Pantethine for cholesterol control
Pantethine, a biologically active form of pantothenic acid or Vitamin B5, has been used for several decades in Japan and Europe to treat fatty liver and as an adjunct treatment in managing cholesterol. In the US, pantethine is available as a dietary supplement. Research points to its ability to lower LDL (the so-called “bad” cholesterol) and triglycerides, while raising HDL (the so-called “good” cholesterol). A good review of pantethine may be found on the website of the Oregon State University/Linus Pauling Institute:
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/vitamins/pa/
For people with HIV who are using nutritional supplements to help improve their lipid profile, there’s a good info sheet from the Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange, featuring a description of pantethine:
http://www.catie.ca/pdf/Supple-e/Nutrients_e.pdf
See also the NYBC entry on Pantethine for a description of its role in lipid metabolism.
Add comment February 20, 2008
