- Lowering cholesterol works best through lifestyle: soluble fibre, avoiding trans fats, eating good fats, exercise and cutting sugar.
- Sugar drives inflammation - the real root cause of cholesterol overproduction, not dietary cholesterol.
- At least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week raises HDL and lowers LDL.
- Research suggests mushroom polysaccharides lower cholesterol similarly to statins without side effects - if a concentrated multi-extract formula is used.
Lowering cholesterol
Cholesterol is a fatty substance produced by the liver. It takes part in many essential body functions, so lowering it carelessly can have unfavourable consequences. According to the US National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute,3 an unhealthy lifestyle is the main cause of high cholesterol. High cholesterol raises the risk of heart disease and stroke, and doctors often rush to prescribe drugs4 to lower it — but these can cause side effects. Let us look at how to lower cholesterol by changing your lifestyle, and which active compounds help without side effects.
Lowering cholesterol with soluble fibre
Fibre is a substance the human stomach does not digest, using bacteria to process it. Water-soluble fibre absorbs water, turns into a gel, and feeds the good bacteria. Soluble fibre not only supports digestion but also lowers LDL cholesterol6 — though it does not raise HDL or lower triglycerides. Get soluble fibre simply by eating healthy, tasty food (oats, legumes, apples, flaxseed) rather than rushing to buy fashionable fibre supplements.5
Lowering cholesterol by avoiding trans fats
Trans (hydrogenated) fats are not food. They raise LDL and lower HDL, and research links them to cardiovascular disease, breast cancer, infant neurological disorders, diabetes, obesity and allergies. The main sources are fast food, snacks (crisps, coated nuts), fried food, and baked goods (buns, doughnuts). Avoiding them is one of the most effective single changes.
Lowering cholesterol by eating good fats
Monounsaturated and omega-3 fats are the "antidote." Sources include olive oil, avocado, wild fatty fish, eggs and butter. These help improve the LDL/HDL balance and reduce inflammation — the real driver behind cholesterol problems.
Lowering cholesterol with exercise
Regular physical activity raises HDL and helps lower LDL. At least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week (such as brisk walking) is recommended. Exercise also improves circulation and reduces inflammation.
Lowering cholesterol by giving up sugar
Sugar causes enormous inflammation, and inflammation — not dietary cholesterol — is the real cause of the body overproducing cholesterol. Cutting sugar and refined carbohydrates is therefore one of the most powerful ways to lower cholesterol at its root.
How to lower cholesterol simply and without side effects?
Research shows that mushroom polysaccharides can lower cholesterol with effectiveness similar to statins, but without the side effects — provided you use not simple mushroom powders but a concentrated, purpose-built multi-extract formula combining several complementary pathways.
Research suggests mushroom polysaccharides lower cholesterol similarly to statins without side effects. A concentrated multi-extract formula is essential.
AURI 25 by Zenius Labs™ →The fastest effect comes from combining three factors: dietary correction (cutting sugar and refined carbohydrates), regular physical activity, and quality mushroom-polysaccharide supplements. The first changes are usually visible after 4–8 weeks.
Yes. Research shows mushroom polysaccharides can lower cholesterol with effectiveness similar to statins, but without the side effects. This requires not simple mushroom powders but a concentrated multi-extract formula such as AURI 25 by Zenius Labs™.
Yes. Water-soluble fibre (from oats, legumes, apples, flaxseed) lowers LDL cholesterol, though it does not raise HDL or lower triglycerides. It is best obtained from food rather than supplements.
Avoiding trans (hydrogenated) fats, cutting sugar and refined carbohydrates, eating good fats (olive oil, avocado, wild fish), adding soluble fibre, and at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week.
- Research reference. edition.cnn.com. Edition
- PMC4415962 — research article. PMC
- PMC5381086 — research article. PMC
- Cholesterol and cardiovascular health. AHA
- Cholesterol and cardiovascular health. AHA
- Research reference. lamaistas.lt. Lamaistas
- Research reference. nmvrvi.lt. Nmvrvi
- Obesity and physical activity. Psychiatr Clin North Am. PubMed
- Physical activity, obesity and sedentary behavior in cancer etiology: epidemiologic evidence and biologic mechanisms. Mol Oncol. PubMed
- Effects of exercise and physical activity on depression. Ir J Med Sci. PubMed
- Potential Benefits of Physical Activity in MCI and Dementia. Behav Neurol. PubMed
- Acute Effects of Exercise on Blood Pressure: A Meta-Analytic Investigation. Arq Bras Cardiol. PubMed
- Physical activity and high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels: what is the relationship? Sports Med. PubMed
- Physical activity and lipoprotein lipid disorders. Sports Med. PubMed
- Research reference. cdc.gov. Cdc
- PMC4856550 — research article. PMC
- PMC5793267 — research article. PMC
- How to lower cholesterol naturally. Harvard Health
- PMC5708308 — research article. PMC
- How to lower cholesterol naturally. Harvard Health
- Cholesterol research findings. ScienceDaily
- How to lower cholesterol naturally. Harvard Health
- Caloric sweetener consumption and dyslipidemia among US adults. JAMA. PubMed
- High cholesterol — treatment and lifestyle changes. WebMD
- Research reference. bu.edu. Bu
- Research reference. openheart.bmj.com. Openheart
- Halbert SC et al. Tolerability of red yeast rice (2,400 mg twice daily) versus pravastatin (20 mg twice daily) in patients with previous statin intolerance. The American journal of cardiology. 2010. PubMed
- Brown AS et al. Statin Intolerance. Reviews in cardiovascular medicine. 2018. PubMed
