Research
Micronutrients & recovery
Soluble fibers (beta-glucan, psyllium, glucomannan) reduce LDL-C by 5-15% through mechanisms including bile acid excretion and increased fecal cholesterol excretion, with additional benefits on triglycerides for glucomannan.
Incorporate 5-10 grams of soluble fiber daily. Oats (beta-glucan) and psyllium husk are effective for lowering LDL. If you also have high triglycerides, glucomannan (konjac root) may offer additional benefits. Start with a lower dose to minimize gastrointestinal side effects like bloating.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
The lipid-lowering mechanisms of action of soluble fibers are different, including prolonged gastric emptying time, an increase of satiety, the inhibition of hepatic cholesterol synthesis, and an increase of fecal excretion of cholesterol and bile salts... glucomannan... significantly reduces LDL-C and TGs, respectively, by -0.41 mmol/L and -0.13 mmol/L
Why this rating
Supported by multiple meta-analyses of RCTs (Level A evidence).
Source
Lipid-lowering nutraceuticals in clinical practice: position paper from an International Lipid Expert Panel
Arrigo F.G. Cicero et al. · Nutrition Reviews · 2017
DOI 10.1093/nutrit/nux047
clinical_guidelineCited 286×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Plant sterols and stanols (PS/PS) reduce LDL-C by 8-12% through competitive inhibition of intestinal cholesterol absorption, with efficacy plateauing at approximately 3 g/day.Good
- Chitosan reduces total cholesterol by approximately 5% but has inconsistent effects on LDL-C, HDL-C, and triglycerides, with limited long-term efficacy data.Moderate
Related findings · Micronutrients & recovery
- Trans fats (industrial trans-fatty acids) are unequivocally harmful and should be completely avoided as they raise LDL-C, TGs, and Apo B while lowering HDL-C.Strong
- For menopausal women with osteoporosis, first-line pharmacologic therapies include alendronate, risedronate, zoledronic acid, and denosumab for the prevention of hip, nonvertebral, and vertebral fractures.Strong
- Folic acid fortification of flour prevents neural tube birth defects, and mandatory fortification is more effective than voluntary supplementation alone.Strong
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →