CholArrest®

60 tablets (blister pack)
AUST L 153573

Snapshot

CholArrest® provides 900mg of a conifer phytosterol complex designed to support healthy cholesterol levels. Phytosterols have been clinically demonstrated to reduce cholesterol absorption in the digestive tract and may enhance standard cholesterol-lowering strategies.

At a Glance

Key Features and Benefits
Product Formula
Directions for Use
Safety Information
Frequently Asked Questions
Did You Know?

Introduction

Maintaining healthy cholesterol levels is an important aspect of maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system. A number of government sources estimate that high cholesterol affects 1.3 million to 6.4 million adult Australians,1,2 and for many, high cholesterol can be effectively managed by simple lifestyle modifications such as taking up regular exercise and enjoying a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet.

Adding a small amount of phytosterols or phytostanols to the diet (1.5-1.8g daily), has been shown to reduce cholesterol absorption by 30-40%.3 Daily intake of 2g has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol by 10%.4

For those already following a strict cholesterol-lowering regime, phytosterols can provide additional cholesterol-lowering effects.4

CholArrest® is a specifically formulated phytosterol complex of plant sterols and stanols clinically demonstrated to aid in the maintenance of healthy cholesterol levels and support of cardiovascular health. CholArrest® assists in the reduction of LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol by reducing cholesterol reabsorption in the small intestine.

Back to top

Key Features and Benefits

  • Phytosterols and stanols incorporated into the daily diet support healthy cholesterol levels and cardiovascular health by reducing intestinal cholesterol absorption.
  • Phytosterols and stanols can enhance the effects of standard cholesterol-lowering strategies.
  • CholArrest® tablets disintegrate in less than 30 minutes to allow mixture with stomach contents and ensured efficacy.
  • CholArrest® is not esterified with vegetable oils and is therefore not prone to oxidative rancidity; refrigeration is not required.
  • Available as tablets in convenient blister packs.
Back to top

Product Formula

Conifer phytosterol complex 900mg

Back to top

Directions for Use

Adults: Take 1 tablet with a meal twice daily or as directed by your healthcare professional.

Safety Information

  • The safety of phytosterol supplementation in pregnancy and lactation has not been studied.3
  • Take CholArrest® in conjunction with a balanced diet and healthy exercise routine.
  • Keep out of reach of children.
  • Always read the label. Use only as directed.
  • Consult your pharmacist when taking supplements with pharmaceutical medications. Certain nutrients enhance the way some medicines work, and help make other medicines safer. Please ask your pharmacist for further information.

Back to top

Frequently Asked Questions

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a fatty substance produced naturally by the body and found in our blood. It has many good uses in the body, for example, as the building block of hormones, but can become a problem when there is too much of it in the blood. There are two types of cholesterol - 'good' (HDL) cholesterol and 'bad' (LDL) cholesterol. LDL cholesterol is the type of cholesterol that clogs blood vessels and HDL is the type of cholesterol that helps unclog blood vessels. If you have a high level of cholesterol, you can reduce it by medication, the use of phytosterols and stanols and/or changes to your lifestyle and eating habits.5

Why is it so important to watch my cholesterol levels?

In Australia, as much as 51% of adults have been reported to have high blood cholesterol – that's 6.4 million adults.2 The higher your blood cholesterol level, the higher your risk of further health complications. When ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol and other fats in the blood become damaged by free radicals (produced by the body’s normal processes but also derived from exposure to pollution, radiation and cigarette smoke), they create fatty deposits in the arteries. This causes narrowing of the blood vessels. The gradual clogging of the blood vessels supplying the heart, brain and other parts of the body eventually prevents the blood from getting to parts of your heart or brain. Lowering your blood cholesterol levels will help you maintain a healthy heart and circulatory system.

We have had heart and cholesterol problems in our family but I exercise and watch what I eat so should I be concerned about my cholesterol?

Everybody should be aware of their cholesterol levels. Research has shown that one in 500 Australians are also genetic carriers for familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH), an inherited condition with a tendency to high cholesterol. It is estimated that only 20% of people with FH have been diagnosed, and less than 10% are receiving adequate treatment.11 Whilst exercise and eating a healthy diet lowers your risk for elevated LDL cholesterol, it does not make you ‘immune’ from elevated levels of LDL cholesterol. Genetic predisposition plays just as important a role as weight, lifestyle and eating habits.

Should I stop taking my medication if I am taking plant sterols?

Plant sterols are not meant to replace cholesterol-lowering drugs. If you are already on cholesterol-lowering medication, continue taking it as recommended by your doctor. You can use plant sterols at the same time as taking your cholesterol-lowering medication, but check with your doctor first. Research shows that adding plant sterols to standard cholesterol-lowering strategies can have a greater impact on lowering blood cholesterol levels.5

How much can I lower my blood cholesterol by with plant sterols?

The research shows that daily intake of 2g of plant sterols (that’s equivalent to 2 tablets of CholArrest®) can lower blood cholesterol levels by about 10% depending on your age and individual metabolism.5

Back to top

Did You Know?

  1. The phytosterols in CholArrest® are derived from tall oil, the by-product of the wood pulping process used for coniferous trees – a natural and renewable GMO-free source.
  2. CholArrest® is most effective when taken with food as it disintegrates in less than 30 minutes, allowing mixture with stomach contents and ensured efficacy.

References

1Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Overweight and obesity in adults, Australia, 2004-05, Cat. No. 4719.0. Canberra: ABS, 25 Jan 2008.
2Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). Heart, stroke and vascular diseases – Australian facts 2004, AIHW Cat. No. CVD 27. Canberra: AIHW, National Heart Foundation of Australia (Cardiovascular Disease Series No. 22), 2004.
3Higdon J. Phytosterols. Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center, 2005 Nov 8. Viewed 4 May 2008 http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/phytochemicals/sterols/index.html
4Katan MB, Grundy SM, Jones P, Law M, Miettinen T, Paoletti R, et al. Efficacy and safety of plant stanols and sterols in the management of blood cholesterol levels. Mayo Clin Proc 2003 Aug;78(8):965-978.
5National Heart Foundation of Australia (NHFA). Position statement on phytosterol/stanol enriched foods. NHFA, 2007.
11Barlow-Stewart K. Familial hypercholesterolaemia – cardiovascular disease 1, 6th ed. The Australasian genetics resource book. Sydney: The Centre for Genetics Education, 2007.

Back to top