DEAR DR. GOTT: I am a 67-year-old female that has been taking pravastatin 20 mg for high cholesterol. I have been on this medication for about 3 years. I recently read an article from a French medical doctor who was recommending oat bran as a way of cutting down bad cholesterol.
Oat bran is the hull of the oats we normally eat. It can be purchased from health food stores across the states or online so I got some and started incorporating the normal two tablespoons into my daily diet. After two weeks of this in my diet, I had a blood test run by my cardiologist. When I went in for my exam, the doctor almost dropped his teeth. My triglycerides had dropped from 209 the previous exam 7 months earlier to 128. My HDL went from 41 to 38 and my AST went from 42 to 27. With results like this I felt I needed to share with others in the same fix.
I now routinely incorporate two tablespoons of oat bran into each day. This can be done in any number of ways. One the French doctor recommended was in a high protein pancake eaten each morning. Simple mix two tablespoons oat bran, two tablespoons Greek yogurt, one egg white, and one packet of Splenda. Pour it into a lightly oiled skillet and cook for about 5 minutes on each side. Once finished, you can put sliced meat of your choice on it and roll it up for a breakfast on the go. One pancake keeps me full for about four hours.
Hope this helps many of your readers.
DEAR READER: Oat bran is an excellent source of soluble fiber which is known to decrease LDL cholesterol levels to a degree. Fiber is also beneficial in relieving and preventing constipation but must be increased slowly.
While your drop in triglycerides is certainly remarkable, I am a bit concerned that your HDL (good cholesterol) also dropped. I would also be interested in learning what your LDL (bad cholesterol) and total cholesterol numbers were prior to and following your oat bran addition. The AST test is used to measure a liver enzyme and is often used to monitor liver disease. In your instance, you were likely tested because you are taking a statin drug which can cause liver problems in some individuals.
The high protein pancake that you mention certainly sounds like a great breakfast alternative, but again, I would urge caution when adding meat to it, as animal products, especially certain types of meats and high fat dairy products, can increase the cholesterol level. If you were to add a few thin slices of lean chicken or turkey breast (not the luncheon meat variety), you would lower the fat content but keep the protein. Meats such as roast beef, ham, salami, bacon, and others have a high fat content and won’t benefit you in lowering your cholesterol levels. Also, Splenda, a sugar substitute, should be used in moderation. Perhaps a small amount of honey, applesauce or another natural sweetener would be better.
All in all, I’m not entirely convinced that the oat bran itself is what brought your numbers down. I think it may simply be the fact that you are now eating a more healthful breakfast than you were previously and this simple change caused a dramatic effect. Eating a high fiber, low fat diet can do wonders in lowering cholesterol as can increasing exercise. Because the pancake recommended by you and the French doctor you mention sounds healthful, nutritious and delicious, I would certainly have no problem with my readers trying it, but I urge other dietary and lifestyle changes with it. Thank you for sharing.
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