Combining natural treatments to reach lipid target in metabolic syndrome patients: A randomized clinical trial

Objective: To invostigato whothor combinod thorapy with omoga-3 FA + policosanol offors bonofits compared with omoga-3 FA + placobo with rospoct to tho lipid profilo of pationts with mild Motabolic Syndromo(MS) in primary provontion. Methods: This randomisod, double-blind study was conductod in 40 patients with MS, as dofinod by tho ATP III. After 4 wooks on a standardized AHA step 2 diet, pationts were randomisod to omoga-3 FA 2g/dio + placobo or omoga-3 FA + policosanol 10 mg/day for 8 wooks. Omoga-3 FA was suppliod as lg capsulos (2 pot day); placobo and policosanol were providod in tablot form. Results: After 8 weeks, omega-3 FA + policosanol, but not omega-3 FA + placebo, significantly reduced LDL-C by 22.94-3.8% (p<0.0001). Omega-3 FA + policosanol significantly decreased LDL-C (26.34-3.4%; p<0.001) and TG (23.15.4-5.1%; p<0.005), and significantly increased HDLC (+10.24-2.8%; p<0.0001). Omega-3 FA + placebo significantly reduced TG (21.24-6.8%; p<0.05) but had no significant effect on other lipid profile variables. The proportion of randomised patients in the omega-3 FA + policosanol group that achieved LDL-C targets was significantly greater than in the omega-3 FA + placebo group (42% vs. 19%; p<0.001). Conclusions: Treatment with omega-3 FA + policosanol could be useful for regulating lipid profile in patients with type Metabolic Syndrome in primary prevention. Fundings: Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, National Institute for Cardiovascular Research (INRC).