The report finds, when talking about cholesterol, one word that comes up a lot is “hyperlipidemia.” This refers to an increase in the amount of fat in the blood. This could be in the form of triglycerides and/or cholesterol. When a person has hyperlipidemia, they are just one step away from heart disease.

As the article “Melt Bad Cholesterol with This” reports, while doctors usually prescribe statins for cholesterol problems, they come with lots of side effects, such as diarrhea, nausea, constipation, and muscle aches and pains. More serious side effects could include memory loss, an increased risk for diabetes, and liver damage.

However, the Doctors Health Press e-Bulletin article states a recent clinical trial found promising results when they tested grape seed extract in 52 hyperlipidemic people as an alternative to statins. The participants in the study were given either 200mg of grape seed extract or placebo for eight weeks.

According to the article, when the researchers ran some tests, they found that the grape seed extract lowered total cholesterol and the LDL levels of the participants. As far as the researchers of this trial were concerned, grape seed extract is effective for decreasing the risk for cardiovascular disease.

Doctors Health Press e-Bulletin concludes by advising readers that if they’re finding their cholesterol levels are higher than they would like them to be, they should give grape seed extract a try. It is a safe, alternative remedy that has not caused any noticeable side effects to date.