Policosanol
OTHER NAME(S): policosanol
Overview
Policosanol has been used for several different reasons, including cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure, and intermittent claudication. However, its benefits are not well defined for any reason. Policosanol is generally well tolerated. Before taking policosanol, make sure to tell your health care provider about any health conditions you have or medicines you are taking.
Uses
What is policosanol used for?
Policosanol is used for different reasons, but its benefits for any use are not well defined. Some reasons that people may take policosanol include the following.
- High cholesterol
- High blood pressure
- High blood sugar
- Intermittent claudication
Note: The FDA has not reviewed policosanol for safety and effectiveness. Learn more about dietary supplements here.
How does policosanol work (mechanism of action)?
Policosanol is a natural mixture of long-chain alcohols (octacosanol, hexacosanol, nonacosanol, dotriacontanol, tetracosanol, heptacosanol, triacontanol, and tetratriacontanol) purified from sugarcane wax. It can also be found in beeswax, rice bran, and wheat germ.
Policosanol is thought to help lower cholesterol levels by reducing the amount of cholesterol that your liver makes. However, human studies have not shown it to consistently lower cholesterol levels.
The potential benefit for intermittent claudication is thought to be due to policosanol’s ability to prevent platelets in the blood from sticking together and its potential anti-inflammatory activity. However, human studies have not shown it to consistently improve symptoms in people with intermittent claudication.
The exact way that policosanol could possibly lower blood pressure is not fully understood. It may involve the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. Renin is a natural hormone in your body that affects blood pressure. Regardless of how it might work, human studies do not consistently show that policosanol lowers blood pressure.
Policosanol may slightly lower blood sugar levels by increasing the release of insulin. Some studies show no effect on blood sugar levels and others show a small reduction. The amount that policosanol may lower blood sugar levels is likely not significant. More studies are needed to confirm any significant blood sugar-lowering effects of policosanol.
How should I store policosanol?
You should store policosanol according to the product label. Most dietary supplements should be kept in a cool, dry location that is out of the reach of children and pets and not in direct sunlight.
Side Effects
What are the most common side effects of policosanol?
Policosanol seems to generally be well tolerated. Tell your health care provider if you have any side effects that bother you.
Contact your health care provider if you think you are having a side effect of a supplement. In the U.S., you can report side effects to the FDA at www.safetyreporting.hhs.gov or by calling 888-SAFEFOOD (888-723-3366). In Canada, you can report side effects to Health Canada at www.health.gc.ca/medeffect or by calling 866-234-2345.
What are the serious side effects of policosanol?
While less common, the most serious side effects of policosanol are described below, along with what to do if they happen.
Severe Allergic Reactions. Policosanol may cause allergic reactions, which can be serious. Stop taking policosanol and get help right away if you have any of the following symptoms of a serious allergic reaction.
- Breathing problems or wheezing
- Racing heart
- Fever or general ill feeling
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Swelling of the face, lips, mouth, tongue, or throat
- Trouble swallowing or throat tightness
- Itching or skin rash
- Bumps on the skin called hives that can be red, pink, white, or brown depending on your skin tone
- Nausea or vomiting
- Dizziness, feeling lightheaded, or fainting
- Stomach cramps
- Joint pain
Precautions
Who should not use policosanol?
Allergies to Ingredients. People who are allergic to any of the following should not take policosanol.
- Beeswax
- Policosanol
- Sugarcane
- Any of the ingredients in the specific product
Your pharmacist can tell you all of the ingredients in the specific policosanol products they stock.
What should I know about policosanol before using it?
Policosanol is a dietary supplement. It cannot be marketed to treat or cure a disease.
Read and follow the directions on the specific product you are taking, or take it as recommended by your health care provider.
Keep policosanol out of the reach of children.
If you have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, or intermittent claudication, talk to your health care provider about your treatment options before taking policosanol. There are many available prescription medicine options to treat these conditions. Some of these could interact with policosanol. See the Interactions section for more details.
Policosanol is a natural mixture of long-chain alcohols (primarily octacosanol, hexacosanol, and triacontanol). The amount of each of these alcohols can vary from product to product. Each of these alcohols may have different effects on the body. These effects may change depending on how much of each alcohol is found in the product you are taking. If you switch to a new bottle or a different brand, you may not have the same effects or side effects because of this variability. Talk to your health care provider if you have questions or concerns.
