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Two separate blood tests 4 months apart confirmed it – my cholesterol level is higher than a trapeze artist’s swing! Disappointing news for an ex-smoking, alcohol-avoiding (erm, almost), gym-going vegan with a stupidly healthy diet. So, statins then? Well, no…I’ve decided to try a cholesterol-lowering supplement from this trusted brand instead because having done my research into its ingredients, I was impressed by the independent studies and results that I found. Oh, and I know for sure that it’s vegan.
Until I have my next scheduled blood test in another 3 months though, I obviously can’t vouch for its efficacy but plan to update this Dr Vegan HeartPro review and rating as soon as I have those results. In the meantime, however, I’m describing my experience of taking it (including a short-lived side effect), and sharing key information to support why I think it might work for me.
Editor’s rating: 4.7 out of 5
Pros
- Scientifically proven ingredients
- Easy to swallow
- No unnecessary additives
Cons
- One temporary side-effect
- Cost
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Please note that this Dr Vegan HeartPro review is sponsored by Dr Vegan who asked me to trial this supplement. However, the review is genuine and reflects my experience of taking this product following recent blood tests revealing my high cholesterol levels. It is also important to note that whilst I carry out a lot of research on products that I take, I am not a clinician. If you are considering taking any supplement, or have concerns about your health, you should consider consulting a medical professional first.
Who is Dr Vegan?
Dr Vegan is an independently owned, plant-based supplement brand based in the UK. Their stated purpose is to provide eco-friendly dietary supplements – developed by medical and nutritional professionals – that contain only trusted, scientifically-proven ingredients with no unnecessary additives or fillers.
Having asked them for details on their sourcing and manufacturing processes, I received a comprehensive and very reassuring email from the CEO of Dr Vegan in which he explained the regulations and independent audit processes that go into their supplements and their supply chain. Consequently, I feel very confident about the trustworthiness of this brand, and their commitment to producing high quality products.
They have a score of 4.7 on Trustpilot (at the time of publishing) which rates them as ‘excellent’, with many positive reviews about their products and their service. They consistently respond to the small number of negative reviews, most of which seem to focus on not knowing whether the supplement is working, or on a couple of service and delivery issues.
The positives
There are many things I like about this Dr Vegan HeartPro supplement, including its scientifically proven ingredients, ease of swallowing, and the absence of unpleasant fillers and additives. Let’s take each of those positives in turn:
Scientifically proven ingredients
This supplement is formulated to lower ‘bad’ cholesterol levels and support heart health more generally. To do this, its ingredients include:
- plant sterols – these reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol
- Monacolin K – chemically similar to a statin, works well with plant sterols to lower cholesterol
- ginger root – a powerful antioxidant and all round superfood that can positively reduce heart disease risk factors
- chromium – helps the body to process carbohydrates
- Coenzyme Q10 – some emerging evidence to suggest it may help with heart health, and combatting the effects of statins
The ingredients have been carefully selected to work together effectively and further improve the efficacy of the supplement; for example, the Monacolin K and the plant sterols.
Importantly, you should not take this supplement if you are already taking statins, and you should also ensure that you are not eating excessive amounts of plant sterols that are present in some specialist food products.
Overall, I carried out significant research on the Dr Vegan HeartPro ingredients for the purpose of this review, and cite some of that in my Research References below. You can also refer to more research in my unsponsored Vegans and Cholesterol Guide.
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Easy to swallow
These are quite big capsules but I am able to swallow them with plenty of water. If it does feel like it’s got stuck though, I follow up with a small chunk of dry bread which I find just pushes it down that last bit! Hence, when someone has toast in our house, the corner of the slice is occasionally missing…now they know it’s me.
However, if you really can’t swallow capsules, these come apart very easily and Dr Vegan confirm that you can scatter the contents on your food if you need to (although that could ruin my toast and marmite experience if I’m honest).
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No unnecessary additives
As I mentioned previously, Dr Vegan supplements are formulated and produced in environments that are well regulated and audited. They are also committed to not adding anything to their supplements that isn’t necessary, so no additives or fillers like sugar, sweeteners, preservatives, artificial colours or flavours, and not a genetically-modified organism in sight! They are vegan of course (clue in the name maybe?), gluten-free, and halal and kosher-friendly too.
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The negatives
Other than not yet being able to say whether or not this supplement works (which is to be expected at this stage), I experienced only one very temporary side effect which passed very quickly. So aside from cost – my favourite negative about most things – there aren’t many reasons why you wouldn’t want to choose this supplement if you are keen to lower cholesterol and support your heart health.
