6533b7d6fe1ef96bd1266793
RESEARCH PRODUCT
Nutraceuticals and functional foods for the control of plasma cholesterol levels. An intersociety position paper
Franco BerniniGiuseppe MarelliGiuseppe CanzoneVincenzo MontemurroFrancesco VisioliNicola FerraraClaudio CresciniFrancesco PerticoneSaula Vigili De KreutzenbergCarla LubranoAndrea GhiselliAlberto CorsiniAndrea PoliWalter MarroccoEnzo ManzatoMarco GambaccianiAlfio BianchiCarlo M. BarbagalloDamiano ParrettiRoberto F E PedrettiArrigo F G CiceroBruno TrimarcoFranca MarangoniRoberto Stellasubject
ConsensusFunctional foodsClinical Decision-MakingFood supplementDisease030204 cardiovascular system & hematologyLDL03 medical and health scienceschemistry.chemical_compound0302 clinical medicineNutraceuticalPlasma cholesterolRisk FactorsEnvironmental healthFood supplementsRed yeast riceMedicineAnimalsHumans030212 general & internal medicineCardiovascular risk; Cholesterol; Food supplements; Functional foods; LDL cholesterol; Primary prevention; Animals; Biomarkers; Cardiovascular Diseases; Cholesterol LDL; Clinical Decision-Making; Consensus; Dyslipidemias; Evidence-Based Medicine; Humans; Protective Factors; Risk Factors; Diet Healthy; Dietary Supplements; Functional Food; Risk Reduction BehaviorDyslipidemiasPharmacologyLdl cholesterolHealthyEvidence-Based MedicinePrimary preventionCholesterolbusiness.industryFunctional foodFood supplementation functional foods cholesterol LDL-cholesterol cardiovascular risk primary preventionCholesterol LDLProtective FactorsCardiovascular riskDietCardiovascular risk; Cholesterol; Food supplements; Functional foods; LDL cholesterol; Primary prevention; PharmacologyYoung ageCholesterolchemistryCardiovascular DiseasesDietary SupplementsLDL cholesterolPosition paperDiet HealthybusinessRisk Reduction BehaviorBiomarkersdescription
Current evidence shows that cholesterol management either reduces the likelihood of cardiovascular disease (CVD) or slows down its progression. Hence, it is important that all health professionals make appropriate use of all the available intervention strategies to control risk factors: from dietary improvement and positive lifestyle changes to the use of functional foods, food supplements, and drugs. This review examines the effect of the most frequently occurring cholesterol-lowering substances in functional foods or in supplements across Europe, namely plant sterols and stanols, monacolin K found in red yeast rice, berberine and beta-glucans. We conclude that currently available supplements and functional foods can effectively reduce plasma LDL cholesterol levels by about 5 to 25%, either alone or in combination. Suitable candidates for these products are mainly individuals at low absolute cardiovascular risk at a young age or according to classic algorithms. Of note, despite being freely available for purchase, these products should be used following shared agreement between the caring physician and the patient ("concordance").
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-01-01 |