Greater LDL drop with "naturopathic" therapy

Daily fish oil and red yeast rice supplements can help reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, according to data published in the July issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Researchers from Pennsylvania followed 74 patients with high blood cholesterol and randomly assigned them to either the alternative treatment group, which included a 12-week lifestyle education program, or a cohort that took 40mg of Merck & Co's statin Zocor (simvastatin).

They observed a reduction in LDL cholesterol levels in both groups. The alternative treatment group experienced a 42.4% reduction, and the statin group experienced a 39.6% reduction. Members of the alternative therapy group also had a substantial reduction in triglycerides, another form of fat found in the blood, and lost more weight. Lead study author David Becker said "these results are intriguing and show a potential benefit of an alternative, or naturopathic, approach to a common medical condition."