High Cholesterol in Men and Women

April 15, 2010 · Posted in cholesterol · Comment 

The American Heart Association defines cholesterol as a “soft, fat-like, waxy substance found in the bloodstream and in all your body’s cells.” More specifically, cholesterol is a sterol and a lipid, meaning that it is a relatively solid substance. About seventy-five percent of the body’s cholesterol is manufactured in the liver and a mere twenty-five percent is absorbed from external sources. Cholesterol is necessary for important bodily processes such as the production of cell membranes and bile acids and the manufacture of Vitamin D and certain hormones such as progesterone, testosterone, estradiol, and cortisol. The body also uses cholesterol for the insulation of nerves. Everyone’s body contains cholesterol. Cholesterol is also found in plants, but plants don’t suffer from high cholesterol. What is it that makes cholesterol dangerous in humans?

The human body generally manufactures all of the cholesterol it needs to perform necessary functions. Therefore, cholesterol absorbed from dietary sources, the foods we eat, is unnecessary to the body’s functioning and may, in fact, cause serious health problems. However, it is not the presence of cholesterol in the body that is cause for alarm, but the presence of cholesterol in the body’s blood vessels, specifically the arteries, that can be the cause of such problems as heart disease and stroke.

Dietary cholesterol is absorbed from many different foods. Fruits and vegetables, and other plant foods, do not add a significant amount of cholesterol to the human diet. However, to say that humans get absolutely no cholesterol from plant sources may be a dangerous statement. Modern nutritional thought indicates that, while the amount of cholesterol absorbed from plant sources may be minimal, cholesterol levels are cumulative and therefore the amount of cholesterol from plant sources may need to be considered. Most dietary cholesterol comes from the animal products that are consumed. Foods such as meat, milk, butter, cheese, eggs, poultry and fish are examples of cholesterol-containing foods. Additionally, foods such as cookies and French fries, may contain trans fats even though they are not animal products. Some trans fats are found naturally in animal products, but most are actually man made and are used in the manufacture of snack foods, fried foods, baked goods and fast foods.

Good cholesterol, or high-density lipoproteins (HDL), is responsible for carrying cholesterol from the bloodstream to the liver for elimination. Bad cholesterol, or low-density lipoproteins (LDL), carries cholesterol from the liver to the bloodstream and is responsible for the buildup of cholesterol in the arteries. To maintain a healthy balance, the body must have more HDL than it does LDL.

It is important to understand what types of fats have what type of effects on cholesterol. The following chart, provided by the Harvard School of Public health, lists several different types of fats and what effect they may have on the body’s cholesterol levels.

Generally, liquid fats are known to have a less detrimental effect on the body’s cholesterol levels. Also generally, the more solid the fat, the more it raises LDL, or “bad” cholesterol.

Normal cholesterol levels vary and it is important to note that high cholesterol levels are not solely determined by diet. It is possible for an individual who subscribes to a healthy diet and exercise program to have dangerous levels of LDL cholesterol and it is possible for an individual who consumes high levels of saturated fats to have low levels of LDL cholesterol. The new cholesterol-lowering drug, Vytorin, claims to combat the two sources of cholesterol – “the foods you eat, and your family history.”

The American Heart Association lists a “desirable” total blood cholesterol level as being less than 200 mg/dl. An individual who has a total blood cholesterol level of between 200-239 mg/dl, is at borderline high risk. And any individual with a total blood cholesterol level of more than 240 mg/dl is at high risk for a heart attack or stroke. Low-density lipoprotein levels should be less than 100 mg/dl. Any LDL level that is over 130 is cause for concern and an LDL level that is more than 190 indicates a high-risk individual.

Medical professionals know that cholesterol, in and of itself, is not bad. The body needs cholesterol to survive. It is the overabundance of cholesterol, causing a buildup of unused and unnecessary fat in the arteries that can lead to serious health concerns. Cholesterol that has built up in the bloodstream is called plaque. Over time, plaque can block an artery either partially or completely much like a sink drainpipe becomes clogged. This buildup of plaque is called atherosclerosis. If an artery becomes blocked, blood cannot flow properly to the body’s heart, muscles, and brain.

As plaque builds up in an artery, the blood to the organ(s) supplied by that artery becomes diminished. The heart is supplied by the coronary artery. As the coronary artery becomes clogged, blood flow is restricted and less oxygen reaches the heart. An individual whose heart muscle is starved for oxygen may experience angina (chest pain) and even tissue damage or death. A complete blockage of the coronary artery may lead to a heart attack. An individual who is suffering from a blockage of an artery that leads to the brain may experience a stroke.

At one time, medical professionals believed that it was primarily men who suffered from the adverse effects of high cholesterol. Modern medical thought however, recognizes the effects that high levels of cholesterol have had on women. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that the primary cause of death for both men and women in the United States is heart disease. But, women’s health poses a different set of risks for heart disease and stroke as caused by high cholesterol.

The female hormone estrogen plays an important role in maintaining the balance of cholesterol in women. Estrogen helps raise high-density lipoprotein (HDL), which in turn, helps lower low-density protein (LDL). Younger women appear to be able to count estrogen as a sort of “helper” in the battle against cholesterol. However, as a woman ages, her body ceases to produce estrogen. As a woman enters menopause, and her estrogen levels fall, she may find that high cholesterol levels become a medical issue for the first time in her life. More and more postmenopausal women are opting for hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to relieve the symptoms of menopause and to prevent osteoporosis and other menopause-related concerns. However, medical studies have shown that HRT does not assist women in regaining the protection against the effects of high cholesterol they had during their childbearing years. For postmenopausal women who have been found to have problems with cholesterol, the American Heart Association suggests one of the new cholesterol-lowering medications as standard treatment.

High levels of LDL cholesterol can be, for the most part, prevented. Although there are some individuals who will be plagued by high cholesterol because of hereditary factors, many individuals can prevent cholesterol from damaging their health by following a low-fat/low cholesterol diet and getting regular exercise. However, for some individuals, diet and exercise are just not enough. For those with difficulty lowering their cholesterol naturally, and for those whose cholesterol has reached emergency levels, cholesterol-lowering drugs, called statins, are recommended. Statins work by lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol and raising HDL (good) cholesterol and may lower LDL by as much as 30-50 percent. Ideally, any individual who resorts to cholesterol-lowering drugs has already attempted to lower his or her cholesterol levels via diet and exercise. Statins are what is referred to as a “secondary” line of defense and should be used as a primary treatment only when the risk of heart disease or stroke has reached emergency proportions.

Americans are known to have poor diets. Because of a fast-paced lifestyle, many individuals rely heavily on processed foods. In addition to obesity and diabetes, one result of Americans’ atrocious eating habits is an epidemic of high cholesterol. The average American consumes much more than the 300 milligrams of cholesterol that the American Heart Association recommends. Some of the risk factors of diet, age, weight, gender, disease, genetics, and lifestyle are clearly avoidable. Individuals who are at risk should take extra care to avoid the causes of high cholesterol by consuming fewer than 300 milligrams of cholesterol, limiting their total fat consumption to less than 30% of their total calories, maintaining a healthy weight, adding fiber to their diet, and participating in a regular exercise routine. Additionally, everyone should have his or her cholesterol checked every three to five years (more often if necessary). As men and women become more and more health conscious, cases of heart disease and stroke attributed to high cholesterol can be significantly lowered. As a by-product of a healthier lifestyle, the rates of other health concerns such as diabetes and even some cancers, may drop. The benefit would not only be healthier men and women but a healthier America.

