11 Natural Remedies for Hyperlipidemia

You may not be familiar with hyperlipidemia, but chances are you know someone who’s been affected by this condition — even if that person doesn’t know it. This disorder affects approximately 71 million Americans, and less than half receive treatment for the condition. (1)

What is hyperlipidemia? It’s the medical term for having elevated lipid (fat) levels in the blood. To put it in terms you’re likely familiar with — if you have hyperlipidemia then you have high levels of both cholesterol and triglycerides. It’s a chronic condition but can be reversed in most cases through healthy eating and regular exercise.

Hyperlipidemia is a common condition associated with metabolic syndrome, diabetes and obesity, as well as being a cause of coronary artery disease, peripheral arterial disease and stroke. Similarly to hypertension or high blood pressure symptoms, hyperlipidemia can be a “silent killer” with no known signs or symptoms until you’re in serious trouble. Scary, right?!

Is there anything you can do naturally to avoid or improve hyperlipidemia? Of course! Lifestyle changes including diet and exercise are key. So are healthy fatty acids like omega-3s, which even conventional doctors recommend, especially for patients who have coronary heart disease and cannot tolerate statins. (2)

Natural Treatments for Hyperlipidemia

Hyperlipidemia can be inherited and increases the risk of disease of the blood vessels, which can lead to stroke and heart disease. Doctors most frequently and very quickly prescribe statins for anyone who has hyperlipidemia or high cholesterol. But statins are not without very serious risks, including increasing your chances of developing diabetes — with studies finding that people who took statins were 50 percent more likely to develop type 2 diabetes! (3)

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Medical doctors and experts know and admit the facts — lifestyle changes are by far the best way to prevent and manage hyperlipidemia. So why the massive prescribing of dangerous statins? It’s a simple yet sad answer: Most people aren’t willing to make significant (yet totally doable) lifestyle changes that could replace the need for cholesterol-lowering drugs. But you’re reading this article right now so I’m happy to say that I know there are some people who very much want to do what they can to heal themselves naturally from hyperlipidemia.

There’s no question that natural and controllable lifestyle changes are the best way to fight hyperlipidemia. Here’s what you can do to avoid or treat this condition today.

1. Change Your Diet

A high-fat diet full of inflammatory foods can worsen or increase your risk for hyperlipidemia. (4) That’s why you want to eat anti-inflammatory foods and limited your consumption of damaging processed foods.

Foods that Make It Worse

Avoid consumption of this list to prevent and heal hyperlipidemia:

• Sugar and refined grain products — Both stimulate the liver to produce more cholesterol and increase inflammation.
• Packaged and process foods of all kinds — Typically high in salt, sugar and unhealthy fats, you definitely want to stay clear of packaged and highly processed foods.
• Hydrogenated fats — Vegetable oils are pro-inflammatory and may increase cholesterol.
• Trans fats — These increase LDL cholesterol, inflammation and risk of cardiovascular disease.
• Conventional dairy products (non-organic, homogenized and pasteurized) — Pasteurization and homogenization of dairy products alter their chemical structure, make fats rancid, destroy nutrients and result in the formation of free radicals in the body.
• Factory-farmed animal products — Industrial farming provides us with cheap but dangerously unhealthy animal meats and products.
• Too much caffeine — Too much caffeine can increase cholesterol levels. Limit coffee or tea to no more than one to two cups per day.
• Too much alcohol — Alcohol stimulates the liver to produce more cholesterol, increasing cholesterol levels and inflammation. For people with high triglycerides alcohol can be particularly dangerous. A glass of red wine per day may be cardioprotective, but anything more than that increases your cholesterol.

Foods that Heal

• Omega-3 fats — Omega-3 foods can help increase good cholesterol and reduce risk of cardiovascular disease. Fish rich in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids include sardines, tuna, salmon, herring and mackerel.
• Foods high in soluble fiber — Soluble fiber binds cholesterol in the digestive system, causing it to be excreted by the body. Aim to consume plenty of fruits, vegetables, sprouted nuts and seeds, and other high-fiber foods.
• Olive oil — Real, high-quality extra virgin olive oil has well-researched anti-inflammatory compounds, antioxidants and numerous heart-healthy macronutrients. It also boosts HDL.
• Garlic and onions — These two cholesterol-lowering foods help reduce LDL cholesterol because of their sulfur-containing compounds that help cleanse the arteries.
• Apple cider vinegar — Consuming just one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar per day can naturally lower your cholesterol. Apple cider vinegar has been shown to increase bile production and support your liver, which is responsible for processing cholesterol.
• Herbs — Add a variety of spices to your daily diet, such as basil, rosemary and turmeric, which all contain antioxidants that are cardioprotective and help lower cholesterol naturally.