One temporary side-effect
Within 24 hours of starting Dr Vegan’s HeartPro, I became quite bloated and that lasted for about 48 hours – presumably until I adjusted to taking them. I do have a tendency to bloat anyway and sometimes just adding something new to my diet can cause it, so I’m a bit of a delicate flower! And in the scheme of things, if this supplement succeeds in reducing my bad cholesterol levels, putting up with a couple of days of bloating is a small price to pay.
Cost
I guess that cost is dependent on whether or not you see good quality supplements as an investment in your health. I’m sure they are, but it can still feel like a bit of an outlay every month. There are ways of reducing the cost though – subscribing saves you 15%, and Vegan Mum’s discount code MUM30 gives you an initial 30% off too.
The other perspective on the HeartPro supplement is that I have chosen to take it instead of statins, for which I’d have to pay the NHS prescription charge of just under £10 anyway, so it does make these look much more cost-effective.
Conclusion of this Dr Vegan HeartPro review
I spent the first 3 months of this year – 2024 – reviewing my diet following a blood test in December that revealed I had high cholesterol levels. But to be honest, I was a bit stumped because I rarely eat anything ultra-processed apart from the odd Beyond Meat burger (come on, they’re hard to resist) and my diet largely consists of beans, tofu, tempeh and legumes. Yes, everything that a ‘healthy’ vegan should eat and very little that I shouldn’t!
The only thing left really was coconut milk, ‘tropical’ oils, and pastry, and subsequent fact-finding suggested that these could indeed be a factor. So, apart from the odd tin of half-fat coconut milk in a dal, I cut it all out, including the hidden ‘tropical’ oils in spreads. See my Vegans and Cholesterol guide if you would like more information about potential dietary changes.
Unfortunately, despite making those changes, a subsequent test has shown little change and I have learnt that it could even be a familial tendency towards high cholesterol that I have inherited. Ho hum…consequently, statins were recommended as the best way to lower it and reduce my risk of a cardiovascular ‘event’ in the future. I must state at this point that my levels are not horrendously high, but like most people, I’m keen to stay as healthy as possible so I did seriously consider the statins route. However, I haven’t yet been able to confirm whether any statin ‘brands’ are vegan – many contain lanolin amongst other things.
Then Dr Vegan came along with HeartPro – what a saviour! And when I looked into this vegan supplement, I found that there are many independent scientific trials providing evidence that its key ingredients can help lower cholesterol and support the heart (you can see some of my investigations into this research below). So my decision to try HeartPro was an easy one because I already know and trust the Dr Vegan brand, and I also wasn’t prepared to compromise my values by taking a prescribed statin unless I could confirm it was vegan anyway.
The only side effect that I’ve had with it was very short-lived when I felt a bit bloated for a couple of days. I’m not sure what caused it but aside from the obvious ingredients, this supplement does contain a probiotic to support the gut biome’s important role in cardiovascular health, so it may have been that. Anyway, it passed very quickly and things returned to normal. And although it contains a statin-like element – Monacolin K – I’ve not experienced any muscle aches, or had an urgent need to pee at 3am every morning that some statin-users seem to complain of!
So, it’s really a case of so far, so good. I don’t feel any different, but I wouldn’t expect to because high cholesterol is a hidden condition with no obvious symptoms, just potentially devastating effects. But I do feel confident in what the supplement might do for me and look forward to seeing whether my next blood test in 3-4 month’s time reveals any reduction in my risk factors. As soon as I know, I will update this review.
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FAQs
Can I lower my cholesterol through diet?
If you are eating foods that contribute to high cholesterol – fatty meats, dairy, tropical oils, pastry – then reducing your intake or eliminating them from your diet completely could help. It really depends on why your cholesterol is high in the first place so you should always take professional medical advice. The BHF has a useful set of questions and answers, and Harvard Health also has some advice – see the links below:
Lowering your cholesterol – British Heart Foundation
Foods that lower your cholesterol – Harvard Health
Research References
Science Direct – Red Yeast Rice for cardiovascular risk reduction
National Library of Medicine – Monacolin K to reduce cholesterol
National Library of Medicine – the amazing and mighty ginger
Healthline – Benefits of CoQ10
CoQ10 used to combat statin side effects
Further reading
I hope you have found this Dr Vegan HeartPro review helpful. You can read further Vegan Mum unsponsored reviews of Dr Vegan products below:
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