Best Supplements for Reduced Blood Cholesterol
Ranked by research evidence. Compare 142 supplements across 236 papers from the biomedical literature, with effect direction, evidence strength, and dose range for each.
Top picks by evidence
- High evidence7 studies
Across 7 studies, 6 reported beneficial moderate-sized effects of rice bran supplementation on reducing blood cholesterol, with 6 reaching statistical significance. Effects were observed at doses around 30 g/day (most commonly as rice bran oil), and median study duration was 56 days, indicating effects typically observed at 8 weeks. The evidence primarily comes from clinical populations, including individuals with metabolic syndrome, coronary artery disease, or overweight/obesity.
Dose: approximately 30 g/day - Moderate evidence8 studies
Across 8 studies, 5 reported beneficial effects (small to moderate reductions) of soy protein on blood cholesterol, while 3 showed no significant effect. Predominant effect size was mixed (small to moderate). Effects were typically observed at 90–180 days in clinical populations (e.g., chronic kidney disease, type 2 diabetic nephropathy). Doses ranged from 20–40 g/day, though many studies did not specify dose.
Dose: 20–40 g/day - Moderate evidence4 studies
Across 4 meta-analyses, all reported beneficial effects of black cumin (Nigella sativa) supplementation on total cholesterol reduction, with effect sizes ranging from moderate to large. The largest study included 5,026 participants. Although the evidence is consistent, the median study duration was only 7 days (reported by 1 study), limiting conclusions about longer-term effects.
142 supplements
- Highrice branAcross 7 studies, 6 reported beneficial moderate-sized effects of rice bran supplementation on reducing blood cholesterol, with 6 reaching statistical significance. Effects were observed at doses around 30 g/day (most commonly as rice bran oil), and median study duration was 56 days, indicating effects typically observed at 8 weeks. The evidence primarily comes from clinical populations, including individuals with metabolic syndrome, coronary artery disease, or overweight/obesity. · Dose: approximately 30 g/day6 beneficial1 neutral7 studies
- ModerateSoy ProteinAcross 8 studies, 5 reported beneficial effects (small to moderate reductions) of soy protein on blood cholesterol, while 3 showed no significant effect. Predominant effect size was mixed (small to moderate). Effects were typically observed at 90–180 days in clinical populations (e.g., chronic kidney disease, type 2 diabetic nephropathy). Doses ranged from 20–40 g/day, though many studies did not specify dose. · Dose: 20–40 g/day5 beneficial3 neutral8 studies
- ModerateBlack CuminAcross 4 meta-analyses, all reported beneficial effects of black cumin (Nigella sativa) supplementation on total cholesterol reduction, with effect sizes ranging from moderate to large. The largest study included 5,026 participants. Although the evidence is consistent, the median study duration was only 7 days (reported by 1 study), limiting conclusions about longer-term effects.4 beneficial4 studies
- ModerateGarlicAcross 4 meta-analyses, all 4 reported statistically significant moderate beneficial effects of garlic supplementation on reducing total cholesterol (TC). The predominant effect size is moderate, with reductions ranging from approximately 8–14 mg/dL or 0.4–0.6 mmol/L compared to placebo. Most studies focused on clinical populations with metabolic conditions (e.g., metabolic syndrome, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes), though dose and form data were not available.4 beneficial4 studies
- Moderatered yeast riceAcross 4 studies, all reported beneficial effects of red yeast rice on reducing blood cholesterol, with 3 out of 4 reaching statistical significance. The predominant effect size was large, as seen in two meta-analyses reporting mean reductions in total cholesterol of approximately 31–33 mg/dL. Most studies involved clinical populations (adults with dyslipidemia or hyperlipidemia) and doses ranged from 200 mg/day to 4800 mg/day; effects were typically observed at 8–12 weeks (median study duration: 70 days). · Dose: 200–4800 mg daily (as red yeast rice), or up to 10 mg/day of monacolin K4 beneficial4 studies
