A sugarcane wax extract promoted as a natural way to lower cholesterol. Nearly all positive results come from a single commercially-tied source; independent teams found no cholesterol effect, so the benefit is unproven and possibly absent for products sold outside Cuba. Safety is reassuring, with mild effects. Measuring blood fats before and after is the only reliable test. (Full Review)

Protocol

Dose

5–20 mg/day

10 mg/day is the typical starting point; higher doses show no greater effect

Timing

Evening

Aligns with higher nighttime cholesterol synthesis; switch to morning if sleep is affected

Frequency

Once daily

May be split (e.g., 5 mg twice daily); no evidence splitting matters

Time to effect

Cholesterol

6–12 weeks

Lipid changes emerge in trials reporting benefit

Blood pressure

6–12 weeks

Blood-pressure changes emerge over the same window

Assessment

8–12 weeks

Re-test labs after a full trial; needs 2–3 months of consistent use

Benefits

Medium: LDL and total cholesterol reduction; Blood pressure reduction

Low: HDL cholesterol increase; Antiplatelet / antithrombotic effect; Glucose and liver enzyme improvements

Speculative: Enhanced HDL functional quality; Neuromuscular and physical performance

Contraindications

Bleeding disorders

Anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapy

Within ~2 weeks of scheduled surgery

Pregnancy or breastfeeding

Key Interactions

Antiplatelet & anticoagulant drugs (aspirin, clopidogrel, ticagrelor, warfarin, apixaban, rivaroxaban)

Blood-pressure-lowering drugs (ACE inhibitors, ARBs, calcium channel blockers)

OTC NSAIDs & aspirin (ibuprofen, naproxen)

Additive supplements (fish oil, garlic, ginkgo, vitamin E, nattokinase)

Risk & Side Effects

Low: Gastrointestinal discomfort; Insomnia and sleep disturbance; Headache and migraine

Speculative: Increased bleeding risk with antiplatelet or anticoagulant co-use; Nervousness, irritability, and weight changes

Monitoring

Marker	Target	Why
LDL cholesterol (LDL-C)	< 100 mg/dL (< 70 if higher risk)	Primary target of the cholesterol claim
Apolipoprotein B (ApoB)	< 80 mg/dL	Atherogenic particle burden; more reliable than LDL-C alone
HDL cholesterol (HDL-C)	> 50 mg/dL (women), > 40 (men)	Secondary claimed benefit
Triglycerides	< 100 mg/dL (optimal)	Metabolic and lipid context
High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP)	< 1.0 mg/L	Tracks vascular inflammation
Fasting glucose / HbA1c	Fasting < 90 mg/dL; HbA1c < 5.4%	Captures the small claimed glucose effect
ALT / AST (liver enzymes)	ALT < 25 U/L (men), < 20 (women); AST similar	Monitors the claimed liver-enzyme effect and general safety

Cadence: Baseline before first dose, re-test at 8–12 weeks, then every 6–12 months if continued

Qualitative Assessment

Home blood-pressure readings (morning and evening averages over 1–2 weeks)
Subjective energy levels and exercise tolerance
Sleep quality
Any unusual bruising or bleeding

Policosanol for Health & Longevity

Protocol

Benefits

Risk & Side Effects

Monitoring

Qualitative Assessment