HDL biology
Policosanol supplementation reduced CETP activity by up to 32% and lowered blood pressure in healthy adults (Int J Mol Med 2017)
Original title: Consumption of policosanol enhances HDL functionality via CETP inhibition and reduces blood pressure and visceral fat in young and middle-aged subjects
In a clinical trial of young and middle-aged adults, daily consumption of policosanol (10 mg/day) for 8 weeks reduced serum cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) activity by up to 21 and 32% from initial levels across groups. Systolic blood pressure fell by 7 mmHg (p=0.022) in the young smoker and middle-aged groups, serum triglycerides decreased by up to 28%, and the HDL-cholesterol percentage of total cholesterol rose in all groups. HDL particle size and number increased on electron microscopy, paraoxonase activity rose by 17%, and LDL oxidation and apolipoprotein B fragmentation were reduced, indicating that policosanol improved HDL functionality partly via CETP inhibition.
Original abstract
It is well-known that policosanol can improve serum lipid profiles, although the physiological mechanism is still unknown. Here, we investigated functional and structural changes in lipoproteins after consumption of policosanol. To investigate the physiological effect of policosanol, we analyzed serum parameters in young non-smoker (YN; n=7, 24.0±2.4 years), young smoker (YS; n=7, 26.3±1.5 years), and middle-aged subjects (MN; n=11, 52.5±9.8 years) who consumed policosanol daily (10 mg/day) for 8 weeks. After 8 weeks, systolic blood pressure was significantly lowered to 4% (7 mmHg, p=0.022) from initial levels in the YS and MN groups. Moisture content of facial skin increased up to 38 and 18% from initial levels in the YS and MN groups, respectively. Serum triglyceride (TG) levels decreased to 28 and 26% from initial levels in the YN and MN groups, respectively. The percentage of high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) in total cholesterol was elevated in all subjects (YN, 36%; YS, 35%; MN, 8%) after 8 weeks of policosanol consumption. All groups showed a reduction in serum glucose and uric acid levels. Serum cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) activity was significantly diminished up to 21 and 32% from initial levels in the YN and MN groups, respectively. After 8 weeks, oxidation of the low-density lipoprotein fraction was markedly reduced accompanied by decreased apolipoprotein B (apoB) fragmentation. In the HDL fraction, paraoxonase activity was elevated by 17% along with elevation of apoA-I and cholesterol contents. Electron microscopy revealed that the size and number of HDL particles increased after 8 weeks, and the YS group showed a 2-fold increase in particle size. Daily consumption of policosanol for 8 weeks resulted in lowered blood pressure, reduced serum TG level and CETP activity, and elevated HDL-C contents. These functional enhancements of HDL can prevent and/or attenuate aging-related diseases, hypertension, diabetes and coronary heart disease.
blood pressureHDL biologymechanisms
Summary written by cetpinhibition.org from the published abstract; figures as published. Page updated 18 August 2026. Methods.