Functional foods and nutraceuticals in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia: Statement of the Spanish Society of Arteriosclerosis 2023

Abstract

In the management of hypercholesterolemia, besides advising a healthy, plant-based diet, it may be useful to recommend functional foods or nutraceutical with cholesterol-lowering properties. Given the progressive increase in the number of these products and their rising use by the population, the Spanish Society of Arteriosclerosis (SEA) has considered it appropriate to review the available information, select the results of the scientifically more robust studies and take a position on their usefulness, to recommend to health professionals and the general population their potential utility in terms of efficacy and their possible benefits and limitations. The following clinical scenarios have been identified in which these products could be used and will be analyzed in more detail in this document: (1) Hypolipidemic treatment in subjects with statin intolerance. (2) Hypolipidemic treatment «a la carte» in individuals in primary prevention. (3) Long-term cardiovascular prevention in individuals with no indication for lipid-lowering therapy. (4) Patients with optimized lipid-lowering treatment who do not achieve therapeutic objectives.

Keywords: Alimentos funcionales; Colesterol LDL; Fitoesteroles; Functional foods; Hipercolesterolemia; Hypercholesterolemia; LDL cholesterol; Levadura roja de arroz; Nutraceuticals; Nutracéuticos; Phytosterols; Red yeast rice.