Author: Rebecca Stigall
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High Cholesterol Ldl Hdl And The Best Diet To Lower Cholesterol And Reach Healthy Cholesterol Levels

March 11, 2010 · Posted in cholesterol · Comment 

It is time to clear up the confusion once and for all.

If suddenly all of the cholesterol in your body disappeared, you would literally melt into the floor like the wicked witch in the Wizard of Oz.  You would melt because the “structural framework” of the cell is made almost entirely of cholesterol, and without the structural framework the cell would collapse,  This waxy-alcohol is so important to so many life processes, that besides it being available in animal-based foods, your body makes it in two specific ways.

First, every day your liver makes cholesterol and sends it streaming into your blood where, ideally, it is absorbed into the cells where it is needed.  Anything not taken into the cell for use is transported back to the liver where it is recycled or simply eliminated.  It is important to note that every cell in your body has the ability to make what it needs internally, and every cell in your body has the ability to grab in out of the the blood and bring it into the cell for use.

Your total cholesterol is determined primarily by whether your cells make it internally, or instead, gather what is needed directly from the blood. 

Consuming cholesterol containing foods is NOT a factor in determining if the cells make it internally or gather it from the blood. Numerous studies document the fact that even  massive changes in egg, meat, and any animal-source food consumption, up or down, have only a minor effect on total level measured by your doctor. .

Two Ways Your Cells Get What They Need

  1. Cells make it internally, which means it is not gathered from the blood, and/or;
  2. The cells do not make it internally and instead, send cell receptors, (kind of like a catchers mitt), from deep inside the cell to the surface of the cell to grab what is needed from the blood and bring it back inside the cell.

The only reason your liver makes cholesterol is to send it cruising through your blood so the cells can grab what they need.  Too bad the liver and the cells don’t communicate because the liver makes it every day regardless of whether or not the cells harvest it from the blood.

  • If your cells make it internally, then no cell receptors, (remember the catchers mitt) are sent to gather cholesterol from the blood, and blood levels increase.
  • If instead of making it internally, the cell gather what’s needed from the blood, then blood levels typically remain low.

The cells don’t care how they get what they need BUT YOU SHOULD because there is a correlation between elevated levels and heart health.

Much of the confusion on this topic has to do with the fact that consuming cholesterol-rich foods has only a very small effect on determining total blood levels. Your liver manufacturers about 2000 mg. of cholesterol every day.  If you enjoy foods that contain it, the liver simply does not make as much. 

If you get 1000 mg. in your diet, the liver only makes 1000 mg., giving you a total of 2000 mg for the day.  If you consume zero for 24 hours,  your liver makes 2000 mg for the day, if you consume 1500 mg. in food, your liver only makes 500 mg. more for the day.  You get the idea.  If you don’t get cholesterol in food, your liver makes it.  If you do get it in food, your liver makes 2000 mg, minus the amount you consumed that day.

The bottom line is,  food accounts for a maximum of 20% of your total at any given time, which means 80% of the reason for a high, low  or normal total HAS NOTHING WHATSOEVER TO DO WITH WHETHER OR NOT YOU CONSUME CHOLESTEROL CONTAINING FOODS, which means trying to control your total level by rigorously avoiding animal-based food products is a misguided and highly inefficient approach.

The key to healthy numbers is to get the cell to gather what it needs out of the blood and NOT produce cholesterol internally.

By gathering from  the blood, total blood levels typically stays well within a healthy range, and the important HDL to LDL ratios also stay in the healthy range.

A specific enzyme with a long, complicated name controls the manufacture of cholesterol inside the cells.  When this enzyme IS ACTIVE then LDL is made inside the cell and little or none is scavenged from the blood.  If the enzyme IS NOT ACTIVE, then little if any is made inside the cell and what is needed is harvested directly out of the blood, which of course lowers the total blood level.

Better yet, low density lipoprotein, (LDL), often considered bad, is what the cell gathers from the blood which means the total lowers and the so called bad, lowers the most.

Popular prescription drug work the same way, except with horrific side effects. The drugs work by inhibiting the enzyme that activates cellular production, because if there is no internal production, the cell will gathers what it needs directly from the blood, naturally lowering blood levels.

The secret to establish and maintain normal, healthy levels is to ACTIVATE cells to sweep it out of the blood and NATURALLY DEACTIVATE the enzyme that causes cells to make it internally.

The “secret” is really no secret at all; in fact any medical physiology textbook clearly explains that the metabolic hormones insulin and glucagon are the two hormones that regulate the rate of cholesterol synthesis inside the cells.

Insulin activates the enzyme that causes cells to make cholesterol internally.  This means that if blood-insulin levels become elevated for any reason, the cells immediately begin to make it internally and stop gathering from the blood, which leads to higher numbers.

The metabolic hormone glucagon has exactly the opposite affect; glucagon inhibits the enzyme that causes production inside the cell.  If the cell does not make it internally, cell receptors go to the surface of the cell and gather directly from the blood, which means your total will, in all probability, be normal.

This is not new information and is well known cellular biochemistry, in fact it is the EXACT biochemistry that expensive side-effect laden drugs are based on.

Lowering Cholesterol Naturally With Dietary Change

Eat in a way that avoids the production of excess insulin and odds are your everything your doctor measures in a blood test will improve; there will in all probability be less of anything your doctor considers bad and more of everything your doctor considers good, and except for eating eating a little differently, it will seem effortless on your part.

This is not opinion, this is metabolic fact clearly explained in medical physiology textbooks since mid 1950.  With this knowledge it is crystal clear that dietary cholesterol consumption plays a VERY SMALL ROLE in determining total levels and is essentially a non-issue for most people including millions who have been scared into taking drugs to get lower numbers.

Understanding HDL and LDL

There are two more pieces to the puzzle, the first piece has to do with understanding the ratio between the “good” and the “bad”" cholesterol, the second piece of the puzzle has to do with understanding the effect diet has on the total.

First the ratios: Ratios are simple.   As soon as you understand the difference between LDL and HDL you’ll understand practically everything.

Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, is a protein that transports cholesterol from the liver into the blood, making it available for absorption into the cells.  Low-density lipoproteins are like wheel barrows or trucks, loaded with cholesterol, bringing it into the blood stream just in case the cells need it. 

Unfortunately, if you eat in a way that causes the constant presence of excess insulin in your system, these LDL truckloads are not needed because the cells are making all everything they need internally.

If the cells make everything internally, the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) sent through the blood from the liver are unnecessary, which means the excess is subject to build up in  the blood, tissues and arteries, setting the stage for serious health problems.

