Dietary Fiber for Reducing Blood Cholesterol

Soluble dietary fiber, including psyllium, has been shown to have mild to modest cholesterol lowering properties. Psyllium hydrophilic mucilloid (Metamucil, Procter and Gamble, Cincinnati, OH), a bulk laxative, when used as a dietary supplement in combination with a low fat diet, can lower total serum cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and raise high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol in hypercholesterolemic patients. The cholesterol lowering effects of psyllium are much less evident than those observed with cholestyramine and the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors. The mechanism for the cholesterol lowering effect of psyllium is not known. The substance is well tolerated with long-term use.