Supplements for cholesterol & lipids

15 compounds relevant to cholesterol & lipids, ranked by overall evidence grade.

Overall grade: Grade B
Last revised: Jul 10, 2026; 15
graded outcomes: 0
references listed

Assembled by the app from other entries in this library. It adds no evidence of its own — follow the links to the entries it draws on.

5 at grade B · 8 at grade C · 2 at grade D — 15 graded rows

What is known

Each outcome with its grade (how strong the evidence is, A to D), the size of the effect where the entry records one, and how often studies agree.

Outcome	Grade	Effect size	Agreement
Niacin (B3)Corrects pellagra, powerfully shifts blood lipids — but as a heart drug it failed to cut events and added harm.	Evidence grade B	Unclear	mixed
GarlicReal, modest blood-pressure lowering and small lipid effects — a legitimately useful kitchen cardiovascular supplement.	Evidence grade B	Unclear	mixed
BerberineA plant alkaloid that behaves like a metabolic drug — real glucose and lipid effects, and it deserves drug-level caution.	Evidence grade B	Unclear	mixed
Red Yeast RiceA supplement that lowers LDL because it literally contains a statin — same benefits, same risks, minus the dose control.	Evidence grade B	Unclear	mixed
PantethineAn active form of vitamin B5 that genuinely, if modestly, improves the lipid panel.	Evidence grade B	Unclear	mixed
Bergamot (Citrus Bergamia)A citrus polyphenol extract with promising LDL and triglyceride data — an emerging natural lipid helper.	Evidence grade C	Unclear	mixed
Artichoke Leaf ExtractA digestive-and-cholesterol botanical with modest LDL and dyspepsia data.	Evidence grade C	Unclear	mixed
Pantothenic Acid (B5)A ubiquitous B-vitamin (deficiency is nearly nonexistent) with niche pantethine-for-cholesterol data.	Evidence grade C	Unclear	mixed
SpirulinaA protein-rich algae with modest lipid, blood-pressure, and allergic-rhinitis signals — quality/contamination is the catch.	Evidence grade C	Unclear	mixed
ChlorellaA protein-rich green algae with modest lipid, blood-pressure, and immune signals — and a heavy-metal-binding angle.	Evidence grade C	Unclear	mixed
TocotrienolsThe other half of the vitamin E family, studied for lipids and liver — promising, not settled, and antagonized by alpha-tocopherol.	Evidence grade C	Unclear	mixed
Black Seed Oil (Nigella sativa)A traditional 'cure-all' seed oil (thymoquinone) with real, modest signals for blood pressure, glucose and lipids.	Evidence grade C	Unclear	mixed
Royal JellyThe queen-bee secretion sold for vitality — modest, real signals for lipids and menopausal symptoms amid a lot of hype.	Evidence grade C	Unclear	mixed
GuggulAn Ayurvedic lipid resin that disappointed Western trials and can raise LDL in some.	Evidence grade D	Unclear	mixed
PolicosanolA sugar-cane wax lipid supplement whose spectacular early results never replicated outside Cuba.	Evidence grade D	Unclear	mixed

Niacin (B3)Evidence grade B
Corrects pellagra, powerfully shifts blood lipids — but as a heart drug it failed to cut events and added harm.
Unclearmixed
GarlicEvidence grade B
Real, modest blood-pressure lowering and small lipid effects — a legitimately useful kitchen cardiovascular supplement.
Unclearmixed
BerberineEvidence grade B
A plant alkaloid that behaves like a metabolic drug — real glucose and lipid effects, and it deserves drug-level caution.
Unclearmixed
Red Yeast RiceEvidence grade B
A supplement that lowers LDL because it literally contains a statin — same benefits, same risks, minus the dose control.
Unclearmixed
PantethineEvidence grade B
An active form of vitamin B5 that genuinely, if modestly, improves the lipid panel.
Unclearmixed
Bergamot (Citrus Bergamia)Evidence grade C
A citrus polyphenol extract with promising LDL and triglyceride data — an emerging natural lipid helper.
Unclearmixed
Artichoke Leaf ExtractEvidence grade C
A digestive-and-cholesterol botanical with modest LDL and dyspepsia data.
Unclearmixed
Pantothenic Acid (B5)Evidence grade C
A ubiquitous B-vitamin (deficiency is nearly nonexistent) with niche pantethine-for-cholesterol data.
Unclearmixed
SpirulinaEvidence grade C
A protein-rich algae with modest lipid, blood-pressure, and allergic-rhinitis signals — quality/contamination is the catch.
Unclearmixed
ChlorellaEvidence grade C
A protein-rich green algae with modest lipid, blood-pressure, and immune signals — and a heavy-metal-binding angle.
Unclearmixed
TocotrienolsEvidence grade C
The other half of the vitamin E family, studied for lipids and liver — promising, not settled, and antagonized by alpha-tocopherol.
Unclearmixed
Black Seed Oil (Nigella sativa)Evidence grade C
A traditional 'cure-all' seed oil (thymoquinone) with real, modest signals for blood pressure, glucose and lipids.
Unclearmixed
Royal JellyEvidence grade C
The queen-bee secretion sold for vitality — modest, real signals for lipids and menopausal symptoms amid a lot of hype.
Unclearmixed
GuggulEvidence grade D
An Ayurvedic lipid resin that disappointed Western trials and can raise LDL in some.
Unclearmixed
PolicosanolEvidence grade D
A sugar-cane wax lipid supplement whose spectacular early results never replicated outside Cuba.
Unclearmixed

