Supplements, Placebo, or Rosuvastatin Study

Phase 2

Completed

Conditions: Hypercholesterolemia

Interventions: Dietary Supplement: Fish Oil, Cinnamon, Garlique,Turmeric, Plant Sterol, Red Yeast Rice
Other: Placebo
Drug: Rosuvastatin

Registration Number: NCT04846231

Lead Sponsor: The Cleveland Clinic

Brief Summary: A research study that is evaluating a low dose of an FDA approved statin medication in comparison to several commercially available over the counter dietary supplements which are marketed for cholesterol health. The study is comparing their effect on LDL cholesterol. LDL-cholesterol is low-density cholesterol and is sometimes referred to as "bad" cholesterol. Participants must live in Ohio and have a documented elevated LDL cholesterol level between 70-189mg/dL, must not currently be taking a statin or one of the dietary supplements included in the trial. Participants willing to discontinue a prohibited supplement for 4 weeks prior to enrollment will be allowed to participate. Trial participation is 4 weeks. Study medication will be provided at no charge. There will be 2 visits which include a lab draw at any Cleveland Clinic laboratory. Participants will be randomized (like a coin flip) to be in one of 8 possible groups: Rosuvastatin, Fish oil, Cinnamon, Garlic, Turmeric, Plant sterol, Red yeast rice, or placebo. The study will enroll 200 participants.

Detailed Description: Few well-controlled trials have studied the LDL-lowering effects of dozens of marketed "cholesterol health" dietary supplements. Prior research suggests most U.S. consumers believe cholesterol health supplements are safer than statins, and a majority of the public also believe supplements are as effective, or more effective, than prescription statins. Approximately one third of US adults who have been told they have elevated cholesterol are using a supplement to provide heart health protection rather than a statin. This represents a significant public health concern.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of select dietary supplements on cholesterol health compared with a low dose of a statin.

The study is comparing their effect on LDL and HDL cholesterol and inflammatory markers.

A randomized, single blind study design will be used to evaluate rosuvastatin 5 mg. vs. placebo and 6 commercially available over the counter supplements in a hierarchical testing order. Each participant will take study medication/supplement for a total of 4 weeks.

The study will randomize primary prevention patients who are considered borderline and intermediate risk for ASCVD based upon the 2018 Cholesterol Treatment Guidelines7 and are not taking any of the studied medication/supplements at the time of randomization.

Participants must have a documented elevated LDL cholesterol level between 70-189mg/dL, must not currently be taking a statin or one of the dietary supplements included in the trial. Participants willing to discontinue a prohibited supplement for 4 weeks prior to enrollment will be allowed to participate. Study medication will be provided at no charge. There will be 2 visits which include a lab draw at any Cleveland Clinic laboratory. Participants will be randomized (like a coin flip) to be in one of 8 possible groups: Rosuvastatin, Fish oil, Cinnamon, Garlic, Turmeric, Plant sterol, Red yeast rice, or placebo. The study will enroll 200 participants.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: COMPLETED

Sex: All

Target Recruitment: 203

Inclusion Criteria

Written informed consent must be obtained before any assessment is performed.
U.S. adults with primary hypercholesterolemia, 40-75 years of age.
Not currently taking statins or one of the dietary supplements included in the trial. Patients willing to discontinue a prohibited supplement for 4 weeks prior to enrollment will be allowed to participate.
LDL-cholesterol between 70 and 189 mg/dL.
Patients without diabetes mellitus and a 10-year risk of ASCVD between 5 and <20% using the pooled cohort risk equation. * Or Patients with diabetes mellitus in females 50-60 years of age or males 40-50 years of age with an LDL-C between 70-189 mg/dL and with an ASCVD risk below 20%.

Exclusion Criteria

Age < 40 or >75 years of age
Women who are pregnant, plan to become pregnant within the next 6 months, or are breastfeeding.
Documented liver dysfunction or history of elevated LFTs indicating active liver disease
Documented chronic renal dysfunction within the past two years defined as an eGFR<30mL/min/m2.
Known hypersensitivity to rosuvastatin or any supplement under investigation (i.e. shellfish allergy, etc.).
Currently taking any prescription statin, or other prescription medication/supplements to treat elevated cholesterol or triglycerides.
Currently taking a medication/supplement that has known interaction with rosuvastatin, including fenofibrate, gemfibrozil, HIV medications, colchicine, cyclosporine, warfarin, anti-viral medications to treat Hepatitis C, regorafenib, and darolutamide.
Are unwilling to discontinue prohibited dietary supplement(s) for 4 weeks prior to participation or during the course of the trial. Other non-prohibited supplements will be permitted if doses have been stable for at least 4 weeks.
Known cardiovascular disease including a history of prior MI, stroke/TIA, PAD or prior revascularization procedures of the heart or vasculature (e.g. CABG, stenting, PCI etc.).
Fasting Triglycerides >200mg/dl.
In the opinion of the investigator, any other condition that will preclude participation in the study.

Study & Design

Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL

Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Plant Sterol	Fish Oil, Cinnamon, Garlique,Turmeric, Plant Sterol, Red Yeast Rice	Nature Made CholestOff Plus, 2 soft gels twice a day
Red Yeast Rice	Fish Oil, Cinnamon, Garlique,Turmeric, Plant Sterol, Red Yeast Rice	Arazo Nutrition 1200 mg, 2 capsules per day
Placebo	Placebo	comparable to rosuvastatin 5 mg once per day
Fish Oil	Fish Oil, Cinnamon, Garlique,Turmeric, Plant Sterol, Red Yeast Rice	Nature Made 2 soft gels per day
Cinnamon	Fish Oil, Cinnamon, Garlique,Turmeric, Plant Sterol, Red Yeast Rice	1200mg, 2 capsules per day
Garlique	Fish Oil, Cinnamon, Garlique,Turmeric, Plant Sterol, Red Yeast Rice	Manufactured by Focus Consumer Health Marketgate,1 tablet per day
Turmeric	Fish Oil, Cinnamon, Garlique,Turmeric, Plant Sterol, Red Yeast Rice	Bio Schwartz Turmeric Curcumin 1500 mg, 3 capsules per day
Rosuvastatin	Rosuvastatin	5 mg once per day

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Percent Change in LDL-C From Baseline for Rosuvastatin 5mg Daily Compared With Placebo and Each Dietary Supplement.	The percent change in LDL-C for rosuvastatin 5 mg compared with dietary supplements after 4 weeks	The primary objective of this study is to compare the LDL lowering of rosuvastatin with the effect of six commonly used dietary supplements on cholesterol health.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Percent Change in hsCRP for Rosuvastatin vs Dietary Supplements.	The percent change in high sensitivity C reactive protein (hsCRP) for rosuvastatin 5 mg and dietary supplements compared with placebo after 4 weeks.	Assess the effect of each supplement on inflammatory markers compared with rosuvastatin 5 mg.
Percent Change in HDL-C, Total Cholesterol, and Triglycerides for Rosuvastatin vs Dietary Supplements.	After 4 weeks	The percent change in HDL-C, total cholesterol, and triglycerides for each supplement compared with rosuvastatin. The percent change in HDL-C, total cholesterol, and triglycerides for each supplement compared with rosuvastatin. The percent change in HDL-C, total cholesterol, and triglycerides for each supplement compared with placebo.
The Percent Change in HDL-C, Total Cholesterol, and Triglycerides for Placebo vs the Dietary Supplements.	After 4 weeks	The percent change in HDL-C, total cholesterol, and triglycerides for each supplement compared with placebo.