High density lipoprotein, or HDL, help eliminate excess LDL by collecting it from the tissues and arteries and transporting it out of the blood and back to the liver where it is recycled or disposed of. 

HDL particles are like the LDL clean-up crew.  HDL particles are the empty trucks sent into the blood stream to load up all the excess, extra sticky LDL that spills out and collects in the tissues and arteries and then  transport it out of the blood. Clearly, cleaning up excess LDL lowers the total.

LDL is recognized as “bad” because LDL transports cholesterol INTO the blood. HDL is considered “good” because HDL gathers up excess LDL and transports it OUT of the blood.  With this in mind, it’s easy to understand the importance of having the proper ratio of  HDL to LDL. If the ratio of LDL to HDL is too high that means your blood is being loaded with extra sticky LDL faster than the HDL clean-up crew can remove it, which means the stuff is building up inside the tissues and arteries, and that’s bad.

Doctors have determined that having the proper ratio between HDL and LDL is a more important predictor of health than the total number.  In other words, the person with a total of 260 mg/dl and a good HDL to LDL ratio is in better shape health-wise than someone with a 175 mg/dl total reading whose LDL level is too high compared to their HDL level.

Two ratio standards are commonly accepted by most doctors and researchers:

  1. Total divided by HDL should be below 4; and,
  2.  LDL divided by HDL should be below 3.

There is near universal agreement in the medical and scientific community that the further your ratios are from these standards the greater the risk of developing heart disease.

It is INCORRECT to assume that a lower and ever lower total somehow translates into better health.

Research clearly shows the “ideal healthy range” is in the 180-to 200 mg/dl range, and most importantly, with the proper HDL to LDL ratios.

Historically, total levels over 200 correlate positively with increased risk of heart disease, and levels lower than 180 correlate positively with almost every serious disease known except heart disease.

We know insulin stimulates the cell to produce cholesterol internally.  Given this, it should be clear that the key to maintaining a normal, healthy level is to eat in a way that does not stimulate an insulin response.

We know that LDL carries cholesterol into the blood and HDL carries unused LDL particles out of the blood, which s why HDL is recognized as being good.  The next piece of the puzzle explains the affect food consumption has on your total level.

There is a great deal of confusion over which foods affect the blood levels the most. 

It is a popular misconception that the best way to lower numbers naturally is to avoid all cholesterol containing foods and consume primarily a low fat diet.  This is fundamentally wrong.  A rigidly enforced, low fat, no-animal-product diet can result in a lower total, but that kind of diet has only a minor affect at best, and causes a disproportionate drop in the good HDL in relationship to the extra sticky LDL, and that increases the risk of heart disease. 

Research proves beyond doubt  that a higher total with a good HDL to LDL ratio is overall MUCH healthier than lower total with a poor HDL to LDL ratio. This means that while low fat diets may result in slightly lower total numbers, following these diets may actually INCREASE the risk of heart disease.  Even though total cholesterol drops, disease risk increases because the level of the “good” HDL, that transports sticky LDL out of the blood drops, too low compared to the reduction in the sticky LDL.

  • When HDL is too low in relationship to LDL, the blood flows thick with extra sticky LDL that builds up inside the tissues and arteries. 
  • We know  that a diet high in carbohydrates stimulates excess insulin to flood into the blood stream and cause the cells to make cholesterol internally.

Given this reality of human biochemistry, you can see that a diet high in sugar or carbohydrate is the PRIMARY cause of cholesterol build up in the blood, and this happens regardless of much or how little animal-source foods you eat along the way.

To put it another way, if you went on a 100% cholesterol-free diet for one year, at the end of that year the maximum possible drop in your total would be 20%.Likewise, if you went on a 100% cholesterol-only diet for one year, at the end of the year the maximum possible increase in your total would be 20%.  And while 20% is no small amount, but obviously, 80% is a lot more?  A small change in the 80% is more meaningful than a large change in the 20%.

The problem with cutting animal-source foods from your diet is that you miss out on many healthy, delicious, nutritious foods that ultimately have very little affect on your total number and even less affect on the all-important HDL to LDL ratio.

If you never take another bite food containing cholesterol in your life and instead eat only bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, sweets and so on; there is 100% certainty your LDL  number and triglycerides would go sky high.  In other words, enjoy the steak and eggs or not, but either way if you load up on bread, rice, potatoes and desserts, you’re destined to have high LDL, an unhealthy HDL to LDL ratio, and are likely to be awarded a lifetime prescription for dangerous drugs loaded with bad side effects. 

When food crosses your lips there are only two possible metabolic outcomes.  Depending on your food choice either insulin OR glucagon becomes the dominant hormone in your system for the next several hours.

If insulin takes over, you make and store fat at a rapid rate and your cells make everything internally.  If glucagon takes control you burn stored fat and your cells harvest cholesterol directly from your blood.  Ultimately this is simple stuff!

Since glucagon gives you desirable metabolic results and insulin gives you undesirable ones, the question becomes; what kind diet puts glucagon in the metabolic drivers seat?  Here are the facts so you can decide for yourself.

Research proves that a diet low in sugar and refined carbohydrates and higher in protein and naturally occurring fats, like the fat in milk, cheese, butter, and meat, not only lower total cholesterol, but result in much healthier HDL to LDL ratios than any other diet tested, and they have all been tested repeatedly.

Reducing foods high in sugar and refined carbohydrates is vitally important because carbohydrates cause excess insulin and excess insulin causes most of the problems.

  • If you cut back on food and drink high in sugar or carbohydrates, your blood-insulin level remains normal.  
  • If insulin is not high, that means the glucagon is the active metabolic hormone.
  • And when glucagon is the active metabolic hormone,  you burn stored fat for energy, and end up with lower triglycerides, lower your total cholesterol, and a healthier HDL to LDL ratio.

In other words, pull this off and you improve your health in a variety of important ways. 

This is quite a turn of events.  For years the experts said to only a low fat diet and pile on the foods high in carbohydrates, because they are low in fat and provide lots of energy.  Clearly the ever-worsening tragedy of obesity, diabetes, and increasing heart disease has proven this advice to be astonishingly wrong and it’s wrong regardless of who gives it because the proven facts of human biochemistry are what they are and that is simply that.

The new advice is not based on “popular wisdom,” “common knowledge,” “common practice” or “opinion” and instead is based on a more complete understanding of medical physiology, cellular biology, and the human endocrine system

Now for the final question concerning metabolism.  How do you put glucagon securely in the metabolic drivers seat and begin to enjoy the wonderful health benefits gained from establishing the proper insulin/glucagon balance in your body.  And the answer in a word is PROTEIN

Protein provides significant nutrition without causing a rise in blood sugar, but the key is not just getting protein, the key is getting protein WITHOUT excess carbohydrates.

With or without protein, excess carbohydrates cause a sharp rise in blood sugar and that produces an insulin response, which leads to fat production and storage, high triglycerides, and increased cholesterol.  When you enjoy a delicious protein meal with minimal carbohydrates coming primarily from fresh green vegetables or fresh seasonal fruit, you set up the IDEAL conditions to establish a perfect metabolic relationship between insulin and glucagon.

