The results of this systematic review indicate that the dietary supplementation with red yeast rice , bergamot , artichoke , and virgin olive oil has promising effects on the increase of HDL-C serum levels .
The artichoke leaf extract and virgin olive oil appear to be particularly interesting , while bergamot extract needs further research and the effect of red yeast rice seems to be limited to patients with previous myocardial infa rct ion .
Various MediterrAsian diet products or natural extracts may represent a potential intervention treatment to raise HDL-C in dyslipidemic subjects
Background .
High HDL-cholesterol ( HDL-C ) values are negatively correlated with cardiovascular diseases .
This review analyses the effect of the supplementation with various Mediterranean diet products ( artichoke , bergamot , and olive oil ) and Asian diet products ( red yeast rice ) on the  HDL-C value in dyslipidemic subjects .
Effects of Xuezhikang in patients with dyslipidemia: a multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled study.
BACKGROUND Xuezhikang ( XZK ) is an extract of fermented red yeast rice that has lipid-lowering properties . OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of XZK on lipids in subjects with dyslipidemia but no coronary heart disease . METHODS A total of 116 adults with baseline non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( non-HDL-C ) levels of approximately 208 mg/dL and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( LDL-C ) levels of approximately 175 mg/dL were r and omized to either placebo or XZK 1200 or 2400 mg daily and treated for 12 weeks . RESULTS A majority of the patients were white ( 53.4 % ) or Asian ( 37.1 % ) .  Daily XZK 1200 mg and 2400 mg for 4 to 12 weeks result ed in statistically significant ( P < .001 ) and clinical ly meaningful decreases in non-HDL-C ( ∼24 % reduction ) and LDL-C ( ∼27 % reduction ) compared with placebo . XZK treatment at either dose enabled approximately 50 % of subjects to reduce their LDL-C levels by ≥ 30 % . Doubling the XZK daily dose from 1200 to 2400 mg at treatment week 8 caused an additional 4.6 % reduction in LDL-C. Significant benefits were also observed across secondary efficacy variables , including total cholesterol ( TC ) , apolipoprotein B ( Apo B ) , triglycerides , HDL-C , the TC/HDL-C ratio , and the Apo B/Apo A-I ratio , at treatment week 8 or 12 . XZK was safe and well tolerated . Safety and tolerability profiles were similar across treatment groups . Most adverse events were gastrointestinal . No subject experienced myopathy or markedly elevated liver transaminases or creatine kinase . CONCLUSION Xuezhikang significantly reduced non-HDL-C and LDL-C , and was well tolerated . Further , longer-term studies in more diverse patient population s are needed to corroborate these findings
The results of this systematic review indicate that the dietary supplementation with red yeast rice , bergamot , artichoke , and virgin olive oil has promising effects on the increase of HDL-C serum levels .
The artichoke leaf extract and virgin olive oil appear to be particularly interesting , while bergamot extract needs further research and the effect of red yeast rice seems to be limited to patients with previous myocardial infa rct ion .
Various MediterrAsian diet products or natural extracts may represent a potential intervention treatment to raise HDL-C in dyslipidemic subjects
Background .
High HDL-cholesterol ( HDL-C ) values are negatively correlated with cardiovascular diseases .
This review analyses the effect of the supplementation with various Mediterranean diet products ( artichoke , bergamot , and olive oil ) and Asian diet products ( red yeast rice ) on the  HDL-C value in dyslipidemic subjects .