My total cholesterol has always hovered in the low 200’s, still, I was shocked to hear that blood test results from an annual physical showed my total cholesterol had reached 266. My doctor brought up the S word, statins, as a way to lower cholesterol. Taking statins to lower my high cholesterol didn’t appeal to me. Statins reduce LDL, the bad cholesterol, but do little to raise HDL, the good cholesterol. In fact, a low HDL level was “significantly predictive of cardiovascular risk even when LDL cholesterol was brought down to very low levels,” according to the medical website, Lab Test Online.
What Can I Do?
Overall, I dine healthy. One step away from eating twigs and berries, I asked my doctor, “What else can I do to reduce my high cholesterol without the aid of statins?” My doctor suggested Metamucil, a fiber supplement that claims to lower cholesterol with psyllium. That day, I purchased a jar of Metamucil and started a four month experiment to see if Metamucil would lower cholesterol.
Big Orange Jar
Orange flavored Metamucil was the only flavor available at my store, but looking at the Metamucil website, here, I see it is also available in pink lemonade and berry. The ingredients are psyllium husk, maltodextrin, citric acid, and artificial colors and flavor. Psyllium husk “acts like a sponge” as it “absorbs some cholesterol,” according to the Metamucil website. As a high fiber product, Metamucil is also supposed to clean the colon.
The directions say to take one rounded teaspoon in eight ounces of water three times a day. If using fiber for the first time, they suggest starting out with just one serving and working up to three if necessary. There’s a warning about taking Metamucil (or any bulk fiber) if you are taking medications, with guidance to take Metamucil two hours before or after taking medications. Bloating is listed as a potential side effect.
Day 1 on Metamucil
The Metamucil powder looks like finely ground sand and has an unpleasant odor. I put a heaping teaspoon into a glass of water and stirred briskly as directed, and then took a sip. The orange flavoring was not unpleasant, but not true orange flavor.
After a few sips, I noticed the beverage was separating, with light orange colored water at the top of the glass and much darker orange at the bottom. The Metamucil was rapidly turning into a jelly-looking glob in the bottom of the glass. First lesson learned: After stirring briskly, drink briskly.
Day 2 on Metamucil
It was a desire to reduce my high cholesterol that prompted me to try Metamucil; the potential of achieving lower cholesterol kept me on track. I increased my dosage to twice a day, taking Metamucil an hour before lunch and again an hour before dinner. Adding the second dose didn’t sit well with me. Gas pain caused me to go back to once a day serving.
Fast Forward
Over a four-month period, I took Metamucil at least once a day, sometimes twice. I came to like the taste. By drinking a glass of water with Metamucil before a meal, I felt slightly full and ate less so I lost a few pounds. I suspect that drinking a full glass of water alone before a meal would accomplish the same affect.
Did Metamucil Reduce My High Cholesterol?
Drum roll, please! After four months on Metamucil and without making any dietary changes, my total cholesterol went down, making a 10.4 percent improvement. My good, HDL cholesterol, improved by 3.5 percent; and bad, LDL cholesterol improved 16.4 percent. Yes, Metamucil did reduce high cholesterol.
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Sources: Personal Experience and LabTestOnline
