New cholesterol-fighting supplements from AlphaRx

AlphaRx, a US-based pharmaceutical company, is to introduce two new dietary supplements designed to manage high blood cholesterol levels and sustain weight control. Formulation of the products has begun in preparation for a launch in September.

LipoBloc is a phytosterol product which AlphaRx claims is more soluble and more bioavailable than other similar products because of the company's clinical delivery system. This increased solubility is said to make LipoBloc more effective at reducing cholesterol levels by attaching to cholesterol absorption sites in the small intestine and reducing serum total and LDL levels as a result.

Phytosterols are normally insoluble in water and oil, thus making them extremely low in bioavailability, but AlphaRx uses lecithin micelles to deliver the phytosterols. The company claimed that in clinical trials, this method of delivery was found to reduce cholesterol of absorption by as much as 34 per cent, compared to an 11.5 per cent reduction in cholesterol levels from three times the amount of phytosterols delivered in powder form.

The other product, LipoLette, contains a natural plant extract which AlphaRx said inhibited the action of lipases, intestinal tract digestive enzymes that are responsible for the body's absorption of fat. This inhibition achieves weight control through reduced fat intake, eliminating the unabsorbed food through the stool, the company said. AlphaRx stressed that LipoLette was also free of ephedra and caffeine.