Isabgol/Psyllium Husk may help in lowering cholesterol in people with high cholesterol. Taking blond psyllium reduces cholesterol levels in people with mild to moderate high cholesterol. Blond psyllium seed husk or seed added to food or as a separate supplement in a dose of approximately 10-12 grams daily, in combination with a low-fat or a high-fat diet, can reduce levels of total cholesterol by 3% to 14% and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol by 5% to 10 after 7 weeks or more of treatment. Blond psyllium also does not seem to lower other blood fats called triglycerides.
In children with high cholesterol, taking psyllium can further decrease LDL cholesterol levels by 7% to 15% when added to a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet such as the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Step 1 diet. Interestingly, taking blond psyllium along with a stricter low-fat, low-cholesterol diet such as the NCEP Step 2 diet may have less of an additional effect in lowering LDL cholesterol.
Psyllium seems to be less effective in older people. There is some evidence that it lowers LDL cholesterol levels to a lesser degree in people 60 years or older compared to people under 60.
Some evidence suggests that psyllium seed might be more effective than the seed husk for lowering cholesterol.
Blond psyllium seems to be most effective when taken with foods at mealtime. Breakfast cereal containing blond psyllium can decrease total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol by 5% and 9%, respectively.
There is some evidence that taking blond psyllium for high cholesterol makes it possible to reduce the dose of certain medications used to lower cholesterol. For example, taking 15 grams of blond psyllium (Metamucil) along with 10 mg of simvastatin (Zocor) daily seems to lower cholesterol about as well as taking a higher dose (20 mg) of simvastatin daily. Similarly, a combination of blond psyllium with colestipol (Colestid) at half their usual doses seems to be as effective as colestipol alone. Blond psyllium also seems to reduce colestipol and cholestyramine (Questran, Questran Light, Cholybar) side effects such as constipation and abdominal pain. But don’t adjust the dose of your medication without consulting your healthcare provider.
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