Does Centrum Cardio Work?
Centrum Cardio® is a multivitamin that is claimed to
lower cholesterol and promote heart health. But are these claims really true? Some of these claims for Centrum Cardio have been approved by the FDA, while others have not.
Does Centrum Cardio Work for High Cholesterol?
Centrum Cardio contains 400 mg of phytosterols (
plant sterols) per tablet (for 800 mg total per day). Plant sterols have been shown to be effective at
lowering cholesterol (and, as a result, for reducing the risk of
heart disease). Plant sterols lower both
LDL cholesterol ("bad" cholesterol) and total
cholesterol levels. In general, studies have shown that plant sterols can lower LDL cholesterol by about 5 percent to 15 percent, and can lower total cholesterol by about 2 percent to 10 percent. Plant sterols, however, do not have much effect on
HDL ("good" cholesterol).
The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) allows certain plant sterol products to make a "health claim," stating that these products can reduce the risk of
heart disease. Also, the American Heart Association (AHA) also recognizes that plant sterols help to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease.
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