What is Cholesterinum?

Cholesterinum is a homeopathic remedy. It is made from cholesterol taken from animal bile or gallstones. Bile is the fluid your liver makes to help you digest fat.

Homeopaths give it mainly for gallstone pain, liver complaints and high cholesterol. It is a single remedy, not a mix of several.

The remedy is diluted again and again. This is called serial dilution. At the common 30C strength, essentially none of the starting material is left.

In trials, homeopathic remedies have not done better than placebo (a dummy pill). Long use inside a tradition is not proof that something works. We make that point once here and do not repeat it below.

How does Cholesterinum work?

There is no known way this remedy could act on your body.

Homeopathy rests on two old ideas. The first is that "like cures like". The second is that shaking a dilution makes it act more strongly, not more weakly.

Neither idea fits what we know about chemistry. At 30C there is no cholesterol left to act on your liver or your bile.

People do sometimes feel better while taking it. Time, rest, a calm talk with a practitioner and placebo effects explain that far better than the pellets do.

What forms does Cholesterinum come in?

Cholesterinum comes as small sugar pellets, liquid drops or tablets.

Common strengths are 6C, 12C, 30C and 200C. The "C" means the mix was cut 1 part in 100 at each step. A higher number means more dilution steps, not more material.

Very low strengths such as 1X or 3X may still hold a trace of cholesterol. Liquid drops are usually made with alcohol. Pellets are usually sugar, and tablets often contain lactose (milk sugar).

Where it comes from:

Cholesterinum entered homeopathy in the late 1800s. The English homeopath James Compton Burnett used it for gallstone pain and liver trouble. Later homeopaths kept it for the same complaints.

It stays a minor remedy. It is not one of the tradition's polychrests, the small set of remedies used most often.

What does Cholesterinum help with?

• Gallstone pain (biliary colic): This is the classic homeopathic use, going back to Burnett. No human trial has tested Cholesterinum for it. Gallstone attacks can settle on their own, which makes any remedy look useful. Severe or repeated attacks need a doctor, not pellets.
• General liver and gallbladder discomfort: Homeopathic texts list it for a heavy, sore feeling under the right ribs. That is traditional practice only. There is no laboratory or human evidence that a 30C dilution changes liver function.
• High blood cholesterol: Some practitioners give it for raised cholesterol on the "like cures like" idea. No trial supports this. High cholesterol has no symptoms, so you cannot judge it by feel. Keep taking any medicine your doctor prescribed and keep getting blood tests.
• Nausea and fullness after fatty meals: Used traditionally for queasiness after rich food. Evidence is limited to homeopathic case reports and repertories, which are not trials. Ongoing symptoms after eating deserve a proper check.

Which foods are rich in Cholesterinum?

1. Egg yolk: one of the richest everyday sources of cholesterol
2. Liver and other organ meats: high in cholesterol
3. Shellfish such as prawns: moderate cholesterol content
4. Butter and full-fat dairy: contain cholesterol and saturated fat

Practical Tips:

Eating these foods is not the same as taking the remedy, and the remedy is not a reason to change your diet.

What are the side effects of Cholesterinum?

• No physical effects are expected at 30C, because no starting material remains
• Brief worsening of symptoms, called an aggravation by homeopaths and not confirmed by trials
• Upset stomach or loose stools in people sensitive to lactose (milk sugar) in tablets
• Small amounts of alcohol from liquid drops
• Rare allergic reaction to an ingredient of the pellet or tablet
• Delay in getting real treatment, which is the main risk

Good to know:

Direct harm from a 30C remedy is very unlikely, since there is nothing in it to cause harm. The real danger is what you do not do. Gallstone attacks, jaundice (yellow skin or eyes) and high cholesterol all need proper medical care.

How much Cholesterinum should you take?

• Recommended daily: No dose has been set by research, because no human trials exist. In practice homeopaths give 3 to 5 pellets, or about 5 drops, of a 6C to 30C strength, once to three times a day. Higher strengths such as 200C are usually given less often and by a practitioner.
• Best time of day: Any time of day. Many homeopaths suggest taking it about 15 minutes away from food, drink, coffee or toothpaste, though this is custom rather than tested fact.
• With or without food: Usually taken on an empty mouth, away from food and strong flavours. It does not matter for safety.
• Time to effect: Homeopathic tradition expects a change within hours to days. No trial has measured this. Any change you notice is likely to reflect the natural course of the problem.
• How long to take it: Homeopaths usually suggest a short trial of a few days to two weeks. If nothing has changed by then, stop and see your doctor. Never keep taking it for weeks while a symptom gets worse.