol.

After six months, the results indicated “improved cholesterol control by dietary supplements,” the authors wrote in the journal Biomedicines.

Antioxidant phenolic compounds may reduce cardiovascular risks

High levels of LDL-C can contribute to atherosclerosis – the buildup of deposits in and on the artery walls which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. While statins remain the most common treatment for lowering it, issues with side effects such as muscle cramps, myalgia, and fatigue, can often lead to discontinuation.

Antioxidants like plant-derived phenolic compounds have been shown to protect LDL from oxidation, prevent foam cell formation, and reduce vessel damage, acting through hydrogen atom transfer, single-electron transfer, proton loss-electron transfer, and metal chelation.

They have also been found to modulate pro-inflammatory mediators and transcriptional elements, lowering oxidative stress, vascular inflammation, and platelet aggregation.

“The oxidative modification of LDL is the basis of the deleterious process of atherosclerosis; thus, its reduction could result in reduced vascular inflammation, oxidative stress, and the prevention of platelet aggregation,” explained the Italy-based scientists.

Nutraceutical supplement may lower LDL and total cholesterol

The researchers recruited 44 adults aged 18–75 years with LDL-C levels of 115–190 mg/dL who were untreated for hypercholesterolemia or refused statins.

All participants took a supplement marketed under the Italian brand Cardioritmon Colesterolo called Ritmon Colesystem every day for six months, and the researchers assessed anthropometrics, vital signs, and fasting blood samples at baseline, one, three, and six months.

The supplement included: berberis aristata extract (containing 85% berberine), which has been found to increase LDL-C receptor expression; olea europea extract which reduced LDL by 24% in a previous study; fenugreek seed extract, which has been found to improve dyslipidemia; artichoke leaf extract which can inhibit HMG-CoA reductase, an enzyme that plays a role in producing cholesterol in the liver; and sunflower seed phytosterols which have been shown to have an LDL-lowering effect.

The researchers split the participants into two groups, with one group of participants made up of those whose LDL-C at baseline was above 150 mg/dL and the other comprising those whose LDL-C at baseline was 150 mg/dL or lower. The researchers then compared how the cholesterol levels changed following intervention.

Results showed that post-baseline LDL-C and total cholesterol (T-C) levels stayed higher in the group that started above 150 mg/dL, and even after the intervention, people who began with higher LDL-C still had higher LDL-C and T-C levels compared to the lower-LDL group.

“In young patients with sub-optimal blood cholesterol levels at intermediate to low cardiovascular risk and free from significant carotid atherosclerosis, nutraceuticals containing extracts of berberis aristata, olea europea, fenugreek seed, artichoke leaf, and sunflower phytosterols reduce both total cholesterol and LDL-C levels at six months,” the researchers concluded.

“The results of this study provide further elements available to the clinician in tailoring the best lipid-lowering therapy according to the patient’s characteristics.”

Future research

They added that due to the lack of a control group, results should be interpreted as preliminary to generate potential hypotheses for testing in future randomized clinical trials.

“Further randomized studies are needed to confirm the maintenance of this effect over time, the benefit of these nutraceuticals on lipid patterns, also in terms of control in atherosclerosis progression and prevention of cardiovascular disease.”

Source: Biomedicines, doi: 10.3390/biomedicines13081948 “Effects of Novel Nutraceutical Combination on Lipid Pattern of Subjects with Sub-Optimal Blood Cholesterol Levels” Authors: N. Vitulano, et al.