- ModerateLactobacillus reuteri NCIMB 30242Across 3 studies, all reported beneficial small to moderate effects of Lactobacillus reuteri NCIMB 30242 on reducing blood cholesterol. The predominant effect size is small. The most direct evidence comes from a randomized controlled trial in hypercholesterolemic adults (n=127) showing a 9.14% reduction in total cholesterol relative to placebo (p<0.001). Doses were not clearly specified across studies.4 beneficial4 studies
- Moderategreen teaAcross 4 meta-analyses, 3 reported beneficial effects on total cholesterol with predominantly small effect sizes (one moderate), while 1 found no significant effect. The most studied populations are postmenopausal women and overweight/obese individuals. No consistent dose range or form was identified.3 beneficial1 neutral4 studies
- ModerateTurmericAcross 4 studies, 3 reported small beneficial effects of turmeric/curcumin on reducing total cholesterol, while 1 meta-analysis in patients with type 2 diabetes or hyperglycemia found neutral effects. The evidence base is small, and study durations and doses are not consistently reported.3 beneficial1 neutral4 studies
- ModerateLactobacillus plantarumOverall, the evidence suggests a small beneficial effect of Lactobacillus plantarum supplementation on reducing blood cholesterol. Across 4 studies, 3 reported beneficial effects (2 with statistically significant findings), while 1 neutral study showed no significant change. Effects were predominantly small, and no consistent dose, form, or population was reported across studies.3 beneficial1 neutral4 studies
- ModerateL-CarnitineAcross 4 studies, 3 reported beneficial effects of L-carnitine supplementation on reducing blood cholesterol, with effect sizes ranging from small to large. The largest, most recent trial in women with PCOS (n=110) showed a large beneficial effect at 3000 mg/day over 42 days, while meta-analyses in type 2 diabetes and PCOS reported small-to-moderate reductions. The limited evidence shows mixed effect sizes (small to large) and is drawn primarily from clinical populations (PCOS, type 2 diabetes) with the most-supported dose at or above 2 g/day. · Dose: ≥2 g/day3 beneficial1 neutral4 studies
- LowBerberineAcross 4 studies, 3 reported beneficial small-to-moderate effects of berberine on reducing blood cholesterol, while 1 was neutral. Statistically significant reductions in total cholesterol were observed in 2 of the 3 beneficial studies, with one meta-analysis reporting a moderate effect (−0.451 mmol/L). The most-studied dose was 500 mg twice daily (1000 mg/day), and effects were typically measured over 84 days in clinical populations with hyperlipidemia or type 2 diabetes. · Dose: 500 mg twice daily (1000 mg/day)3 beneficial1 neutral4 studies
- LowCinnamonAcross 4 studies, 3 reported beneficial effects of cinnamon supplementation on reducing blood cholesterol, with a moderate effect size observed in the highest-quality meta-analysis (WMD: -13.39 mg/dL for total cholesterol). The most-studied population is adults with type 2 diabetes, and the median study duration of 57 days suggests effects are typically observed at around 8-12 weeks. Dosing ranged from 600 mg/day to ≤2 g/day, but no clear effective dose range emerged due to limited data.3 beneficial1 neutral4 studies
- ModerateArtichokeAcross all 3 studies, artichoke supplementation consistently shows beneficial moderate-sized effects on reducing total and LDL cholesterol. Effects are observed most clearly in clinical populations (e.g., NAFLD, pre-bariatric surgery patients) and after 6-8 weeks of use, with the strongest evidence from a meta-analysis of 702 subjects reporting a decrease of 17.6 mg/dL in total cholesterol. · Dose: 600 mg daily3 beneficial3 studies
