Psyllium husk 150 g

Hypercholesterolaemia

Psyllium has the property of capturing bile salts and eliminating them, thus forcing the liver to make new cholesterol using blood cholesterol, which will marginally lower its level. Prolonged use of psyllium supplements helps to lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels in people with mild or moderate hypercholesterolaemia. The reduction in total cholesterol and triglycerides is observed from 5g of psyllium per day and increases with the dose. Above all, it is important to follow a diet that is less rich in sugars at the same time as looking for the causes of hypercholesterolaemia! The desire to lower cholesterol at all costs is now being called into question.

Cardiovascular disease

In addition to its benefits on blood lipid levels (see research on hypercholesterolaemia) and glycaemia (see research on diabetes), psyllium is thought to act on other components of metabolic syndrome, a condition that predisposes to cardiovascular disease. In 2005, two independent meta-analyses concluded that fibre supplementation (around 10g a day) helped to reduce blood pressure, particularly in hypertensive individuals. In 2007, a clinical trial showed that a diet containing 3.5 g of psyllium, 3 times a day for 6 months, significantly reduced the blood pressure of overweight people with high blood pressure.

It should be noted that in the United States, since 1998, the Food and Drug Administration has authorised products containing psyllium to indicate that there is a relationship between the soluble fibres in psyllium and a reduction in the risk of coronary heart disease.