Fibrates are referred to as amphipathic carboxylic acids by those individuals who are well versed in pharmaceutical terms. These medications are most often used to address metabolic disorders, such as high cholesterol, and are considered to be lipid-lowering drugs. However, what’s really interesting about Fibrates is that they are better suited for lowering triglycerides, and sometimes increasing HDL (good cholesterol) levels. Unlike Statins, this class of drugs is not especially effective at lowering LDL, or bad cholesterol.

Fibrates are not usually used by individuals who have high LDL levels; they are most commonly used by people whose triglycerides are rather high, or whose HDL or “good” cholesterol levels are low, after another medication has enabled them to reach their LDL goal. For this reason, Fibrates are commonly used with drugs, such as Statins.

Triglycerides are usually measured as part of a standard blood lipid profile. However, our research suggests that while most doctors are very clear as to what to do about high LDH levels, they may be less clear when it comes to modestly elevated triglyceride levels, even though they are often associated with heart disease. This appears to be due to the fact that there are no studies which prove that high triglyceride levels are an “independent risk factor” for heart disease; meaning that there is no evidence at this time to back up aggressive triglyceride-lowering therapy.

This is a very confusing area, because individuals who have elevated triglyceride levels usually have other risk factors for heart disease, such as obesity, diabetes and/or high blood pressure. This is why it may be hard to sort out if the triglycerides are an independent risk factor or not. It is important to note that often when triglycerides levels are elevated, HDL, or “good” cholesterol, decreases, which is problematic. This is the reason why many health care providers will prescribe Fibrates - they may lower triglycerides, while augmenting good cholesterol levels.

There are some reported side effects associated with most Fibrates. For instance, some people experience mild stomach upset, as well as myopathy, a condition in which an individual experiences severe muscle pain. Also, since Fibrates are often used with Statins, it is important to note that together they may increase a person’s risk of developing rhabdomyolysism, a condition in which there is idiosyncratic destruction of muscle tissue, which may lead to renal failure.

• May lower triglycerides, while augmenting good cholesterol levels

• Said to have some serious potential side effects, especially when used with Statins
• Fibrates may inflame the liver, at times severely
• May cause gallstones when used over a prolonged amount of time
• Cannot lower LDL cholesterol levels

Fibrates have shown great success in lowering triglycerides, while also augmenting good cholesterol levels. This is a feature that most other cholesterol agents cannot address, because they most often lower LDL cholesterol levels, which Fibrates cannot do. In essence, Fibrates fill in the gap in the cholesterol equation, but when they are used with other medications, as they frequently are, the side effects may become far more serious.

Some people report that they find the possible side effects associated with these drugs to be off-putting, and for this reason, they often seek out holistic supplementation, which has been shown to have an ability to improve a person’s entire cholesterol panel, such as Plant Sterols. However, we always suggest that people who are looking into using holistic supplements use developers that have a history of creating quality products, providing quality customer care and hassle-free returns. We only mention this because some websites make it really hard to return products that have been purchased online.