2. Fish Oil (1,000 milligrams to 2,000 milligrams daily)

EPA and DHA (omega-3 fats) found in fish oil help reduce overall cholesterol levels, which in turn can help stave off this condition. A 2015 study out of China examined 80 people to determine if fish oil benefits people with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) associated with hyperlipidemia. The participants were randomly assigned to take fish oil or corn oil daily for three months. Of the 80 original participants, 70 completed the trial, and researchers found “that fish oil can benefit metabolic abnormalities associated with NAFLD treatment.” (5)

3. Red Yeast Rice (1,200 milligrams twice daily)

Red yeast rice is a substance that’s extracted from rice that’s been fermented with a type of yeast called Monascus purpureus. It’s been used in China and other Asian countries for centuries as a traditional medicine and shown to reduces cholesterol by up to 32 percent. Best taken with CoQ10 (at least 90–120 milligrams daily) to prevent deficiency, it’s been shown to have positive effects on hyperlipidemia in particular.

A 2015 study out of Korea published in the Journal of Medicinal Food investigated red yeast rice’s efficacy in treating obesity — a common cause of hyperlipidemia — and hyperlipidemia itself. Mice were separated in five groups: normal diet, high-fat diet without any treatment, and three high-fat diet groups supplemented with either one gram per kilogram a day of red yeast rice for eight weeks, one gram per kilogram a day of red yeast rice for 12 weeks or 2.5 grams per kilogram daily for eight weeks.

Researchers found that red yeast rice prevented weight gain and “alleviated blood lipid parameters, liver enzymes, and leptin levels, and improved atherogenic index.” This suggested red yeast rice can treat obesity and hyperlipidemia. (6)

4. Niacin (1,500 milligrams daily)

Niacin (vitamin B3) reduces LDL cholesterol by 25 percent and increases good cholesterol by 35 percent, which is why you want to include niacin foods in your diet. Duke University’s Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology found that niacin helped improved diabetic conditions in people with new-onset diabetes resulting from hyperlipidemia, showing it can treat this condition and also treat diabetes. (7)

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5.  Chromium (200–1,000 µg daily depending on age and health conditions present)

Chromium is needed for normal metabolism of fats, including cholesterol. Research shows a link between higher chromium intake and healthier arteries and levels of blood cholesterol. Some studies even show that people who die from heart disease tend to have lower levels of chromium in the blood at the time of death.

One study out of Turkey published in Human & Experimental Toxicology found that chromium combined with niacin treatment improved the condition of hyperlipidemic rats, concluding chromium along with niacin may “induce a protective effect on heart tissue.” (8)

6. Milk Thistle (50–150 milligrams daily)

Milk thistle benefits heart health and helps lower high cholesterol levels by lowering inflammation, cleaning the blood and preventing oxidative stress damage within the arteries. Studies show that milk thistle appears to be especially beneficial to diabetics suffering from hyperlipidemia. (9)

7.  Garlic (500 milligrams daily)

If you have a hard time consuming garlic in your diet, you can also take garlic in supplement form. It increases HDL cholesterol and lowers total cholesterol.

A 1993 meta-analysis of controlled trials using garlic to reduce cholesterol levels found that garlic does, indeed lower total cholesterol. Researchers concluded that, “The best available evidence suggests that garlic, in an amount approximating one half to one clove per day, decreased total serum cholesterol levels by about 9 percent in the groups of patients studied.” (10)

Follow-up research has discovered that this effect may be due, in part, to garlic’s ability to slow down cholesterol synthesis and re-circulation in the liver and also to garlic’s antioxidant potential. (11, 12)

8. Exercise

A top and crucial way to keep your blood lipid profile in a healthy state is to exercise. Exercise with weight training and burst training can boost human growth hormone, which can improve HDL (good) cholesterol and lower LDL (bad) cholesterol. (13)

9. Lose Weight

If you carry extra weight around, you’ll want to work on losing weight. A weight loss of just 10 percent can go a long way to lowering your risk of or reversing hyperlipidemia. (14)

10. Quit Smoking

Smoking cigarettes is directly related to an increase in bad cholesterol and triglycerides so quitting is key to improving hyperlipidemia. (15)

11. Essential Oils

One study found that when animals with high cholesterol were given lemongrass essential oil extract, their numbers diminished drastically. Consumption of lemongrass oil has shown to sustain healthy levels of triglycerides and reduce the LDL (bad) cholesterol in the body. This promotes the unobstructed flow of blood in the arteries and helps protect against many cardiac disorders. (16)

Lavender oil is proven to lower cholesterol levels because it decreases emotional stress. Cypress essential oil lowers cholesterol because it improves circulation, and rosemary oil reduces cholesterol because of its unique antioxidant properties and supports cardiovascular health.

