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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Nutraceuticals and Lipid Management

subject

description

Scientific data support the effectiveness of reducing total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in preventing atherosclerotic disease cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) events. Current guidelines suggest the use of innovative nutritional strategies in lipid management based on consumption of nutraceuticals and functional foods. Nutraceuticals are products isolated or purified from foods (generally sold in medicinal forms), while a functional food is similar in appearance to, or may be, a conventional food. Both nutritional components promote health, lead to better well-being, and reduce risk of cardiovascular disease, possibly by affecting plasma lipid levels. The most frequently occurring lipid-lowering substances in nutraceuticals and functional foods are red yeast rice, phytosterols and stanols, omega-3 fatty acids, beta-glucan, berberine, soy, lupin and its products, (poly)phenols as well as antioxidants, which can be used alone or in combination. Specific guidelines for their use in clinical practice are still needed. Nutraceuticals may be used to achieve LDL-C targets, especially in cases of statin intolerance, while their efficacy in patients with chronic kidney disease requires further investigation. However, lipid-lowering therapy cannot be replaced by nutraceuticals, but their use might help to optimize it, providing incremental capacity to reduce residual CV risk. Despite being freely available for purchase, nutraceuticals and functional foods should be used for the control of lipids level under a physician’s direction. The mechanisms by which nutraceuticals exert efficacy are an area of active worldwide investigation.