To help clarify the effect food has on the insulin-glucagon relationship, consider the following facts.

  1. A normal healthy person has slightly less than one single teaspoon of glucose circulating in their entire blood stream at any single time.
  2. A carbohydrate is nothing more than several different kinds of sugar molecules linked together. Once eaten, these sugars are quickly broken down into glucose which instantly enters your blood and causes blood sugar to rise rapidly, just like eating candy does.
  3. Insulin production is the natural, healthy response to lower rapidly rising blood sugar, which is why consuming food or drink high sugar, or carbohydrates that quickly break down into sugar, will always result in a quick rise in insulin.

How many carbohydrates does it take to produce an insulin response?

To answer this, keep in mind that 5 grams of carbohydrate equals approximately 1 teaspoon of sugar, which is close to the normal amount of sugar found in the blood.

Now, a single can of one of the better-known brands of soft drinks lists 39 grams of carbohydrates in the nutrition information panel printed on the can.

Divide 39 total carbohydrate grams by 5 grams per teaspoon and you quickly discover that this single can of soda water contains nearly 8 teaspoons of sugar that will actually enter your blood.

Since 1 teaspoon of sugar is the normal healthy amount contained in the blood, 8 times that amount is clearly too much, which means if you drink that soft drink a quick rise in blood sugar and a quick insulin response to lower the rising blood sugar is absolutely guaranteed.

How high do insulin levels climb in order to reduce rising blood sugar?

According to the Textbook of Medical Physiology, insulin secreted to bring down rising blood sugar rises dramatically within 15 minutes and peaks 2-3 hours later in ranges that are from 10 to 25 times above normal, and insulin levels remain elevated for hours.

Now that you understand that once stimulated, insulin levels stay elevated for several hours, it is easy to understand how eating sugary foods or high carbohydrate meals and snacks throughout the day essentially insures that insulin stays abnormally high all day long and that glucagon is left entirely out of the metabolic picture.

The key to activating glucagon and putting it in the metabolic drivers seat is to eat meals with plenty of protein and, carbohydrates almost entirely from fresh vegetables. As long as you avoid the chemically altered fats that produce dangerous trans fatty acids, dietary fat consumption is essentially not an issue because, much like protein, natural fat is turned into structural raw material needed for cell growth and maintenance.

Keep in mind that your body contains something on the order of a hundred trillion cells and each and every one of them is made from and contains both protein and fat.Not one single cell in your body is made from carbohydrates.  Protein and fat consumption is essential to life.  Without a regular supply of protein and fat your health would fail.

Carbohydrate consumption is not essential to life.  Of course some carbohydrates are healthy and very good for you, but if you never ate another carbohydrate in your life it would not make you sick and you could be as healthy as anyone who ever walked the planet.

There is not a single disease associated with a lack of carbohydrates. The reason for this is that dietary consumption of carbohydrates is simply not that important because your body can instantly make all the glucose it needs directly from protein and fat.

The important point is that to keep excess insulin to a minimum and insure you have enough glucagon in your system, you need meals that contain protein and are low in processed and starchy carbohydrates like bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, corn, sweet drinks, added sugar and so on.

Excess insulin is a serious threat to your health.  Excess insulin is your enemy and excess insulin is produced in your body primarily as a direct result of your food choices.  Excess insulin leads to higher triglycerides, higher cholesterol, poor HDL to LDL ratios, higher blood pressure, excess fat production and storage, obesity, insulin resistance, and dramatically increased risk for diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

  • Glucagon is your friend and enjoying protein meals with a minimum of processed carbohydrates activates glucagon in your system.
  • Glucagon is the hormone that causes you to burn stored body fat for energy. When glucagon is in the metabolic drivers seat it is amazingly easy to establish and maintain your ideal healthy body weight ESPECIALLY when you are getting the essential nutrients.

There is increasing awareness in the medical community that total cholesterol level is no where near the significant  predictor of heart disease as once believed as long as HDL and LDL are in proper relationship.  Of course you would never believe that if you watch the drug commercials on television, but the facts remain, excluding the possibility of a malfunctioning liver or some rare genetic malady, NO ONE needs drugs to lower cholesterol because it can be easily controlled by reducing insulin-spiking, sugar and high carbohydrate foods in your diet.

Having great health is a choice you can make and it is an easy choice to make when you know how!

Author: Russell Martino
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Using Tea to Reduce Your Cholesterol

February 21, 2010 · Posted in cholesterol · Comment 

High cholesterol is a health concern for many Americans. High levels of LDL cholesterol are a leading contributor to heart disease. LDL cholesterol is what contributes to clogged arteries. Arteries become clogged and narrowed when LDL cholesterol circulating in the blood becomes oxidizes and hardens into plaque. The more LDL cholesterol you have circulating in your blood, the more plaque you’ll develop.

A second type of cholesterol, known as HDL cholesterol is what we refer to as “good cholesterol”. This form of cholesterol carries away LDL cholesterol to the liver, where it can pass out of the body. This is why we should have high levels of HDL cholesterol. However, when our levels of LDL cholesterol are high, our HDL levels are typically low.

If you’re trying to lower your LDL cholesterol levels and raise your HDL cholesterol levels there are several things you can do.

The first is watching your diet. Avoiding foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol like butter, eggs and red meat can help you lower those LDL cholesterol levels. In addition, you can help raise your HDL levels by replacing those saturated fats in your diet with healthy fats like olive oil, canola oil, avocados and nuts. These fats raise our HDL levels and keep us healthy.

Secondly, to reduce LDL cholesterol levels, it’s important to exercise. Walking is a great way to help reduce your cholesterol levels, and it will help lower your blood pressure, as well.

If you’re overweight, losing weight will help you reduce cholesterol levels, as well. Making the dietary changes mentioned above and beginning to exercise should make dropping a few pounds easier. If you’re a smoker, you should stop. Smoking significantly increases your risk for heart disease.

Your cholesterol level is also affected by your heredity. Some people are prone to high cholesterol even if they exercise regularly and eat a healthy diet. If you fall into this category, you may require medication in addition to lifestyle changes in order to get your cholesterol under control.

Another way to help reduce LDL cholesterol levels is to drink tea. Green tea has been shown in many studies to help prevent LDL cholesterol from oxidizing and turning into plaque. These studies have suggested that even if your LDL cholesterol level is high, drinking tea may prevent it from causing a problem.

However, it appears that drinking tea may actually have the power to lower your blood cholesterol levels, too. A study conducted by the University of Hong Kong studied various types of Chinese tea and their effect on cholesterol in rats. The rats were all fed a high cholesterol diet for a week before beginning the study. Then, the rats were divided into several groups. Each group was fed a different type of tea while continuing the high cholesterol diet for another eight weeks. A control group of rats received water instead of the tea.

