Thus, treatment with 3.6 g/day soluble fiber had the same incremental impact on lowering LDL cholesterol as did doubling a patient's dosage of simvastatin from 10 mg/day to 20 mg/day, said Dr. Moreyra. In addition, the psyllium fiber dosage used was very well tolerated. This study received no commercial funding.
“Most physicians who treat high cholesterol levels have heard of the benefits of using dietary fiber. These results document the effect,” commented Sidney C. Smith Jr., M.D., director of the center for cardiovascular science and medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “Many patients already use psyllium fiber three times a day to get an extra boost in cholesterol lowering. The question is, are there long-term effects of fiber on the pleiotropic effects of statins?”