- LowpsylliumAcross 3 review studies, all 3 report beneficial effects of psyllium on reducing blood cholesterol, with 2 finding statistically significant reductions. The predominant effect size is moderate, with one meta-analysis reporting a weighted mean difference of -9.05 mg/dL for total cholesterol. Doses and study durations were not consistently reported across studies.3 beneficial3 studies
- LowVitamin DAcross 7 studies (including 2 meta-analyses, 1 systematic review, and 1 RCT), only 2 reported a beneficial effect of vitamin D on reducing blood cholesterol, with effect sizes ranging from small to moderate. The majority (5 studies) found no significant effect. The median study duration was 42 days in the one study that reported it, but most studies did not specify duration.2 beneficial5 neutral7 studies
- LowflaxseedAcross 4 studies on flaxseed for reduced blood cholesterol, 2 reported beneficial effects and 2 reported neutral effects. The beneficial effects were small to moderate in magnitude. Evidence is limited to clinical populations with type 2 diabetes, postmenopausal women, and coronary artery disease patients. The median study duration was 90 days. The most studied dose was 16 g daily. · Dose: 16 g daily2 beneficial2 neutral4 studies
- Very lowavocadoAcross 4 studies on avocado for reduced blood cholesterol, 2 reported beneficial small-sized effects and 2 reported neutral effects. The only study with a reported duration lasted 21 days. The most-studied population includes adults with elevated cardiometabolic risk. Evidence is mixed, with half of the studies showing a beneficial effect and half showing no significant effect. · Dose: 1 avocado (∼180 g/d, ∼300 kcal/d) to 30-500 g/day2 beneficial2 neutral4 studies
- LowAnthocyaninsAcross 3 studies, 2 reported beneficial effects on reduced blood cholesterol, with 1 showing moderate and 1 showing small effect sizes; 1 study was neutral. The most robust evidence comes from a meta-analysis (32 RCTs, 1491 participants) reporting a moderate beneficial effect on total cholesterol (SMD: -0.33; 95% CI: -0.62, -0.03). The median study duration was 168 days (about 24 weeks), suggesting effects may require sustained use. Populations studied were mixed, including healthy individuals and those with cardiometabolic conditions.2 beneficial1 neutral3 studies
- LowResveratrolAcross 4 studies, 1 reported a beneficial effect and 3 reported neutral effects on blood cholesterol, with a predominantly small effect size. The beneficial finding came from a systematic review of patients with type 2 diabetes, but the majority of higher-quality evidence (including a 2025 meta-analysis of 7 RCTs) found no significant reductions in total cholesterol or LDL-C. Most studies lacked detailed dose reporting and varied in duration, limiting the ability to define a standard effective dose.1 beneficial3 neutral4 studies
- LowReishiAcross 3 studies, 1 reported a small beneficial effect of reishi on reduced blood cholesterol, while 2 found neutral effects. The single beneficial study was a randomized controlled trial in 110 participants with dyslipidemia, showing significant total cholesterol reduction after 12 weeks. The median study duration was 63 days, and effects were typically observed at 8-12 weeks.1 beneficial2 neutral3 studies
- LowCardamomAcross 3 studies, 1 reported a small beneficial effect of cardamom on total cholesterol, while 2 found neutral results. The beneficial meta-analysis (2024) showed a statistically significant reduction of -8.56 mg/dL in total cholesterol (small effect size), but the other meta-analysis (2020) and an RCT (2019) found no significant effect. Median study duration was 90 days, and the most-studied dose was 3 g/day among overweight or obese NAFLD patients. · Dose: 3 g/day1 beneficial2 neutral3 studies
- Very lowFish OilAcross 3 studies, 1 reported a beneficial small-sized effect on reducing blood cholesterol, while 2 found no significant effect. The median study duration was 70 days, suggesting effects may be observed within 8–12 weeks, though the evidence base is too limited to draw firm conclusions. The most-studied dose was approximately 600–1800 mg/day of EPA+DHA, primarily in clinical populations (MASLD, migraine, MDD). · Dose: 600–1800 mg/day EPA+DHA1 beneficial2 neutral3 studies