The types of tea used for evaluation including Jasmine, Iron Buddha, Pu-erh, oolong and green tea. The reason that multiple types of tea were used was to evaluate whether fermented teas are as effective at reducing cholesterol as those that are not fermented. Green tea is completely unfermented, Jasmine tea is mildly fermented, and oolong and Iron Buddha are semi-fermented. Pu-erh is a fully fermented tea.

In addition to measuring the cholesterol levels in the mice participating in the study, the weight and fattiness of the liver was also measured.

This study concluded that the teas that had been minimally fermented (Jasmine and green tea) had a significant effect on both the serum and liver levels of cholesterol. In addition, these teas reduced the weight and fat of the liver. These teas were able to significantly lower the cholesterol levels, while the fermented teas and the water did not.* The levels of triglycerides and HDL cholesterol were not significantly different among the groups.

So, it appears that green tea may be a powerful way to help reduce your cholesterol level, particularly when combined with a healthy diet and exercise. If you combine the results of this study with those of past studies, you can come to the conclusion that consuming tea, particularly green tea may be able to help reduce the actual level of LDL cholesterol circulating in your blood and may also be able to prevent the cholesterol that is there from oxidizing and turning into plaque.

If you’re struggling to get your cholesterol level under control, green tea is definitely worth a try. It has no side effects, and is well tolerated by nearly everyone – even those who are sensitive to caffeine. And, in addition to helping you lower your cholesterol, green tea may have other added benefits.

Green tea may be able to help you lose weight and may prevent heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Green tea just might be the one supplement to your diet that can help with many of the health problems plaguing Americans today.

Author: Jon Stout
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The Normal Range of Cholesterol Levels and How To Maintain A Healthy Balance

January 18, 2010 · Posted in cholesterol · Comment 

With more and more people eating a poor diet high in saturated fat, it is no wonder that fewer people have the normal range of cholesterol levels. It is thought that over 30% of those over 40 have unhealthy levels.

The normal range of cholesterol levels is:

Total Cholesterol: 200mg/dl

LDL: Less than 100mg/dl

HDL: At least 40mg/dl

Triglyceride: Less than 150mg/dl

If your total is between 201–239 you have an increased risk of heart disease and over 240 puts you much more at risk unless you have high HDL levels too. This is because HDL is the good type which helps to clear away excess amounts of LDL or the bad one, to keep you healthy.

It is good not to get too hung up on your total levels but rather ensure you have a healthy ratio. A good one is 3:1 LDL to HDL with an optimal one being 2:1.

You can help balance these out in many ways and concentrating on one at a time is usually the most successful way.

Increasing the amount of exercise you do is very beneficial and 30 minutes a day of a raised heartbeat can significantly reduce your risk of a heart attack or stroke and lower your bad cholesterol level.

Eating less fast food, red meat, dairy, cakes and pastries while increasing your intake of fruit, vegetables, oatmeal, nuts and wholegrains will have a positive impact too.

As only a small proportion of your total cholesterol comes from your diet, it is good advice to take a natural cholesterol supplement as well with a quality one proven to lower your LDL and raise your HDL levels to maintain a healthy balance and ratio.

Now you know what the normal range of cholesterol levels is and how to achieve it, you can take the appropriate action and help yourself maintain optimal health and help to avoid a premature heart attack or stroke.

If you would like to learn more about the natural cholesterol balancing supplements I personally take, visit my website below today.

Discover the best natural cholesterol balancing supplements today.

Reuben Hopkins is a dedicated researcher of nutrition, diet and the amazing health benefits of natural cholesterol balancing supplements. Take a moment to visit his site now at http://www.balanced-cholesterol.com and discover the latest supplements he recommends after extensive research.

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Cholesterol: Natural Ways To Maintain A Healthy Level Without Dangerous Prescription Drugs

January 6, 2010 · Posted in cholesterol · Comment 

CHEATING CHOLESTEROL

One of the main causes implicated in heart disease is damage caused by high cholesterol. Over 1,000,000 Americans have heart attacks each year, and 500,000 Americans die from heart attacks each year.

What Is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a waxy substance that occurs naturally in all parts of the body. Produced in the body by the liver, it is carried through the body to the cells and takes what it needs. The excess cholesterol is then transported back to the liver. If this excess isn’t picked up quickly, it can stick to artery walls and lead to cardiovascular disease. The body uses cholesterol to produce hormones, vitamin D and bile acids that help digest fat. Only a small amount of cholesterol is needed to meet these needs. Excess cholesterol in the bloodstream can be harmful.

Low density lipoprotein (LDL) is called the “bad” cholesterol. LDL carries most of the cholesterol in the blood. The cholesterol from LDLs is the main source of damaging accumulation and blockage in the arteries. High density lipoprotein (HDL) is the “good” form of cholesterol. HDL picks up and transports cholesterol in the blood back to the liver, which leads to its elimination from the body. HDL can help keep LDL cholesterol from building up in the walls of the arteries. It is a good idea to get a cholesterol reading to see what your ratio of LDL (bad cholesterol) is to your HDL (good cholesterol).
Can’t I Just Take Prescription Drugs?
Many cholesterol drugs are harmful. One of them, Baycol, has been taken off the market for causing fatal muscle breakdown and spasms. Many doctors are now aware of the increased cancer risk and problems with liver health from long-term use of these same cholesterol medications. There is a need for a safe and effective natural way to health that does not have the same toxicity problems as medical drugs.

From [http://www.askpatient.com:] Just a few of the comments from people who have or are taking the prescription drug Lipitor:
“I noticed that when I went on Lipitor, I became depressed with intermittent muscle pain. When I stopped the medication, I felt much better right away.”
“I thought I was having a heart attack. Went to the emergency room with sharp pains in the chest and hot flashes. Had a feeling of impending doom.”
“I hurt everywhere. I felt like I had been run over by a truck. I was weak at all times. I couldn’t walk across the room. Really, I thought I was going to die.”

Baycol is linked to 39 deaths in this country and more around the world. Bayer AG withdrew it from the market after concerns about the lethal side effects related to the breakdown of muscle cells. The main ingredient of Baycol and most cholesterol-lowering medications is statins, which have been linked to a life-threatening disease in which muscle cells are destroyed and released into the blood stream.
Natural Help To Maintain A Healthy Cholesterol Level
Policosanol: Policosanol is made from the waxes of plants such as yams and sugar cane, as well as beeswax. Policosanol has been used by millions of people to normalize cholesterol levels as well or better than cholesterol-lowering drugs – without side effects.

Based on current research, policosanol may be one of the most effective nutrients in lowering dangerous cholesterol levels. Policosanol can help lower cholesterol in both men and women and in all age groups. Over a dozen double-blind clinical trials have been published documenting policosanol’s safety, effectiveness and tolerability.

A double-blind study of twenty-two patients with high levels of cholesterol were given policosanol. After eight weeks, the patients who had been given policosanol had a sharp reduction in total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. In another double-blind study, a larger group of 437 patients received either policosanol or a placebo once a day for twelve weeks. The patients who had been given policosanol showed a 25% reduction in LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, a 17% reduction in total cholesterol and a 28% increase in HDL (“good”) cholesterol. The patients who took the placebo showed no reduction in total cholesterol.

