"What studies exist on gynostemma all seem to have looked at effects in cell cultures and on rodents (i.e. rats and guinea pigs). No human trials. Given the problems that have surfaced on closer examination of some "traditional Chinese medicines", I'm not sure I'd want to be a human guinea pig for gynostemma." On the contrary, the Chinese have done all the field trials you could want on this. Jiaogulan tea is quite popular in the areas of China where people have enjoyed extreme longevity (100+) for centuries. Now, while that doesn't PROVE Jiagulan is good for you, if it was toxic it's unlikely regular users would live LONGER than average. Remember that most clinical trials in the USA are done for profit, pure and simple. Come up with a new cholesterol drug you can patent, and you'll get your study. But imagine this: someone decides to do a clinical trial to prove that drinking distilled water is good for you. They spend 50 Million dollars proving this. Now, they publish their results. How do they make their money back? The water market is already saturated, so to speak. Making money selling water usually requires fringe science claims that the water has been 'de-polarized' by spinning in a centrifuge for ten hours. Not kidding, BTW. So, the only studies you'll see on "wellness" items are going to be smaller, University studies. It's surprising even ginseng attracted enough attention to be studied, much less exotics like Jiaogulan.

I am very active in the diabetes community and subscribe to the newsletter of the American Association of Practicing Endocronologists and the Joslin clinic for diabetes research, as well as seeing a specialist myself. Have you even heard of metabolic syndrome? My blood sugar is tightly controlled, but it has not in any way helped my lipid panel. Cholesterol is NOT a side effect it is a co-effect according to nearly all researchers in the field. My DNA has the APO-e marker for high LDL and triglycerides My cholesterol actually has a peculiar shape in that it has a corkscrew end that bores into the walls of my arteries. It doesn't really matter if we agree or not. The treatment is the same. My only concern is that someone who is doing everything right can be made to feel wrong because they didn't get the result you did. I also think that there is a great deal yet to be discovered about diet, exercise physiology, and the root cause of metabolic syndrome. This is not a one size fits all disease. My last HBA1C was 5.8 and my cholesterol was worse than ever. I live near a medical school that puts a lot of emphasis on diabetes research. One of the surprising things that has come up recently is that it looks like it is better to spike and return to normal than to take a lower hit of sugar over a longer period of time (e.g. taking it with fat or fiber). This is totally contrary to what anyone expected or current medical advice. They aren't releasing this information yet because they want to run the tests again to be sure. I think this is an interesting example of how best medical practice can be turned on its head. If the OP finds that her blood sugar is elevated, I hope that she has the same result that you do when she lowers it, but I am a little bit sceptical because her exercise regime has so far failed to help.

I also have HP and statin drugs were prescribed but, I exhibit side effects pretty quickly with a lot of drugs and did so with Lipitor. I stopped them and went the diet route to help lower my cholesterol. Several months later I was discussing this with a friend and she told me about the red yeast rice and how much it helped her. She gave me a website and I ordered some. I guess I took the recommended dose for a week or so before side effects kicked in and I had to stop. I then went online to research it a little more and discovered that RYR has a naturally occuring statin which has recently caused the FDA to place it in the controlled substance group. This friend had told me that her original supplier no longer carried it but she found it on another website. I don't know if the new website was selling the same product (with statins) or one where the statins had been removed. I just know that I could not take it because of the side effects. She had no problems though and said that the new source product worked just as well as the old one and continued to lower her cholesterol. I just know that if I take it I end up with every bone in my body hurting the same as if I take Lipitor. All I can say is, give it a try. Get your cholesterol monitored before starting and then again after being on it for awhile and see if it helps. As I said, she swears by it and I wish it worked as well for me as it seems to work for her.

There are multiple side effects on every medication. Quite apparent they are not considering the risks. Statins can and do damage the liver BUT they also kill the muscle cells. I was on Lipitor as I have the inherited type of cholesterol problems. Sharp pains and muscle spasms. I told my doctor and he just laughed telling me it was just age. It progressively worsened to where It was getting difficult to walk very far. I told him again and he gave me the same answer of age. It got to the point of practically dragging my one foot as it was hard to raise my legs to walk. He told me the same thing and I argued with him and summarized for him how I had deteriorated in my ability to walk. Same answer, age. Sorry 3 strikes and you're out. He could take his sorry ___ and take a flying leap at a rolling donut. Changed doctors and was referred to a neuologist. Had a whole list of tests and MRI. The Lipitor was killing my muscle cells. Takes about a year to rebuild all the damage done. My new doctor put me on Tricor which is not a statin. After a little over a year, the blood tests show the same problem. My cholesterol can go whacko but I will not take a cholesterol reducing drug. To put children in harms way with medication is not a responsible decision. Pills do not cure everything and everything can't be fixed. All these studies to determine what causes what and the proposed solution is not always the answer. I think it is frightening what the medical field wants to do to us sometimes. These children are growing and their bodies ever changing. Test results will vary from one day to the next. Really sad that those who we respect and expect to help us keep our children well, come to such assinine conclusions. Lynn