THIS Laxative Supplement is the New Superfood To Lower Cholesterol Levels

Increased cholesterol levels are high; they build fatty deposits known as plaque on the walls of your arteries, narrowing them and potentially blocking blood flow to vital organs like the heart and brain. According to experts, this significantly increases your risk of heart disease, stroke, and other serious complications. And so, it is very important to manage and monitor your cholesterol from time to time.

According to recent studies, Psyllium husk, which comes from the seeds of the herb Plantago ovata, a popular fibre supplement used to treat constipation, also helps lower LDL cholesterol levels as well as two other lipid markers for heart disease.

Psyllium husk is available in wafers, bars, and capsules and as a powder that is mixed with liquid to form a thick gel. It absorbs bile acids and cholesterol, which are then eliminated from the body during bowel movements. Many times it is also added to baked goods and breakfast cereals. Psyllium absorbs water and solidifies into a thick substance that is difficult for the small intestine to digest.

It controls elevated blood sugar, triglycerides, and cholesterol due to its resistance to digestion. It can also help with constipation, mild diarrhoea, and weight management.

A sedentary lifestyle and a diet loaded with processed foods and sodium contribute—apart from smoking and drinking to high cholesterol over time. And so, psyllium husk can help control it, as experts term it even better than oats. Having more fibre, psyllium husk attaches to cholesterol efficiently and helps in its elimination from the body.

The American Pharmacists Association says a single teaspoon of crushed psyllium husk has over eight times the amount of soluble fibre by weight when compared to oat bran. As per research in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, taking 10 grams of psyllium husk per day reduced LDL cholesterol by up to 10 per cent in just two weeks.

Psyllium’s high soluble fibre content, which is around 70 per cent - fares better than oats’ 50 per cent soluble fibre content in binding to bile acids and enabling their evacuation to reduce cholesterol.

Many studies have also found that psyllium's benefits even outdo those of statins in both men and women with primary hypercholesterolaemia—a lipid disorder in which your LDL, or bad cholesterol, is too high. Taking around 5.1 gms of psyllium twice a day can help lower blood total and LDL-cholesterol concentrations.

According to experts, when you take a blood test to check cholesterol levels, which is measured in milligrams of cholesterol per decilitre of blood, the ideal LDL cholesterol level should be less than 130 mg/dL in those without heart disease. However, if it is above the guidelines, doctors would recommend lifestyle modifications like exercise for at least 20-30 minutes five days a week, weight loss, and a healthy diet.

While most people do comply to some degree, doctors say many are still unable to get their LDL down to the optimal levels. And at that point, statin drugs are prescribed. However, many times doctors also recommend patients to consider taking psyllium before starting drug therapy, as this natural vegetable product lowers cholesterol by up to 10 per cent.

Apart from regulating your digestion, there are many other benefits of psyllium, which include lowering blood pressure levels and reductions in markers of blood sugar elevation in patients with diabetes.

Also, it does not have any side effects.

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