Squalene and Heart Disease

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a widespread disease often blamed on modern lifestyle. In the United States, the number of victims is 1.5 million per year, of whom, about one-quarter do not survive. An additional 150,000 people die within one year of the attack. Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death, disease and health-care spending in the modern world and the cost of hospitalization for survivors is extremely high.

The following research and scientific findings will significantly shed light on the effect of Squalene in heart diseases.

Dietary Squalene has been found to lower cholesterol levels in blood. This mechanism seemingly derives from Squalene's ability to down-regulate the HMG Co-A reductase, which in turn enhances the liver's capacity to filter bad cholesterol. These findings are supported by epidemiological correlation studies of Squalene-rich olive oil consumption with a low incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD).

The laboratory evidence of the cholesterol lowering ability of Squalene has prompted pharmacologists to combine statin drugs (drugs used to lower down cholesterol levels) with Squalene. This may lead to reduced statin doses, thus reducing its potential side effects. This may also reduce in the long run total therapeutic cost for patients with hypercholesterolemia.

A large clinical trial conducted in Taiwan and published in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacology documented the effectiveness and safety of Squalene alone and in combination with pravastatin in lowering down cholesterol levels. 5 A double blind, placebo-controlled, 20-week trial was conducted on a randomized selection of 102 elderly people, all suffering from high cholesterol levels. They received 10 mg pravastatin and/or 860 mg Squalene daily, either separately or in combination. The results showed that both pravastatin and Squalene effectively reduces levels of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, while increasing levels of HDL cholesterol.

The research paper concluded, "Co-administration of pravastatin and Squalene combined the specific effects of the two drugs on lipoprotein concentrations. The combination may be useful and more cost-effective in elderly patients with hypercholesterolemia, who might have a higher incidence of side effects when using larger doses of pravastatin alone."