Which supplement works better to increase HDL (good) cholesterol levels: flaxseed oil or pine bark extract?

Ratings at a Glance

Supplement	Effectiveness Rating	Confidence Rating
Flaxseed Oil
Pine Bark Extract

Effectiveness Rating: Flaxseed Oil vs Pine Bark Extract

The effectiveness rating is a measure of the supplements' ability to increase HDL (good) cholesterol levels. This rating answers the question of whether or not a supplement does what it claims. The evidence shows pine bark extract is better than flaxseed oil in its ability to increase HDL (good) cholesterol levels. Pine Bark Extract should provide some positive results while flaxseed oil will not.

Confidence Rating: Flaxseed Oil vs Pine Bark Extract

Another factor to take into account when comparing supplements is the confidence rating. This rating is a measure of how valid each supplement's effectiveness rating is. Remember, the confidence rating is a measure of how much you can trust the effectiveness rating. This rating is based on how many studies are included in the database on a supplement's claims. Ideally, you want a high effectiveness AND confidence rating.

Both flaxseed oil and pine bark extract have low confidence ratings. This means neither supplement has an adequate amount of research to back up this claim. A low confidence rating questions the validity of the effectiveness rating.