February 2002 – For anyone interested in protecting their heart health without the side effects of drugs, Health From the Sun/ Arkopharma has launched Basikol™- a line of unique and all-natural cholesterol-reducing products made from plant sterols, designed to suit any lifestyle. Doctor-recommended Basikol™ is backed by numerous studies that have clinically proven that plant sterols can reduce total cholesterol by up to 26% and LDL cholesterol by up to 33% in three weeks when combined with a low-fat diet and exercise regimen. Basikol™ is the safe all-natural answer for those Americans looking for alternatives in light of new cholesterol guidelines from the National Institutes of Health that have classified over 53 million Americans, or over 50% of the U.S. population, as registering in the high range for cholesterol levels.

Mary McGowan, M.D., author of 50 Ways to Lower Your Cholesterol (McGraw-Hill, February 2002) and Medical Director of the Cholesterol Management Center at the New England Heart Institute, has recently conducted a very successful pilot study on her patients using Basikol™ granules. One patient’s LDL cholesterol levels were significantly lowered from 170 mg/dl to 116 mg/dl. Dr. McGowan concluded: “The combination of Basikol™, a low-fat diet and regular exercise has allowed many of my patients to avoid the need for cholesterol-lowering medications. Because Basikol™ is available in a variety of forms (granules, capsules and oil), patients find it very convenient- especially when traveling.”

All-natural Basikol™ is the most convenient cholesterol-reducing supplement on the market. Unlike many other cholesterol-lowering formulas, Basikol™ is both vegetarian and free of GMOs and other pharmaceutical ingredients. Unlike plant sterol containing margarines which can pack on five grams of fat and 45 calories per serving, Basikol™ granules and capsules are both fat-free and the capsules are calorie-free while the granules have only five calories per serving- making Basikol™ a good choice for people concerned with healthy eating. The Basikol™ oil and capsule formulations are both easy to use and perfect for individuals who have a hard time keeping track of the time restrictions required by many other cholesterol-reducing products. Basikol™ can be taken with any meal. Users can take heart in the knowledge that Basikol™ has no known drug or herb interactions and can be used along with other lipid-lowering pharmaceutical medications or alone. Dr. McGowan first began using Basikol™ after receiving numerous requests from her patients for an alternative to pharmaceutical lipid-lowering medications: “I researched all of the options available and found Basikol™ to be the most effective and convenient plant sterol product on the market. It is the product that I recommend to patients as an alternative therapy.”

Studies on animals and humans have proven that plant sterols have cholesterol-lowering effects. It is believed that the plant sterols interfere with the body’s ability to absorb cholesterol. One theory to explain this reaction involves the human body’s ability to be tricked into identifying the plant sterols as dangerous cholesterol. These plant sterols then attach themselves to cholesterol absorption sites, leaving no room for the absorption of any real cholesterol. It then passes out of the digestive tract as harmless waste. With decreased cholesterol intake, the body’s total and LDL cholesterol blood levels are rapidly lowered to a more acceptable range.

The Basikol™ line of all-natural cholesterol-lowering products is available in three convenient dosage forms to suit the unique needs of all consumers. Basikol™ capsule, oil and granule dosage forms can be found in fine health food stores all over the world along with Health From the Sun/ Arkopharma’s many other lines of fine all-natural products. For more information on these products, call (800) 447-2249 or visit www.healthfromthesun.com.