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The Supplements

The Internet is full of advice. I guess the best you can do is find a site authored by someone reliable and try those recommendations. Judging reliability is hard though, since it’s entirely possible to sound as though you know what you’re talking about when you really don’t.

After reading more blogs and wedsites than I wanted too, the supplement regimen I choose for this experiment is:

• Chromium Polynicotinate (not “picolinate”), which is niacin-bound GTF chromium. I chose the brand name “ChromeMate”
  • 200 mcg (1 pill: that’s micrograms, not milligrams) taken before bed
• Slow-release niacin (nicotinic acid) under the brand name “Slo-Niacin”
  • 500 mg (1 pill) taken before bed and in the morning
• Policosanol (Nature’s Life brand)
  • 23 mg (1 pill) taken before bed
• Vitamin C (Easy C)
  • 2,000 mg (2 pills) taken before bed and in the morning

I plan on running this regimen for 30 days, then retesting my cholesterol to see if it had any effect. After that, and depending on the results, I might add in fish oil or tinker with dosages to see if there’s any effect.

Note: the directions on the Slo-Niacin instruct one to consult a doctor before taking more than 500 mg a day. I didn’t, but I recommend anyone considering taking any supplement for any condition consult a doctor first.

Policosanol: A natural substance derived from sugar cane that is supposed to have lipid-lowering effects. So far, the claims have not been substantiated by clinical trials, but I’m trying it anyway. You can read the JAMA report on Policosanol.

Niacin (nicotinic acid): A B vitamin used by your body to turn carbohydrates into energy. Niacin also helps keep your nervous system, digestive system, skin, hair and eyes healthy. Niacin has long been used to increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the “good” cholesterol. HDL cholesterol helps sweep up low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad” cholesterol, in your bloodstream. Although niacin is readily available and effective, it hasn’t gotten much attention compared to other cholesterol drugs. Read more about Niacin at Mayo Clinic.

Chromium Polynicotinate: With chromium picolinate, chromium is combined with the amino acid called tryptophan. With the chromium polynicotinate supplement, chromium is bound to a form of the B vitamin, niacin. A report from The Supplement Research Foundation states that while both types of supplements are safe, chromium polynicotinate is more easily absorbed by the body. Chromium is essential for normal protein, fat, carbohydrate metabolism, and energy production, and also plays a key role in regulating appetite and reducing sugar cravings. Chromium helps insulin metabolize fat, turn protein into muscle, and convert sugar into energy. The primary function of chromium is to potentate the effects of insulin and thereby enhance glucose, amino acid and fat metabolism. Signs of chromium deficiency include high blood glucose levels, increased cholesterol and triglycerides, and decreased HDL (“good” cholesterol) levels. Read more about Chromium Polynicotinate.

Vitamin C: There’s a l;ot of speculation out there that Vitamin C can positively affect cholesterol levels, so I added it in.  Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) is an essential nutrient for humans, in which it functions as a vitamin. Vitamin C is required for a range of essential metabolic reactions. Almost all animals make thier ownl humans are a noticable exception and have to get all their Vitamin C from their diet.

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