What is uncertain

Read off the same rows as above. Nothing here is added that the entry does not itself record.

Thin evidence: Bergamot (Citrus Bergamia) (grade C); Artichoke Leaf Extract (grade C); Pantothenic Acid (B5) (grade C); Spirulina (grade C); Chlorella (grade C); Tocotrienols (grade C); Black Seed Oil (Nigella sativa) (grade C); Royal Jelly (grade C); Guggul (grade D); Policosanol (grade D).
Studies disagree: Niacin (B3) (mixed agreement); Garlic (mixed agreement); Berberine (mixed agreement); Red Yeast Rice (mixed agreement); Pantethine (mixed agreement).

The evidence in words

The shortlist

Every compound in the knowledge base tagged to cholesterol & lipids, ordered by how strong its overall evidence is. Start at the top; the grade is the honest filter.

Worth considering first

Niacin (B3) (B) — Corrects pellagra, powerfully shifts blood lipids — but as a heart drug it failed to cut events and added harm. · Garlic (B) — Real, modest blood-pressure lowering and small lipid effects — a legitimately useful kitchen cardiovascular supplement. · Berberine (B) — A plant alkaloid that behaves like a metabolic drug — real glucose and lipid effects, and it deserves drug-level caution. · Red Yeast Rice (B) — A supplement that lowers LDL because it literally contains a statin — same benefits, same risks, minus the dose control. · Pantethine (B) — An active form of vitamin B5 that genuinely, if modestly, improves the lipid panel.

Lower-evidence options

Bergamot (Citrus Bergamia) (C) — A citrus polyphenol extract with promising LDL and triglyceride data — an emerging natural lipid helper. · Artichoke Leaf Extract (C) — A digestive-and-cholesterol botanical with modest LDL and dyspepsia data. · Pantothenic Acid (B5) (C) — A ubiquitous B-vitamin (deficiency is nearly nonexistent) with niche pantethine-for-cholesterol data. · Spirulina (C) — A protein-rich algae with modest lipid, blood-pressure, and allergic-rhinitis signals — quality/contamination is the catch. · Chlorella (C) — A protein-rich green algae with modest lipid, blood-pressure, and immune signals — and a heavy-metal-binding angle. · Tocotrienols (C) — The other half of the vitamin E family, studied for lipids and liver — promising, not settled, and antagonized by alpha-tocopherol. · Black Seed Oil (Nigella sativa) (C) — A traditional 'cure-all' seed oil (thymoquinone) with real, modest signals for blood pressure, glucose and lipids. · Royal Jelly (C) — The queen-bee secretion sold for vitality — modest, real signals for lipids and menopausal symptoms amid a lot of hype. · Guggul (D) — An Ayurvedic lipid resin that disappointed Western trials and can raise LDL in some. · Policosanol (D) — A sugar-cane wax lipid supplement whose spectacular early results never replicated outside Cuba.

Goes with

Niacin (B3)Grade BEvidence grade B
GarlicGrade BEvidence grade B
BerberineGrade BEvidence grade B
Red Yeast RiceGrade BEvidence grade B
PantethineGrade BEvidence grade B
Bergamot (Citrus Bergamia)Grade CEvidence grade C
Artichoke Leaf ExtractGrade CEvidence grade C
Pantothenic Acid (B5)Grade CEvidence grade C

Entries that share this one's tags or conditions.

Artichoke Leaf Extract for DyslipidemiaEvidence grade C — ModestEvidence grade C
Artichoke Leaf Extract for Functional dyspepsiaEvidence grade C — Symptom reliefEvidence grade C
Artichoke Leaf Extract for LDL cholesterolEvidence grade C — ModestEvidence grade C
Artichoke Leaf Extract: dosage and how to take itStandardized extract with meals.Evidence grade C

Sources

This entry lists no references of its own — it is assembled from the entries it links to, whose sources are on their pages.

Last revised Jul 10, 2026. A grade is this entry's reading of the evidence, not medical advice.