Guggulipid: Guggulipid is made from the resin of a tree of North-Central India. In a study published in 1989 by the Journal of Associated Physicians, India, 125 patients receiving guggulipid showed an 11% decrease in total serum cholesterol, a drop of 16.8% in triglycerides and a 60% increase in HDL cholesterol within a few weeks. Patients with elevated cholesterol levels showed a much greater improvement than normal patients. In another study published, 205 patients receiving guggulipid showed a 70 to 80% reduction of serum cholesterol. There was no response found in the group that took a placebo.

Garlic: Taking garlic supplements can be very beneficial to fighting bad cholesterol. Garlic supplements help protect the lining of the arteries against oxidation. Garlic also prevents the formation of arterial blood clots, a primary cause of both heart attacks and strokes. Dozens of major studies show this to be true. A study published in the Journal Nutrition Research in 1987, showed that taking a garlic supplement reduced cholesterol levels in the majority of test subjects by as much as 31%. In a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 1996, patients who took a garlic supplement showed a reduction in total cholesterol compared with those who took a placebo.

Another study published in Atherosclerosis in 1999, showed that there can be a large reduction of fatty plaque in the arteries of garlic supplement users. One of the substances that makes up fatty plaque is cholesterol. In a study of 280 adults, German researchers found that patients who took garlic daily had up to 18% less plaque in their arteries than those who took a placebo.

Soy: The FDA has approved soy as a method of lowering cholesterol levels. One published report in the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine in 1998 stated, “Soy has been a staple part of the Southeastern diet for nearly 5,000 years and is associated with a reduction in the rates of cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer. The research is now showing that phytochemicals in soy are the mechanism of action responsible.” The active compounds in soy responsible for these benefits are the isoflavones genistein, daidzein and glycine.

In a study to determine whether soy isoflavones would protect against atherosclerosis in mice, it was reported that mice that were fed a soy diet averaged 30% lower cholesterol. Adding to the evidence that soy is beneficial, the Journal of Nutrition in a September 1998 study reported that “the efficacy of the American Hospital Association Step 1 cholesterol-lowering diet can be improved with the addition of soy protein.”

Niacin: This B vitamin can dramatically help lower LDL cholesterol. Many studies, including one reported in the November 1998 edition of American Journal of Cardiology, have reported that niacin has been shown to increase HDL cholesterol, decrease triglycerides and lower LDL cholesterol.

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Cholesterol – An Invisible Danger

January 3, 2010 · Posted in cholesterol · Comment 

Cholesterol is nothing more than an association of steroid, lipid and alcohol that is found in the cell membranes of all body tissues. It is transported to the blood and it can be found in all animals. The Chemical formula of cholesterol is C27H45OH.

Many things have been said about cholesterol. Some doctors simply prescribe a diet free of foods that contain cholesterol and some others allow food with cholesterol. It is true that high levels of cholesterol in the blood may cause heart attack and some other distresses, such as stroke.

On the other hand, cholesterol is a very important compound to the well functioning of the body because it provides stability to the cells. In addition to that, cholesterol is a precursor of the synthesis of vitamin D and several hormones.

Cholesterol: Mr. Bad Guy or Mr. Nice Guy?

People say many things about cholesterol and the modern Western civilization seems to have increased this discussion. Nothing is for sure when it comes of cholesterol:

Why do some people who have a healthy diet and practice physical exercises regularly develop high cholesterol?

Why do some people who eat a lot of junk food and never practice physical exercises never develop high cholesterol?

This discussion is endless. And due to that, some people simply don’t believe in the risks involved in case of high cholesterol. Actually, what some people state is that they don’t have time to think about what they are eating: how can they think about cholesterol?

The discussion remains: is the cholesterol a bad guy or a nice guy? Well, there isn’t an answer for that. If we say that cholesterol is a bad guy, we are simply discarding the benefits that cholesterol develops in the body, such as providing stability to the cells. On the other hand, high levels of cholesterol in the body block the arteries and veins, which may lead to heart diseases.

LDL and HDL: what is the difference?

LDL (low density lipoprotein) and HDL (high density lipoprotein) are types of cholesterol. Each one with different roles, but they are all the same.

The LDL cholesterol is the one usually called “bad cholesterol” since high levels of it may lead to coronary diseases. The LDL is the one responsible for depositing in he walls of arteries the cholesterol, which causes the formation of a hard and thick substance called cholesterol plaque. Within time, this plaque makes the arteries walls thick and narrow, starting a process called arteriosclerosis.

The HDL is the one considered the “good cholesterol”. This type of cholesterol is the one responsible for removing the plaques of bad cholesterol from the artery walls, which prevents the arteriosclerosis.

This is the main difference regarding LDL and HDL cholesterols. Remember that keeping high levels of LDL and low levels of HDL may cause arteriosclerosis, while keeping low levels of LDL and high levels of HDL helps preventing it.

When do you start checkups?

Pretty much is said about cholesterol. Doctors used to advise people to check their cholesterol levels at the age of 35 if you are a man – and 45 if you are a woman. But this has been changing and it couldn’t be kept that way.

Nowadays, it’s common to find obese children. Although obesity is not a determining factor, it puts people in the risk group. Children have been eating a lot of junk food and this has been contributing to the increase of obese children and children with high cholesterol.

So, when should people start worrying about cholesterol levels? Well, everybody should worry about cholesterol if they are in the risk group and it doesn’t matter how old they are. And who is the risk group? People considered to be in the risk group are those who:

- have cases of heart diseases in family

- had suffered a heart attack already

- are women going through menopause

- are obese

- suffer from high blood pressure

- suffer from diabetes

- are sedentary

- smoke

What are the recommended levels?

People are always worried about the recommended levels of cholesterol. Here is a simple guideline for that:

- Total cholesterol: should be kept under 200

- LDL cholesterol: should be kept under 130

- HDL cholesterol: should be kept 60 or higher

The most important thing regarding cholesterol, ignoring all these numbers, has to do with simply keeping it under 200.

Preventing high cholesterol

People can do some things in order to prevent high cholesterol from occuring and to reduce the levels of cholesterol if they are already high:

- Exercise frequently

- Stop smoking

- Avoid junk foods

- Eat plenty of vegetables and fresh fruits

- Drink juices and teas instead of sodas

- Avoid an excess of alcoholic drinks

- Lose weight if you are overweight or obese.

The most important thing to do is to keep cholesterol under control. You see: it is always better to prevent than to treat.

Author: Michael Russell
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High Cholesterol Level: Risk Factors, Treatment Options

December 31, 2009 · Posted in cholesterol · Comment 

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a type of fat (lipid) made by the body. About 80% of cholesterol is made by the body, the other 20% comes from the diet. Cholesterol is a building block for cell membranes. Our body uses cholesterol to produce many hormones (e.g., progesterone, estrogen, testosterone), vitamin D, and the bile acids that help to digest fat.

