Skip to content

Octacosanol

Octacosanol is the main component of policosanol.

Policosanol is a mixture of a total of eight different primary aliphatic alcohols. Octacosanol is the primary monohydric alcohol with twenty-eight carbon atoms (C28).

Occurrence and bioavailability

Octacosanol, a waxy substance, is found in various vegetable fats and oils, mainly in wheat germ oil. It is also found as the main component in sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum) extract, i.e. policosanol.

Advertised effect in relation to sports-relevant factors:

  • Increase in physical performance
  • Provision of additional energy reserves
  • Increasing the ability to react and grip strength

Other advertised effects:

  • Reduction of cholesterol levels
  • Reduction of the triglyceride level
  • Protection against heart/blood diseases
  • positive effect on potency
  • and erectile dysfunction

Scientific evidence for the advertised effects

The effect of octacosanol (from wheat germ oil) has mainly been studied in the field of ergogenesis. Recent studies have shown that 1 mg octacosanol daily for eight weeks improves grip strength and visual - but not auditory - responsiveness. Another study (3.6 mg per day for one week) shows that octacosanol reduces reaction time in humans. The general increase in physical performance and the provision of additional energy reserves could not be proven. Studies with policosanol have shown that daily doses of 5-20 mg policosanol over eight weeks reduce total and LDL cholesterol levels by 10-20%. The reduction in triglyceride levels was not unanimously proven. There was also no unanimous evidence regarding the effect on the cardiovascular system or potency problems.

Need, supply situation and recommendations

As octacosanol is not an essential vitamin, deficiency symptoms do not normally occur. The recommendation is to take 5 mg octacosanol/policosanol once a day with a meal for at least three weeks.

Side effects

Side effects have not been observed even at higher doses of up to 20 mg daily over a longer period of time (3 - 6 months).

Precautions and warnings

Pregnancy and lactation: Not enough is known about the safety of octacosanol during pregnancy and lactation. For this reason, pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid octacosanol to be on the safe side.

Parkinson's disease: Octacosanol may exacerbate some symptoms of Parkinson's disease when used in combination with the Parkinson's drugs levodopa and carbidopa.

Interactions with medications

Care should be taken when combining octacosanol with the following medications:

Levodopa/Carbidopa

Levodopa/carbidopa is used to treat Parkinson's disease. Taking octacosanol in combination with levodopa/carbidopa could worsen the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. For this reason, octacosanol should not be used when taking levodopa/carbidopa.

References

  1. Batista, J., R. Stusser, F. Saez and B. Perez (1996). "Effect of policosanol on hyperlipidemia and coronary heart disease in middle-aged patients. A 14-month pilot study." Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther 34(3): 134-7.
  2. Canetti, M., M. Moreira, R. Mas, J. Illnait, L. Fernandez, J. Fernandez, E. Diaz and G. Castano (1995). "A two-year study on the efficacy and tolerability of policosanol in patients with type II hyperlipoproteinaemia." Int J Clin Pharmacol Res 15(4): 159-65.
  3. Pons P, Rodriguez M, Robaina C, et al. Effects of successive dose increases of policosanol on the lipid profile of patients with type II hypercholesterolaemia and tolerability to treatment. Int J Clin Pharm Res 1994;14:27-33.