Squalene
Summary
Squalene is a cholesterol precursor that the body makes and that olive oil supplies. People absorb much of it and turn it into cholesterol. Lipid results conflict: about 1 g/day raised LDL in one small study, while 860 mg/day lowered it versus placebo in another (grade D). Very high doses for skin caused frequent loose stools.
Key facts
- About 60% of 900 mg/day was absorbed in a fecal-balance study; blood squalene rose 17-fold[2]
- Absorbed squalene is converted to cholesterol; whole-body cholesterol synthesis rose by about 50% during feeding[2][8]
- Three small human studies: no consistent change, a 12% LDL rise, and an LDL fall versus placebo[2][3][4][5]
- Loose stools in 35% of women on 13.5 g/day and 55% on 27 g/day[1]
- 4 graded human outcomes on this page
- October 13, 2026
How it works
EstablishedSqualene is an intermediate of cholesterol synthesis, and a 2020 review notes it has been proposed to act like statins by inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase. In people, dietary squalene is carried in chylomicrons and is substantially converted to cholesterol, raising cholesterol-precursor sterols. Authors of one trial proposed that this extra supply may switch down HMG-CoA reductase, but serum cholesterol responses have been inconsistent.[2][6][7][8][5]
What the human research says
Human trials only, one row per outcome. The form column shows what each trial actually tested. Grades follow our evidence-grading policy.
At a glance: strongest evidence per outcome
| Outcome | Grade | Effect | Strongest evidence | Rows |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cholesterol | Grade D | Improved | RCT · n = 102 · 1996 | 3 rows |
| Skin | Grade D | Mixed | RCT · n = 37 · 2009 | 1 row |
Every graded row
| Outcome | Effect | Grade | Best evidence | PMID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total and LDL cholesterol in older adults with high cholesterol | Improved | Grade D | RCT · n = 102 · 1996 Adults over 65 with primary hypercholesterolaemia after diet run-in Form: Squalene capsules (2 × 430 mg) · Dose: 860 mg/day with the evening meal · Duration: 20 weeks Squalene alone lowered total and LDL cholesterol versus placebo (per the 2020 systematic review of the full text), but less than 10 mg pravastatin; the combination lowered LDL most. Adverse events were mild and transient. | 8739021 (opens PubMed)Source [4] |
| Facial wrinkles and markers of skin photoaging | Mixed | Grade D | RCT · n = 37 · 2009 Women over 50 with photoaged skin Form: Oral squalene · Dose: 13.5 g/day or 27 g/day · Duration: 90 days Wrinkles decreased significantly in the 27 g group and procollagen mRNA rose in the 13.5 g group, but loose stools affected 35% and 55% of the two groups; the authors judged the risk-benefit ratio too high to recommend. | 19522983 (opens PubMed)Source [1] |
| Serum cholesterol when squalene was added to rapeseed oil | Worsened | Grade D | Open-label trial · n = 18 · 1994 Men with high cholesterol (mean age 50) Form: Squalene added to dietary rapeseed oil · Dose: 1 g/day, then 0.5 g/day · Duration: 9 weeks at 1 g/day, then 6 weeks at 0.5 g/day At 1 g/day, serum total, VLDL, IDL and LDL cholesterol rose by 12%, 34%, 28% and 12% and LDL apolipoprotein B by 14%; lowering the dose to 0.5 g/day returned serum sterols to normal. | 8310985 (opens PubMed)Source [3] |
| Serum cholesterol and cholesterol synthesis during squalene feeding | No effect | Grade D | Open-label trial · n = 15 · 1990 Patients with cerebrovascular or cardiovascular disease and varying cholesterol levels Form: Squalene capsules (300 mg) · Dose: 900 mg/day (300 mg three times daily) · Duration: 7–30 days About 60% of the squalene was absorbed and blood squalene rose 17-fold, but serum cholesterol and triglycerides did not change; fecal sterol output showed cholesterol synthesis rose by about 50%. | 2246614 (opens PubMed)Source [2] |
Forms
| Form | Elemental % | Absorption (human data) | GI tolerance | Studied for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Squalene oil capsules | Varies[9] | About 60% of a 900 mg/day dose was absorbed; after a 1 g fat meal, chylomicron squalene peaked at about 6 hours and stayed above baseline at 24 hours.[2][7] | Around 1 g/day: no consistent adverse effects reported in the small lipid studies. At 13.5–27 g/day: loose stools in 35–55% of participants.[4][1] | Cholesterol (0.86–1 g/day) and skin photoaging (13.5–27 g/day) |
| Squalene in olive oil and other foods | Varies[2][8] | A single 500 mg dose with a fat meal raised blood squalene and cholesterol-synthesis markers within 9–12 hours.[6] | No adverse effects reported for food amounts in the cited studies.[6] | Diet and cholesterol-metabolism research |
Studied doses
Doses studied in human trials ranged from 860 mg/day for 20 weeks and about 1 g/day for 1–9 weeks (cholesterol studies) up to 13.5–27 g/day for 90 days (skin study), with single 0.5–1 g doses in absorption studies.[4][2][3][1][6][7]
Interactions
Published interactions only: each row cites a source. No row means none was found in our sources, not that a combination is safe.