Many foods contain cholesterol and high intake of these foods can increase the level of cholesterol in the blood. Having too much cholesterol in the blood is not a disease in itself, but high cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia) can cause the formation and accumulation of plaque deposits in the arteries. Plaque is composed of cholesterol, other fatty substances, fibrous tissue, and calcium. When it builds up in the arteries, it results in the hardening and narrowing of the arteries (atherosclerosis) in the major vascular systems.

Narrowing of the arteries around the heart (coronary heart disease) can prevent the heart from getting as much oxygen-rich blood as it needs, increasing the risk of a heart attack. Decreased blood flow to the brain can cause a stroke, and less blood flowing to the lower limbs may result in exercise-related pain or even gangrene.

Having a high cholesterol level does not cause symptoms and does not make you feel sick. If there is a huge excess, some people develop soft, yellowish skin growths called xanthomas, usually in the area near the eyes. Most people find out they have high cholesterol when they have their blood cholesterol measured as part of a medical check-up.

Types of Cholesterol

Cholesterol is not soluble in water and doesn’t mix easily with blood. In order to be able to travel in the bloodstream, the cholesterol made in the liver is combined with protein and other substances. This cholesterol-protein package is called a lipoprotein. Lipoprotein then carries the cholesterol through the bloodstream.

Lipoproteins can be high density (HDL), low density (LDL) or very low density (VLDL), depending on how much protein there is in relation to fat.

LDL (low density lipoprotein)

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is called the “bad” cholesterol. About 70% of cholesterol is transported as LDL. This is mostly fat and not much protein. LDL causes cholesterol to be deposited in the arteries. High levels of LDL are associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease.

HDL (high density lipoprotein)

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is called the “good” cholesterol. It carries cholesterol from the body’s tissues back to the liver. About 20% of cholesterol is transported as HDL, which is mostly protein and not much fat. HDL cholesterol may help protect against atherosclerosis by preventing cholesterol from depositing on arterial walls as it circulates in the bloodstream.

Risks factors

There are several factors that may contribute to high cholesterol level in the blood:

  • Genetic predisposition. People are at a higher risk of high cholesterol if they have a direct male relative aged under 55 or female relative aged under 65 affected by coronary heart disease.
  • Diet high in saturated fat. Saturated fat and cholesterol come from animal foods such as beef, pork, veal, milk, eggs, butter, and cheese.
  • Sedentary lifestyle. Lack of exercise may increase LDL cholesterol and decrease HDL cholesterol. Regular physical activity may lower triglycerides and raise HDL cholesterol levels.
  • Overweight. Excess weight may modestly increase your LDL (bad) cholesterol level.
  • Age and sex. Cholesterol generally rises slightly with increasing age, and men are more likely to be affected than women.
  • Drinking alcohol excessively. Drinking too much alcohol can damage the liver and heart muscle.
  • Diabetes. Diabetes is a significant risk factor for all cardiovascular diseases.
  • Smoking. This applies not only if you smoke, but also if you live or work every day with people who smoke.

Treatment options

Lifestyle changes such as changing diet, managing weight, increasing exercise, and quitting smoking are the first steps to improving blood levels of cholesterol. If these changes are not enough, your physician might recommend cholesterol-lowering prescription medication.

Medications to improve blood cholesterol levels include:

  • Statins – are the most widely used, and also the most powerful medications for lowering LDL cholesterol. They work by reducing the production of cholesterol in the liver. Statins not only lower blood LDL cholesterol levels, they also modestly increase HDL cholesterol levels and modestly decrease triglyceride levels. These medications are usually well tolerated, have few side effects, and are taken once or twice a day. Currently, six statin drugs are available: atorvastatin (Lipitor), fluvastatin (Lescol), lovastatin (Mevacor), pravastatin (Pravachol), simvastatin (Zocor), and rosuvastatin (Crestor).
  • Bile acid sequestrants – these drugs bind with cholesterol-containing bile acids in the intestines and are then eliminated in the stool. They typically lower cholesterol by 10 to 20%. Small doses of sequestrants can produce useful reductions in LDL cholesterol. Cholestyramine (Questran, Questran Light), colestipol (Colestid), and colesevelam (WelChol) are the 3 main bile acid sequestrants currently available. Bile acid resins are mainly used in young adults with hypercholesterolemia or in combination with another cholesterol-lowering medication.
  • Cholesterol absorption inhibitors – are a new class of cholesterol lowering agents approved in 2002. Drugs in this class work to lower blood cholesterol levels by absorbing excess cholesterol in the intestines and thus blocking cholesterol’s entry into the bloodstream. Ezetimibe (Zetia) is the first drug in this class. Ezetimibe reduces LDL cholesterol by 18-20%. It is probably most useful in people who cannot take statins or as an additional drug for people who take statins but who notice side effects when the statin dose is increased. Adding ezetimibe to a statin is equivalent to doubling or tripling the statin dose.
  • Nicotinic acid or niacin - this water-soluble B vitamin improves all lipoproteins when given in doses well above the vitamin requirement. Nicotinic acid lowers total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglyceride levels, while raising HDL cholesterol levels. Niacin also widens blood vessels, making flushing and hot flashes frequent side effects.
  • Fibrates – these cholesterol-lowering drugs are primarily effective in lowering triglycerides and, to a lesser extent, increasing HDL cholesterol levels. These drugs include fenofibrate (Tricor) and gemfibrozil (Lopid).

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Cholesterol BAD?

December 28, 2009 · Posted in cholesterol · Comment 

The first thought that comes to a person’s mind when buying something with high cholesterol level would be “NO! I don’t want to end my life with a heart attack!!” They are probably right but CAN THEY POSSIBLY LIVE WITH NO CHOLESTEROL AT ALL? Cholesterol is the cause of number of diseases related to heart but on the other side it is an essential sterol that gets converted to other steroid hormones. Not to mention that the cholesterol intake level of a person is proportional inversely to the cholesterol synthesized by the body itself. So is cholesterol really a nightmare or is this just another misconception?

Cholesterol is a lipid found in the tissues of all the animals, associated with other sterols. It is the best known member of the biological group – sterol, a combination of steroid and an alcohol. Most of the cholesterol is produced inside the body and only a minute quantity has dietary origin.

Almost of 20-25% of the total daily production occurs in the liver. The other sites include the intestines, suprarenal glands and reproductive organs. This cholesterol is either converted to other hormones, transported to cell that require cholesterol or secreted via bile into the intestines. Of the cholesterol poured into the intestines, 92-97% is reabsorbed in the intestines and recycled via the enterohepatic circulation. The cholesterol, insoluble in blood, of the diet is transported to the liver from the intestines, where it is absorbed, within the lipoproteins – chilomicrons, Very Low Density Proteins (VLDL), Intermediate Density Lipoproteins (IDL), Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) & High Density Lipoproteins (HDL).

Cholesterol is mainly obtained from food having saturated fatty acids and is also synthesized from acetate inside the body. Normally the total amount of cholesterol from these two sources remains constant because the rate of cholesterol synthesis in the liver is under feedback control. When the dietary intake is high, liver synthesis is low; when intake is low, synthesis increases.

