Discover the power of bergamot (Citrus bergamia), a citrus fruit from Southern Italy, and its amazing health benefits. This episode explores how bergamot can be a natural alternative for managing cholesterol, supporting heart health, and improving metabolic function.

We'll dive into the key benefits of bergamot:

• Healthy Cholesterol Levels: Learn how bergamot's polyphenols and flavonoids can lower LDL ("bad" cholesterol), reduce triglycerides, improve HDL ("good" cholesterol"), and decrease small dense LDL particles linked to heart disease.
• Heart Health & Reduced Cardiovascular Risk: Explore bergamot's positive effects on arterial health, including improvements in lipoprotein profile, vascular function, and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT).
• Metabolic Health & Insulin Sensitivity: Understand how bergamot can benefit those with metabolic syndrome or prediabetes by improving insulin sensitivity, markers of inflammation, and liver health.

We'll also compare bergamot to statins, discussing their mechanisms of action, effectiveness, and side effects. While statins can reduce LDL cholesterol by 30-60%, bergamot can reduce LDL by 7.6% to 40.8%. Bergamot is generally well-tolerated with minimal side effects and can even be used alongside statins to enhance cholesterol-lowering effects.

Finally, we'll cover recommended dosages (400 – 1300 mg daily) and highlight Thrive Carolinas’ recommendation of Thorne Research Metabolic Health Bergamot/Curcumin (2-4 capsules daily). Is bergamot safe? Clinical trials suggest it is well-tolerated with no significant adverse effects reported.

If you're statin-intolerant or prefer natural cholesterol support, this episode is for you.

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