A Review of the Efficacy, Safety, and Clinical Implications of Naturally Derived Dietary Supplements for Dyslipidemia

Abstract

Dyslipidemia is recognized as a major cause of cardiovascular disease. A number of evidence-based guidelines recommend conventional synthetic drugs as standard therapy for dyslipidemia in clinical practice. However, antihyperlipidemic drugs have some serious side effects. Naturally derived dietary supplements are becoming attractive as an alternative strategy because of their high efficacy and safety, as supported by numerous data. Moreover, they could be considered an initial treatment for dyslipidemia. The aims of this literature review were to demonstrate the efficacy, safety, and clinical implications of dietary supplements for treating dyslipidemia. We reviewed the literature, including data from in vitro, in vivo, and human studies, and clinical guideline recommendations. We classified dietary supplements by their proposed mechanisms of action on lipid metabolism and also collected daily dosage recommendations, interactions with concurrent drugs and/or foods, dosage forms, and examples of commercially available products. Various types of naturally derived dietary supplements exhibit lipid-improving properties. Efficacy and safety are acceptable; however, their use in clinical practice will require further well-designed investigations and the support of scientific data.

Genome-wide association study of fish oil supplementation on lipid traits in 81,246 individuals reveals new gene-diet interaction loci

“…Dyslipidemia, characterized by imbalances in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and triglycerides (TAGs), is a common predictive factor for metabolic conditions such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes [1,2]. Use of dietary supplements in lieu of xenobiotic pharmaceuticals for the management of dyslipidemia may produce comparable benefits with fewer side effects [1,2].…”

“…Dyslipidemia, characterized by imbalances in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and triglycerides (TAGs), is a common predictive factor for metabolic conditions such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes [1,2]. Use of dietary supplements in lieu of xenobiotic pharmaceuticals for the management of dyslipidemia may produce comparable benefits with fewer side effects [1,2]. In particular, the omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFAs) eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplied by fish oil supplements are an effective treatment for hypertriglyceridemia, though results are mixed for LDL-C and HDL-C [3][4][5].…”