LDL is the major transport protein for cholesterol, supplying both free and esterified cholesterol to body tissues. High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) is involved in the transport of cholesterol to the liver to be broken down and excreted, and in removing some LDL cholesterol from artery walls. The esterified cholesterol is essential for a cell to maintain the fluidity of membrane over a wide range of temperature, so the cells use this esterified cholesterol for its maintenance. If the cholesterol is not esterified, the cells pushes it and the free cholesterol comes in the cholesterol, which sometimes along with Ca++ accumulates in the capillaries causing embolus formation and coronary obstruction.

The significance of cholesterol cannot be neglected. Some researched indicate that cholesterol might be used as an anti-oxidant. Besides that it also maintains the fluidity of the cell membranes. The cholesterol content of a membrane varies with the tissue and with specific membrane function. The ratio of cholesterol to polar lipids affects the stability, permeability, and protein mobility of a membrane. Membranes with high ratios have high stability and relatively low permeability; their major function is a protective barrier.

They serve primarily in synthetic and degradative reactions and energy production. It also reduces the permeability of hydrogen and sodium ions. In addition to its role in membrane structure cholesterol has other important functions. Cholesterol is stored in the adrenals, testes, and ovaries, chiefly as the fatty acid ester, and converted to steroid hormones. These hormones include the male and female sex hormones (androgens and estrogens) as well as the adrenal corticoids (cortisol, corticosterone, aldosterone, and others). In the liver cholesterol is the precursor of the bile acids, 24 steroid carboxylic acids that aid in the digestion of foods, especially lipids, and, when linked with the amino acids glycine or taurine, form the bile salts. Recently it has been suggested that cholesterol assists in the formation of lipid rafts in the membrane.

Besides the numerous functions of cholesterol, high free cholesterol level in the blood can cause life threatening problems as well. As mentioned above LDL is involved in the transportation of cholesterol. But high levels of LDL or free cholesterol in the blood causes the cholesterol to deposit in the blood capillaries hence narrowing the lumen of the vessels. The narrowed vessels increase the blood pressure and may lead to its rupture and ultimately causing an embolus. In the brain, it causes cerebro-vascular accidents and in heart it causes Ischemic Heart Disease. High LDL level are major cause for the arthrosclerosis of the arteries, leading to coronary heart disease and other forms of cardiovascular disease. However increase levels of HDL not only transport cholesterol to the liver to be broken down and excreted but also remove LDL cholesterol from the artery walls.

It has been suggested that abnormally low levels of cholesterol might cause depression, cancer and cerebral hemorrhage but it unclear whether cholesterol itself is responsible for it or something else associated with low levels of cholesterol. Esterified cholesterol when crystallizes in the gall bladder, is the major cause of formation of gall stones which leads to severe pain in near the liver region.

Cholesterol is present in many dietary components that we consume daily. This cholesterol is called the dietary cholesterol. Its percentage is significantly higher in animal fats (saturated fats), eggs, yolks, beef, poultry, liver, kidneys, and shrimps. Besides these, plants and fungi also contain trace amounts of cholesterol so even a vegetarian’s diet has cholesterol in it but in trace amounts.

Although the intake level of cholesterol must be kept low but not so low so as to lead to its deficiency which would the affect the normal anatomical and physiological state of the body. Since the total cholesterol level in the body almost always remains same so people with higher cholesterol intake maybe at the same risk of having a heart attack as those with lower cholesterol intake. An effective way to keep the cholesterol balance healthful and beneficial to the body is by exercising regularly whether walking, sprinting, or working out in the gym. With this, the benefits of cholesterol would dominate its harms and the body would function normally at its optimum performance.

Author: Umar Majeed
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Knowing Your Cholesterol Limits

December 23, 2009 · Posted in cholesterol · Comment 

Everybody has their own normal cholesterol limits. This number is different for each person. Knowing the cholesterol limit for your body would help you manage your body so that you can remain perfectly healthy. With that said, knowing what your limits are can be a difficult task. Every doctor or physician you ask has different views in just how much cholesterol your body can take.

There are actually two types of cholesterol limits that you have to think of. The first type of cholesterol is the low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. What this type of cholesterol does is that it provides cholesterol to the different cells in your body as it moves along the bloodstream. However, this is the bad kind of cholesterol. If at the end of its journey, there is still some LDL cholesterol left, it would deposit itself on the walls of your arteries. This is what leads to blocked or clogged arteries, which is the main cause of strokes and heart attacks. The average number that people should target for the LDL cholesterol in their blood is below 130 mg/dl, or below 130 milligrams per deciliter of blood. Those suffering from a heart and circulatory system condition need to target a much lower number of around 100 mg/dl or lower.

The second type of cholesterol is the high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. This type of cholesterol, on the other hand, gathers the LDL cholesterol that has built up in your bloodstream and safely deposits it in your liver, where it is transformed into bile that your intestines can use in the digestive process. The more you have of this type of cholesterol, the healthier and cleaner your circulatory system would be. The average number that people should target for the HDL cholesterol in their blood is above 40 mg/dl. Above 50 mg/dl would be better.

Another important fact to consider is the cholesterol ratio between LDL and HDL cholesterol. It is important to have a certain ratio to keep a balance inside your body – both cholesterol types have their functions, and you need sufficient amounts for both of them even though one type could be bad for your body if in excess. The ratio to target is above 0.3 for HDL to LDL, with above 0.4 being a better number.

To know the exact levels of cholesterol that you have in your body, you can have a lipid panel or lipid profile reviewed. This blood test reports the amount of the total cholesterol in your body, as well as both LDL and HDL cholesterol levels. For an accurate measurement of cholesterol levels, it is advised to not eat or drink anything besides water for 9 to 12 hours prior to the test.

Now that you know and understand your cholesterol limits, you can check it against the cholesterol levels in your body after the blood test. You can then adjust your diet and lifestyle according to what you need to do to control the cholesterol in your body – to keep yourself healthy.

If that does not make much difference, you might want to try one of the cholesterol supplements called bioslife complete to see if it works for you the way it did for me.

For more information and help, you might want to visit: cholesterol limits.

Vincent Siew markets a product for people who worry about having a stroke or a heart attack because they have high cholesterol like he used to have. Do you know anyone who might like to know about a product like that? Tell him or her to find out more about it today: For more information and ideas, please visit his website at: http://www.thenaturalloweringcholesterol.com

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LDL Cholesterol – What is Low Density Lipoprotein?

December 2, 2009 · Posted in ldl cholesterol · Comment 

LDL cholesterol stands for low-density lipoprotein, which is a form of lipoprotein that moves triglycerides and cholesterol to peripheral tissues, from the liver. It is at times given the nickname of “bad cholesterol.” High levels of LDL may direct the view of a patient’s medical condition to an underlying disease, in some cases cardiovascular issues.

Along with this form, there are four others to make a total of five kinds of lipoproteins: chylomicrons, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), intermediate-density lipoprotein (IDL), and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL). All lipoproteins, including low-density lipoprotein, can be used to move fat and cholesterol through the bloodstream by its water-based solution. Read more

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