Cause sought for rising cholesterol
PEOPLE'S PHARMACY
I've always had low cholesterol, but it has been rising for the past few years. First it went from 180 to 233, and then to 363. I tried to figure out what might be responsible and realized I had started taking glucosamine and chondroitin for sore knee joints in 2005. My doctor is skeptical, and he'd like me to take Crestor to lower my cholesterol.
Studies have not shown that glucosamine and chondroitin are effective for relieving mild to moderate arthritis pain (Arthritis & Rheumatism, October 2008). Nonetheless, many people take it and report benefits. No studies have proven glucosamine raises cholesterol, though many readers report such an association. The supplement appears to increase insulin resistance, however, and could make treatment of Type 2 diabetes more difficult (American Journal of the Medical Sciences, June 2007).
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I have been on Coumadin for 15 years because of an artificial aortic valve. I had read that turmeric was effective in lowering cholesterol and began sprinkling it on broccoli. My international normalized ratio went up dramatically, and my pharmacist said, "Stop!" Have there been any studies on the blood-thinning effect of turmeric?
You are not the first person to report this interaction between Coumadin (warfarin) and turmeric. Others have reported a spike in their INR lab values (a measure of blood anticoagulation), and our fear is that this could lead to a serious bleeding episode.
Joe Graedon is a pharmacologist and Teresa Graedon is an expert in medical anthropology and nutrition. www.peoplespharmacy.com