The FDA has not tested policosanol products to confirm that they contain the ingredients stated on their labels. Some dietary supplements have been tested by third-party organizations to confirm that they contain the ingredients listed on their labels and do not contain any harmful chemicals. Learn more about how to choose a safe dietary supplement product here.
What should I tell my health care provider before using policosanol?
Tell your health care provider about all of your health conditions and any prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, vitamins/minerals, herbal products, and other supplements you are using. This will help them know if policosanol is right for you.
In particular, make sure that you discuss any of the following.
Other Medicines and Supplements. Policosanol may interact with other medicines and supplements. Before taking policosanol, tell your health care provider about any prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, vitamins/minerals, herbal products, and other supplements you are using. See the Interactions section for more details.
Current and Past Health Conditions. Tell your health care provider if you have any of the following.
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol levels
- Intermittent claudication
- Diabetes or high blood sugar levels
- Bleeding or clotting disorders
- Upcoming surgery
Pregnancy.It is not known if or how policosanol could affect pregnancy or harm a fetus. Tell your health care provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
Breastfeeding. It is not known if policosanol passes into the breastmilk. Tell your health care provider if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.
Interactions
Does policosanol interact with foods or drinks?
There are no known interactions between policosanol and foods or drinks.
It is unknown if drinking alcohol will affect policosanol.
Does policosanol interact with medicines (drug interactions)?
Always tell your health care provider about any prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, vitamins/minerals, herbal products, and other supplements you are using.
In particular, make sure that you discuss if you are using any of the following before taking policosanol.
- An antiplatelet medicine, such as aspirin/dipyridamole, cilostazol, clopidogrel (Plavix), or ticagrelor (Brilinta), which is a medicine used to prevent blood clots
- A blood thinner, which is a medicine used to treat or prevent blood clots
- Aspirin, which is in many prescription and OTC products, including those for pain, swelling, and fever
- A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), such as ibuprofen, naproxen, and others, which is in many prescription and OTC products for pain, swelling, and fever
- A medicine for blood pressure
- A medicine for diabetes
This may not be a complete list of medicines that can interact with policosanol. Always check with your health care provider.
The interactions between policosanol and medicines are not fully understood. As with most dietary supplements, the research on drug interactions with policosanol is incomplete. Always check with your health care provider before taking policosanol with any medicines.
Dosing
What should I do if I accidentally use too much policosanol?
If you or someone else has used too much policosanol, get medical help right away, call 911, or contact a Poison Control center at 800-222-1222.
Policosanol is available as tablets and capsules in a variety of different doses. Speak to a health care provider about how to take policosanol safely. Do not take double or extra doses, even if you miss a dose.
References
- Alternative Medicine Review: “Policosanol.”
- Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation: “Policosanol.”
- Angiology: “A double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the effects of policosanol in patients with intermittent claudication,” “A long-term study of policosanol in the treatment of intermittent claudication,” “Effects of policosanol and lovastatin in patients with intermittent claudication: a double-blind comparative pilot study,” “Effects of policosanol and ticlopidine in patients with intermittent claudication: a double-blinded pilot comparative study,” “Effects of policosanol (10 mg/d) versus aspirin (100 mg/d) in patients with intermittent claudication: a 10-week, randomized, comparative study.”
- Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice: “The effects of policosanol supplementation on blood glucose: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.”
- Frontiers in Physiology: “Long-term consumption of Cuban policosanol lowers central and brachial blood pressure and improves lipid profile with enhancement of lipoprotein properties in healthy Korean participants.”
- Journal of Clinical Lipidology: “Role of dietary supplements in lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol: a review.”
- The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics: “Policosanol inhibits cholesterol synthesis in hepatoma cells by activation of AMP-kinase.”
- Pharmacological Research: “A network meta-analysis on the comparative effect of nutraceuticals on lipid profile in adults.”
- The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: “Policosanol is ineffective in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia: a randomized controlled trial.”
- The Journal of Clinical Hypertension: “Efficacy and safety of policosanol (sugarcane wax alcohols) 20 mg/day in Cuban prehypertensive patients: a randomized, double-blind, multicentre study.”