Medicines
- StatinsRCTIn a 20-week trial, 860 mg/day squalene plus 10 mg pravastatin lowered total and LDL cholesterol more than either alone; no myopathy occurred.[4]
Who should be careful
- People managing LDL cholesterol
- Results conflict: 1 g/day raised LDL by 12% in one small study, while 860 mg/day lowered it in another. Squalene is not a substitute for prescribed lipid treatment.[3][4]
- Sensitive digestion
- Multi-gram doses caused loose stools in a third to over half of participants.[1]
Talk to your pharmacist or clinician before starting a supplement, especially if you take prescription medicines.
How to read the label
- Source is not testedNone of the trials cited here compares squalene from different raw materials, so the label is the only guide to origin.[1][2][3][4]
- Label dose vs studied doseLipid studies used about 0.86–1 g/day. The skin benefits needed 13.5 g/day or more, a dose that caused frequent loose stools.[4][3][1]
Cost per studied dose, without the sales pitch
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Cost per studied dose
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Frequently asked questions
What is squalene?
A 30-carbon lipid that the body makes on the way to cholesterol. Olive oil is a rich dietary source.[9][2]
Does squalene lower cholesterol?
The evidence conflicts. 860 mg/day lowered LDL versus placebo in older adults, but about 1 g/day raised LDL by 12% in middle-aged men, and 900 mg/day changed nothing in a third study.[4][3][2]
Is squalene absorbed?
Yes. About 60% of a 900 mg/day dose was absorbed, and much of it was converted to cholesterol.[2]
Does squalene help aging skin?
In one 90-day study of women over 50, 13.5–27 g/day improved some skin markers, but up to 55% had loose stools and the authors did not recommend it.[1]
Can squalene be combined with a statin?
One 20-week trial combined 860 mg/day squalene with 10 mg pravastatin; LDL fell more than with either alone and no muscle problems occurred.[4]
Sources
- [1]High-dose squalene ingestion increases type I procollagen and decreases ultraviolet-induced DNA damage in human skin in vivo but is associated with transient adverse effects.. Clin Exp Dermatol, 2009. RCT
- [2]Metabolic variables of cholesterol during squalene feeding in humans: comparison with cholestyramine treatment.. J Lipid Res, 1990. open-label
- [3]Serum concentration and metabolism of cholesterol during rapeseed oil and squalene feeding.. Am J Clin Nutr, 1994. open-label
- [4]Effectiveness and safety of low-dose pravastatin and squalene, alone and in combination, in elderly patients with hypercholesterolemia.. J Clin Pharmacol, 1996. RCT
- [5]The Efficacy of Squalene in Cardiovascular Disease Risk-A Systematic Review.. Nutrients, 2020. systematic-review
- [6]Dietary squalene increases cholesterol synthesis measured with serum non-cholesterol sterols after a single oral dose in humans.. Atherosclerosis, 2000. PK-study
- [7]Postabsorptive metabolism of dietary squalene.. Atherosclerosis, 1994. PK-study
- [8]Effects of trace components of dietary fat on cholesterol metabolism: phytosterols, oxysterols, and squalene.. Nutr Rev, 2002. review
- [9]Squalene (CID 638072): compound summary. PubChem, NCBI, 2026. database
What changed
- Strict second-pass self-review (no separate reviewer could be dispatched for this batch): all 8 PMIDs re-verified by NCBI esummary (titles and years match the record) and efetch checked for retraction, expression-of-concern and erratum flags (none flagged); every evidence row, key fact, form, dose, label line, FAQ and insight re-read against its abstract, and against PMC full text where the dose or count lives. Fixes: removed unverified study countries and two unsourced statements (shark-liver origin; squalane comparison); mechanism now attributes the HMG-CoA reductase hypothesis to the 2020 review. Page set indexable.
- First draft. Every PMID checked against NCBI E-utilities esummary (title and year from the record) and abstracts read for each cited row. Participant counts, capsule sizes and the placebo comparison for the 1996 trial taken from the PMC full text of the 2020 systematic review (PMC7071298). Formula from PubChem. No NIH ODS or NCCIH fact sheet covers squalene.