What is the difference between policosanol from sugar cane wax and beeswax?
Policosanol is a group of active compounds composed of predominantly five higher primary aliphatic alcohols, tetracosanol, hexacosanol, octacosanol, triacontanol, and dotriacontanol. The aliphatic alcohols found in policosanol have been successfully purified from several sources, including sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum L.) wax, beeswax (Apis mellifera), and rice bran wax. Although the ratio of aliphatic alcohols is somewhat different between these two policosanol sources, a recent head-to-head preclinical comparison study showed equivalent biological activity.

What do studies with policosanol indicate?
Over 15 double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials have been published to date, documenting policosanol efficacy, safety, and tolerability. Policosanol has also been subject to several unpublished, open label studies. Clinical studies demonstrate that policosanol, in combination with a healthy diet and moderate exercise, is safe and beneficial for healthy adult men and women concerned about maintaining a normal range of existing cholesterol levels, and for whom their physician has determined that dietary supplementation rather than medical treatment is appropriate. References to these studies are attached below
Addtionally, policosanol studies indicate that this ingredient may be beneficial for those who suffer from intermittent claudication. This condition is characterized by severe cramping when walking for just a short distance. This is caused by a lack of oxygen in the muscles when in advanced stages of atherosclerosis.
A double-blind placebo controlled study of 56 participants found that daily treatment with policosanol at 10 mg for 2 years, improved walking distance by over 50%.1 Another study with 62 subjects showed similar results.

References:
Castano G, Mas Ferreiro R, Fernandez L, et al. A long-term study of policosanol in the treatment of intermittent claudication. Angiology. 2001;52:115?25.
Castano G, Mas R, Roca J, et al. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the effects of policosanol in patients with intermittent claudication. Angiology. 1999;50:123?30.

June 2005 - We are pleased to announce that the reformulation of Cholestin is complete with Lipidol.
The previous version of Cholestin contained policosanol, which has now been replaced with Lipidol.

Lipidol is the result of 12 years of clinical research and it has been shown to be both safe and effective for promoting heart health.
Cholestin with Lipidol works by helping to maintain existing normal cholesterol production in the liver, rather than blocking its absorption.

What is Cholestin with Lipidol? Cholestin with Lipidol contains a proprietary formula including polymethoxylated flavonoids from citrus fruit, palm fruit extract, lemongrass, EPA and DHA to create an all natural product that targets multiple steps in the pathway of cholesterol and lipoprotein synthesis. The efficacy and safety of citrus polymethoxylated flavonoids, palm fruit extract and lemongrass are supported by over 30 studies, and the cardio-friendly effects of EPA and DHA are supported by literally thousands.

What are the health benefits of Cholestin with Lipidol?
Cardiovascular health includes among other factors:
1) desirable-levels of lipoprotein structural components (such as apo B, an LDL precursor, triglycerides, and cholesterol itself)
2) antioxidant protection against LDL-oxidation
3) proper balance of anti-inflammatory response
Each ingredient in Cholestin targets one or more of the above factors.

Polymethoxylated Flavonoids - Preclinical studies have shown that the specific citrus polymethoxylated flavonoids found in Cholestin, tangeretin and nobiletin inhibited the secretion of apo B, an LDL-C precursor, from HepG2 cells (Kurowska, 2004a; 2002). A separate study showed that tangeretin inhibits apoB production by suppressing diacylglycerol actyltransferase, the final enzyme in the pathway of triglyceride synthesis, where the latter plays an important role in apoB formation (Staack, 2005). In liver cells, tangeretin rapidly reduced apoB secretion (82% reduction); it also decreased intracellular synthesis of cholesteryl esters (45% reduction), free cholesterol (64% reduction), and triacylglycerols (37% reduction). This suppression of TAG synthesis and mass were associated with decreased diacylglycerol (DAG) aceyltransferase and microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) activities (Kurowska, 2004b).

In addition to its ability to reduce plasma cholesterol concentrations, nobiletin was shown in vitro to inhibit macrophage foam cell formation (Whitman, 2005).

Tocotrienols - A number of clinical studies using tocotrienols derived from palm fruit or rice bran have been performed. Subjects receiving tocotrienol supplementation for 4-8 weeks experienced significant drops in total cholesterol of 15-20%, with the major reduction being in LDL-C, whereas HDL-C remained essentially unchanged. In a trial with pure gamma tocotrienol, similar reductions were also observed (Theriault, 1999).

Geraniol - Geraniol has been shown to exhibit potent HMG-CoA reductase activity in vitro,
more powerful than the hypolipidemic drug mevacor.
These results indicate that geraniol primarily suppresses HMG-CoA reductase synthesis at a post-transcriptional level by attenuating HMG-CoA reductase mRNA translational efficiency. (Peffley, 2003).

References:
DHA and EPA - Haglund O, et al. The effect of fish oil on triglycerides, cholesterol, fibrinogen and malondialdehyde in humans supplemented with vitamin E. J Nutr 1991;121:165-169.
Haglund O, et al. Effects of fish oil on triglycerides, cholesterol, lipoprotein(a), atherogenic index and fibrinogen. Influence of degree of purification of the oil. Nutrition Research 1992;12:455-468.
April 11, 2002 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) indicates that omega-3’s (DHA & EPA) can lower triglyceride levels.
Phillipson BE, et al. Reduction of Plasma Lipids, Lipoproteins, and Apoproteins by Dietary Fish Oils in Patients With Hypertriglyceridemia. N Engl J Med 1985; 312(19):1210-16.
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