Red Yeast Rice

• Red yeast rice purportedly contains a natural statin. Taken as 1.2 g a day in divided doses, studies have shown meaningful reductions of total cholesterol, LDL, triglycerides (32 percent) and an increase in HDL.
  
  

Policosanol

• Policosanol comes from sugar cane. At 10 mg a day, studies found decreases of cholesterol (17.5 percent), LDL (31 percent) and an HDL increase of 31.5 percent.
  
  

Niacin

• As nicotinic acid with doses between 1.5 to 3 g a day, this supplement may lower LDL by 5 to 25 percent, triglycerides by 20 to 50 percent and increase HDL from 15 to 35 percent.
  
  

Plant Sterols

• Plant sterol extracts prevent cholesterol from being absorbed by the body. Taking 2 to 3 g a day, a study found "significant" reductions in total and LDL cholesterol and some HDL. There was no effect on triglycerides.
  
  

Fiber

• Eating at least 20 g a day of soluble fiber should decrease total cholesterol by 12 percent. Adding 5 g a day of pectin fiber can add 7 percent to the cholesterol drop and decrease LDL by 10 percent.