Policosanol

Octacosanol · Sugar cane wax alcohols

Snapshot

Indications	Contraindications
Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol¹ Blood pressure^{2, 3} Prehypertension³ Platelet reactivity⁴ Blood glucose and HbA1c^5–7 Liver enzymes⁸	Pregnancy or breastfeeding⁹ Under age 18⁹

Policosanol is a mixture of long-chain alcohols refined from sugar cane, reported to improve high-density lipoprotein (HDL) function by inhibiting cholesteryl ester transfer protein¹⁰.

A joint Italian position statement judged the evidence inconclusive¹¹. A 2025 randomized trial in Cuban adults with prehypertension found lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure than placebo³. There are 491 products listing policosanol, mostly capsules, softgels, and tablets, and it is also a component of red yeast rice and berberine formulations; see Form comparison.

In a stent trial, policosanol reduced platelet reactivity without raising bleeding, yet United States product labels warn it⁹. Per those labels, people taking antiplatelet medication are directed to consult a health care professional before use⁹.

Last updated October 16, 2026. Read how we make monographs.

In the full monograph

58 sources, 48 studies

When to useThe situations practitioners use it for, each with the reason and the study behind it.
SafetyWho should avoid it, who needs extra care, and the side effects reported in studies.
InteractionsThe medicines and supplements it interacts with, the effect of each, and what labeling says to watch.
Protocol notesThe doses used in studies, how and when they were taken, and how the forms on the market compare.
How it worksWhat it is and how it works in the body, in plain terms.
Published studiesThe studies behind each use, popular claims checked against them, and trials still under way.
Word of mouthWhat patients and practitioners report online, kept separate from the clinical evidence.
Clinical perspectiveA closing read of where the evidence is solid, where it is thin, and what has not been studied.

Snapshot

In the full monograph

Sources