- Riaz H et al. Meta-analysis of Placebo-Controlled Randomized Controlled Trials on the Prevalence of Statin Intolerance. The American journal of cardiology. 2017. PubMed
- Ahmad K et al. Effectiveness of Coenzyme Q10 Supplementation in Statin-Induced Myopathy: A Systematic Review. Cureus. 2024. PubMed
- Fitzgerald K et al. Statin-induced Myopathy. Global advances in health and medicine. 2012. PubMed
- Gong J et al. Efficacy and safety of sugarcane policosanol on dyslipidemia: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Molecular nutrition & food research. 2018. PubMed
- Chen JT et al. Meta-analysis of natural therapies for hyperlipidemia: plant sterols and stanols versus policosanol. Pharmacotherapy. 2005. PubMed
- Millán J et al. Effects of a nutraceutical combination containing berberine (BRB), policosanol, and red yeast rice (RYR), on lipid profile in hypercholesterolemic patients: A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Clinica e investigacion en arteriosclerosis : publicacion oficial de la Sociedad Espanola de Arteriosclerosis. 2016. PubMed
- Singh DK et al. Policosanol inhibits cholesterol synthesis in hepatoma cells by activation of AMP-kinase. The Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics. 2006. PubMed
- Castaño G et al. Comparison of the effects of policosanol and atorvastatin on lipid profile and platelet aggregation in patients with dyslipidaemia and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Clinical drug investigation. 2003. PubMed
- Xiong Z et al. An overview of the bioactivity of monacolin K / lovastatin. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association. 2019. PubMed
- EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA) et al. Scientific Opinion on additional scientific data related to the safety of monacolins from red yeast rice submitted pursuant to Article 8(4) of Regulation (EC) No 1925/2006. EFSA journal. European Food Safety Authority. 2025. PubMed
- Angelopoulos N et al. Low Dose Monacolin K Combined with Coenzyme Q10, Grape Seed, and Olive Leaf Extracts Lowers LDL Cholesterol in Patients with Mild Dyslipidemia: A Multicenter, Randomized Controlled Trial. Nutrients. 2023. PubMed
- Trimarco B et al. Clinical evidence of efficacy of red yeast rice and berberine in a large controlled study versus diet. Mediterranean journal of nutrition and metabolism. 2011. PubMed
- González-Bonilla A et al. Dietary Supplementation with Oyster Culinary-Medicinal Mushroom, Pleurotus ostreatus (Agaricomycetes), Reduces Visceral Fat and Hyperlipidemia in Inhabitants of a Rural Community in Mexico. International journal of medicinal mushrooms. 2022. PubMed
- Abrams DI et al. Antihyperlipidemic effects of Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster mushrooms) in HIV-infected individuals taking antiretroviral therapy. BMC complementary and alternative medicine. 2011. PubMed
- Zhang Y et al. Pleurotus abieticola Polysaccharide Alleviates Hyperlipidemia Symptoms via Inhibition of Nuclear Factor-κB/Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3-Mediated Inflammatory Responses. Nutrients. 2023. PubMed
- Du H et al. Dietary intake of whole king oyster mushroom (Pleurotus eryngii) attenuated obesity via ameliorating lipid metabolism and alleviating gut microbiota dysbiosis. Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.). 2024. PubMed
- Yoon SJ et al. The nontoxic mushroom Auricularia auricula contains a polysaccharide with anticoagulant activity mediated by antithrombin. Thrombosis research. 2003. PubMed
- Bian C et al. A Novel Polysaccharide from AuriculariaAuricula Alleviates Thrombosis Induced by Carrageenan in Mice. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland). 2022. PubMed
- Shi Q et al. Isolation, Characterization, and Antioxidant Activity of Melanin from Auricularia auricula (Agaricomycetes). International journal of medicinal mushrooms. 2023. PubMed
- Yin CM et al. Physicochemical Properties and Antioxidant Activity of Natural Melanin Extracted from the Wild Wood Ear Mushroom, Auricularia auricula (Agaricomycetes). International journal of medicinal mushrooms. 2022. PubMed
- Liu X et al. Comprehensive utilization of edible mushroom Auricularia auricula waste residue-Extraction, physicochemical properties of melanin and its antioxidant activity. Food science & nutrition. 2019. PubMed
- Pirro M et al. The effects of a nutraceutical combination on plasma lipids and glucose: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Pharmacological research. 2016. PubMed
- Iskandar I et al. Efficacy and tolerability of a nutraceutical combination of red yeast rice, guggulipid, and chromium picolinate evaluated in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study. Complementary therapies in medicine. 2020. PubMed
- Garoufi A et al. Beneficial Effects of a Nutraceutical Combination on Lipid Profiles in Children with Moderate and Severe Hypercholesterolemia. Biomolecules. 2024. PubMed
- Protic O et al. Nutraceutical Combinations in Hypercholesterolemia: Evidence from Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trials. Nutrients. 2021. PubMed
- Trimarco V et al. Effects of a new combination of nutraceuticals with Morus alba on lipid profile, insulin sensitivity and endotelial function in dyslipidemic subjects. A cross-over, randomized, double-blind trial. High blood pressure & cardiovascular prevention : the official journal of the Italian Society of Hypertension. 2015. PubMed
- Hoogeveen RC et al. Residual Cardiovascular Risk at Low LDL: Remnants, Lipoprotein(a), and Inflammation. Clinical chemistry. 2021. PubMed
- Bashir B et al. Beyond LDL-C: unravelling the residual atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk landscape-focus on hypertriglyceridaemia. Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine. 2024. PubMed
- Soran H et al. Optimising treatment of hyperlipidaemia: Quantitative evaluation of UK, USA and European guidelines taking account of both LDL cholesterol levels and cardiovascular disease risk. Atherosclerosis. 2018. PubMed
- Chapman MJ Therapeutic elevation of HDL-cholesterol to prevent atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. Pharmacology & therapeutics. 2006. PubMed