From The November 2001 Issue of Nutrition Science News

Cuban Lipid Crisis

by Anthony Almada

One of the newest discoveries in the treatment of heart disease risk comes from Cuba. It is a proprietary extract called policosanol, which is derived from sugar cane wax. Policosanol contains a variety of long-chain alcohols, including octacosanol. It has an exceptional safety profile, with weight loss as its only known side effect.¹ Numerous human studies have demonstrated reproducible, favorable, and significant alterations in blood cholesterol profiles with both nondiabetic and diabetic subjects.^2-7

Policosanol is similar in function and potency to some statin drugs.^8,9 Researchers recently found policosanol could extend exercise tolerance in patients with intermittent claudication, a leg lameness brought on by exercise and a marker of vascular disease.¹⁰ After using 10 mg/day policosanol for two years, study participants tripled their treadmill walking distance. The placebo group experienced insignificant change. The 10 mg dose required for effectiveness is novel for a dietary supplement, and reminiscent of statin drugs, which are usually dispensed in 10 mg or 20 mg dosages. Other policosanol products not derived from Cuban sugar cane wax have not been researched.

Anthony Almada is a nutritional and exercise biochemist and has collaborated on more than 50 university-based clinical trials. He is the co-founder of EAS and founder and chief scientific officer of IMAGINutrition.

References

1. Fernandez L, et al. Policosanol: results of a postmarketing surveillance study of 27,879 patients. Curr Ther Res 1998;59:717-22.

2. Pons P, et al. Effect of successive dose increases of policosanol on the lipid profile of patients with type II hypercholesterolemia and tolerability to treatment. Int J Clin Pharmacol Res 1994;14:27-33.

3. Aneiros EM, et al. Effect of policosanol in lowering cholesterol levels in patients with type II hypercholesterolemia. Curr Ther Res 1995;56:176-82.

4. Castafio G, et al. One-year study of the efficacy and safety of policosanol (5 mg twice daily) in the treatment of type II hypercholesterolemia. Curr Ther Res 1995;56:296-304.

5. Canetti M, et al. A two-year study on the efficacy and tolerability of policosanol in patients with type II hyperlipoproteinaemia. Int J Clin Pharmacol Res 1995;15:159-65.

6. Mas R, et al. Effects of policosanol in patients with type II hypercholesterolemia and additional coronary risk factors. Clin Pharmacol Ther 1998;65:439-47.

7. Torres O, et al. Treatment of hypercholesterolemia in noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) with policosanol. Diabetes Care 1997;18:393-7.

8. Fernandez JC, et al. Comparison of the efficacy, safety and tolerability of policosanol versus fluvastatin in elderly hypercholesterolaemic women. Clin Drug Invest 2001;21:103-13.

9. Castano G, et al. Efficacy and tolerability of policosanol compared with lovastatin in patients with type II hypercholesterolemia and concomitant coronary risk factors. Curr Ther Res 2000;61:137-46.

10. Castano G, et al. A long-term study of policosanol in the treatment of intermittent claudication. Angiology 2001;52:115-25.