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Control Your Cholesterol: 4 Supplements to consider.

by Joy Bauer, MS, RDN, CDN

Feb 9, 2016 (updated Jan 12, 2023)

Daily Multivitamin
To ensure that you’re getting all the vitamins and minerals necessary for good health, consider taking a daily multivitamin. Choose a multi with iron if you’re a woman who is still menstruating. All men, and women who have stopped menstruating, should use a formulation without iron. There is no need to take megadoses — about 100 percent DV of most vitamins and minerals is sufficient. The one exception is vitamin D — look for formulas with at least 600 IU (100% DV), preferably 800 to 1000 IU.

Control Your Cholesterol: 4 Supplements to Consider – Soluble Fiber

Soluble Fiber
I recommend getting as much soluble fiber from the foods in your diet as possible, but if you can’t regularly eat five to eight servings of vegetables and fruit a day, I suggest adding a psyllium soluble-fiber supplement. Start by taking one dose (typically 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of powder) mixed with at least 8 ounces of water. You can gradually increase to two or three doses per day, if desired. Because fiber supplements can interfere with some medications, talk with your doctor before taking them. Common side effects include bloating and flatulence.

Control Your Cholesterol: 4 Supplements to Consider – Omega-3s From Fish Oil

Omega-3s From Fish Oil
If you can’t get enough fish oil from your diet, try fish-oil capsules. For fighting heart disease, I recommend 1,000 mg coming from a combination of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), the two most beneficial types of omega-3 fats. Because the amount of EPA+DHA per capsule varies widely among brands, you’ll need to read the label and add up the individual milligrams yourself to determine how many pills it will take to reach 1,000 mg total EPA+DHA. Store these supplements in the fridge to keep them from going rancid. To prevent fishy burps, take with food and choose enteric-coated varieties, which are designed to dissolve in the intestines instead of the stomach. Because fish oil acts as a blood thinner, it should not be taken by people who have hemophilia, platelet disorders, or who are already taking blood-thinning medications or aspirin. People with diabetes should always talk with their doctors before popping fish oil supplements.

Sterols and Stanols

Sterols/Stanols
Plant sterols and stanols are natural substances found in small amounts in certain plant foods. A daily dose of 2 grams of sterols/stanols has been shown to significantly reduce LDL cholesterol. Because it’s impossible to consume that amount from food alone, you may want to consider taking a supplement. While there are margarine spreads on the market with added sterols/stanols, you can skirt the extra calories by taking these compounds in pill form. Read the package directions carefully; you typically have to take them prior to meals in two separate, daily doses. If you are taking a prescription cholesterol-lowering medication, talk with your doctor before taking sterol/stanol supplements.

Daily Multivitamin

Daily Multivitamin
To ensure that you’re getting all the vitamins and minerals necessary for good health, consider taking a daily multivitamin. Choose a multi with iron if you’re a woman who is still menstruating. All men, and women who have stopped menstruating, should use a formulation without iron. There is no need to take megadoses — about 100 percent DV of most vitamins and minerals is sufficient. The one exception is vitamin D — look for formulas with at least 600 IU (100% DV), preferably 800 to 1000 IU.