Hyperlipidemia vs. Hypertension

Hypertension is also known as high blood pressure. Blood pressure is the pressure that your blood applies to the inner walls of your arteries. Conversely, hyperlipidemia develops when you have high levels of lipids (fats) in your blood. Having high levels of lipids in your blood can narrow or block your arteries. The lipids can stick to and harden the walls of your arteries, as well.

People with hypertension are more likely also to have untreated or insufficiently treated cholesterol problems. Having both hyperlipidemia and hypertension increases risk of metabolic syndrome. If you have hyperlipidemia and hypertension and low HDL cholesterol, then you also have metabolic syndrome.

Untreated high blood pressure can cause damage to the heart, heart attack, heart failure or stroke. Having hyperlipidemia increases your risk for cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attack, stroke and peripheral vascular disease (having fatty deposits in your blood vessels).

Both of these conditions can be hereditary, and both have increased risk with increased age. They also can both be reversed with lifestyle changes. Some of the lifestyle changes that decrease the chances of and reduce hypertension and hyperlipidemia include losing weight, quitting smoking, reducing/avoiding alcohol and caffeine, increasing healthy foods, decreasing unhealthy foods, and exercising more.

Classification and Symptoms

Hyperlipidemia, or ICD-9 hyperlipidemia as it’s known to many medical professionals, can be classified as either familial or primary hyperlipidemia, which is caused by specific genetic abnormalities, or acquired or secondary hyperlipidemia when it results from another underlying factor, including metabolic syndrome, diet, physical inactivity, and/or medication.

A diagnosis of hyperlipidemia is not the same as high cholesterol. Both involve too much fat in the bloodstream, but high cholesterol does not necessarily mean you have high triglyceride levels. Hyperlipidemia means that both your overall cholesterol and your triglycerides are high. Cholesterol helps build cells and produce hormones in the body. Triglycerides are a type of fat the body utilizes to store energy as well as provide energy to your muscles. Having a high triglyceride level along with a high LDL cholesterol as one has with hyperlipidemia increases your chances of having heart disease more than having only a high LDL cholesterol level. (17)

Hyperlipidemia typically shows no symptoms and can only be detected by a blood test. Some people experience chest pain, especially if the hyperlipidemia is advanced and seriously affecting the arteries. Some symptoms that may occur in rare cases of hyperlipidemia can cause heart attack or stroke.

Risk Factors and Root Causes

Hyperlipidemia is usually the result of unhealthy lifestyle habits like smoking, poor diet and physical inactivity. Women older than 55 and men older than 45 are also more likely to be diagnosed with hyperlipidemia. (18)

Some other things that can cause hyperlipidemia include:

• alcoholism
• diabetes
• hypothyroidism
• kidney disease

Familial combined hyperlipidemia is an inherited disorder that causes high cholesterol and high levels of triglycerides in the blood. According to a study published in Human Molecular Genetics, familial combined hyperlipidemia affects 1 percent to 2 percent of the population. (19)

A family history of high cholesterol and early heart disease are risk factors for developing familial hyperlipidemia. Although familial combined hyperlipidemia is inherited, there are some factors that make it worse:

• alcoholism
• diabetes
• obesity
• hypothyroidism

In general, to be considered low-risk for hyperlipidemia, your blood work should show the following results:

• HDL greater than 40 milligrams per deciliter
• LDL less than 130 milligrams per deciliter
• Triglycerides less than 200 milligrams per deciliter
• Total cholesterol less than 200 milligrams per deciliter

Final Thoughts

• Hyperlipidemia affects approximately 71 million Americans, and less than half receive treatment for the condition.
• Hyperlipidemia is a common condition associated with metabolic syndrome, diabetes and obesity, as well as being a cause of coronary artery disease, peripheral arterial disease and stroke. Similarly to hypertension or high blood pressure symptoms, hyperlipidemia can be a “silent killer” with no known signs or symptoms until you’re in serious trouble.
• Hyperlipidemia is usually the result of unhealthy lifestyle habits like smoking, poor diet and physical inactivity. Women older than 55 and men older than 45 are also more likely to be diagnosed with hyperlipidemia.

Natural Remedies for Hyperlipidemia

Instead of taking dangerous statins to treat this condition, you can:

1. Eat healing, anti-inflammatory foods
2. Take fish oil, red yeast rice, niacin, chromium, milk thistle and garlic
3. Exercise
4. Lose weight
5. Quit smoking
6. Use essential oils

Read Next: Lower Cholesterol Naturally and Fast