Diatomaceous earth lowers blood cholesterol concentrations

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Human Nutrition
• Dietary Supplements

Background:

• Moderate hypercholesterinemia poses a significant risk factor for cardiovascular diseases.
• Dietary interventions are crucial for managing lipid profiles.
• Diatomaceous earth, a natural bioproduct, has been explored for its potential health benefits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the efficacy of diatomaceous earth in lowering blood cholesterol levels.
• To assess the impact of diatomaceous earth on serum lipid concentrations in humans.
• To evaluate the duration of effects after cessation of intake.

Main Methods:

• A 12-week study involving 19 healthy adults (9 female, 10 male, aged 35-67) with moderate hypercholesterinemia.
• Oral administration of 250 mg diatomaceous earth three times daily for 8 weeks.
• Monitoring of serum cholesterol, HDL-C, LDL-C, and triglycerides at baseline, bi-weekly during intake, and 4 weeks post-intake.

Main Results:

• Diatomaceous earth intake led to a significant reduction in serum cholesterol, reaching a 13.2% decrease from baseline by week 6 (p<0.001).
• Significant reductions were also observed in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides levels.
• Positive lipid-modulating effects, including increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, persisted for 4 weeks after discontinuing diatomaceous earth.

Conclusions:

• Diatomaceous earth demonstrates a capacity to lower blood cholesterol and positively influence human lipid metabolism.
• The observed hypocholesterolemic effects suggest diatomaceous earth as a potential dietary supplement for managing hypercholesterinemia.
• Further placebo-controlled studies are warranted to validate these findings and establish optimal therapeutic protocols.