Policosanol is a mixture of long-chain alcohols (waxes), including octacosanol, extracted from natural sources.
The long-chain alcohols found in policosanol are present in many foods of plant origin. Supplemental policosanol is typically extracted from sugar cane or beeswax.
Policosanol has been used in connection with the following condition (refer to the individual health concern for complete information):
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Reliable and relatively consistent scientific data showing a substantial health benefit. Contradictory, insufficient, or preliminary
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Policosanol is not an essential nutrient, so no deficiencies are possible.
When policosanol is combined with aspirin, an increased blood-thinning effect occurs.1 This suggests that policosanol should not be taken with blood-thinning drugs without the supervision of a doctor.
At the time of writing, there were no well-known drug interactions with policosanol.
1. Arruzazabala ML, Valdes S, Mas R, et al. Comparative study of policosanol, aspirin and the combination therapy policosanol-aspirin on platelet aggregation in healthy volunteers. Pharmacol Res 1997;36:293–7.
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The information presented in Healthnotes is for informational purposes only. It is based on scientific studies (human, animal, or in vitro), clinical experience, or traditional usage as cited in each article. The results reported may not necessarily occur in all individuals. For many of the conditions discussed, treatment with prescription or over-the-counter medication is also available. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires July 2004.