Policosanol is ineffective in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia: a randomized controlled trial.

Study answer

What this study found

Policosanol was ineffective for lipid lowering in this 8-week trial. In the policosanol arm, LDL cholesterol changed from 4.02 to 3.73 mmol/L, with a percent change of -7.7 (-10.7 to -3.2), but there was no meaningful advantage over placebo for LDL cholesterol or other lipid parameters. Total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triacylglycerols, and CRP were also not improved versus placebo. The supplement was well tolerated, and no adverse events occurred.

Study & population

Randomized controlled trial in ambulatory adults with mild hypercholesterolemia in the Charlotte, North Carolina area.

Intervention

Adults received sugar cane-derived policosanol capsules orally at 20 mg/day, given as two 10 mg capsules daily for 8 weeks.

Key limitation

The active intervention arm was small, with only 19 completers, which limits power to detect modest effects.

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Original abstract