Artichoke to lower cholesterol

Recently my alternative healthcare practitioner suggested I take artichoke to lower my blood cholesterol. Does it work?

Many people eat artichoke leaf extracts for the treatment of elevated lipids. However, there are no good studies to show that it does anything. The few limited studies are not impressive and the lowering of cholesterol is mild at best. If you have high cholesterol, I suggest you stop relying on artichoke leaves. I highly recommend exercise and if that fails you may need to take the statin medications. In the meantime, stop smoking and decrease ingestion of fatty foods. Stop relying on a single plant or herb to maintain good health.