Cholesterol - The truths and the myths

[KajunDC]

This continues my health postings related to food and diet and is a companion to "The Story Of Food" and "Whole Food vs Synthetic Vitamins" threads linked in my signature. Credit once again goes out to Dr. Janet Lang for her tireless efforts of uncovering this information and educating doctors in her seminars.

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Parts of the following information were taken from:
*Know Your Fats: The Complete Primer for Understanding the Nutrition of Fats, oils and Cholesterol, Enig, Mary G., Ph.D., Bethesda Press, (2000)

**University of California at Berkeley, Singer, M. 1995

***Omega 3 Oils: A Practical Guide, Rudin, Donald, M.D., Avery Publishing Group (1996)

Definition: Cholesterol is a high molecular weight sterol that is fat soluble and so often erroneously called a fat.

1. Cholesterol is an important component of the cell membranes, including organelle membranes inside the cell. (The body contains billions of cell.)
2. The right proportion of phospholipids and cholesterol in cell membranes allows them to be flexible while still holding their shape.
3. "Cholesterol is used by the body as raw material for the healing process. This is the reason the injured areas of the arteries (as in athrosclerosis)... have cholesterol along with several other components (such as calcium and collogen) in the "scar" tissue that is formed to heal the "wound" ".*
4. Cholesterol is found in large amounts in brain tissue where it is needed for normal brain function.
5. Research has shown that cholesterol in eggs is helpful to older people whose memory is declining.**
6. Infants need plenty of cholesterol for proper brain development and cholesterol is normally found in large amounts in human breast milk. (Infant formulas usually contain little to no cholesterol because of the widespread lack of understanding about cholesterol.
7. Adrenal and gonadal hormones are made from cholesterol. These are the stress handling, energy producing and reproductive hormones. (This is why serum cholesterol normally elevates with excessive or prolonged stress.)
8. Cholesterol is vital for proper nerve function. Three quaters of the myelin membrane is made from fat and of that nearly one quarter is cholesterol.
9. Vitamin D is made from cholesterol in the skin.
10. Cholesterol is converted into bile salts in the liver which are needed to break down and emulsify fats.
11. Cholesterol is needed in large amounts in the skin where it plays a part in the skin's ability to protect us from penetration by water and some toxic substances.
12. Cholesterol is not broken down or metabolized by the body, but is excreted through the bile.
13. Although lowering serum cholesterol does seem to decrease death rates from heart disease, it "does not, in the least, improve overall mortality rates. People who achieved the lowest cholesterol levels - 160 units or less - had unexpectedly higher rates of death from other causes, such as liver cancer, stroke, lung disease, alcoholism and suicide..."***

Sources of Cholesterol

1. The body makes most of the cholesterol needed in a day (especially in the liver.)
2. Since it is not possible for humans to eat enough cholesterol-containing foods to supply our daily needs, the practice of avoiding foods with cholesterol is not an effective way to control serum cholesterol.* Not eating cholesterol simply makes the body work harder to produce enough.
3. Cholesterol is found only in animal tissues where it is a component of membranes. "This is why there is more cholesterol in the lean tissue than there is in the adipose tissue".*
4. "The synthesis of cholesterol is increased more from the consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids than from the consumption of saturated fatty acids."* The reason for this is that polyunsaturated fatty acids are deposited into the cell membranes and the body then needs to put more cholesterol into these membranes to stabilize them and maintain their correct fluidity (melting point).*
5. Only about 50% of the cholesterol in food is absorbed.

Understanding HDL's and LDL's

Calling HDLs and LDLs "good" and "bad" cholesterol is misleading and inaccurate.

HDLs or High Density Lipoproteins are the carriers of fat-soluble material, including cholesterol and other lipid material (like fat-soluble vitamins and essential fatty acids (EFAs)) from the cells to the liver.
LDLs or Low Density Lipoproteins are the carriers of fat-soluble material, including cholesterol and other lipid material (like fat-soluble vitamins and EFAs)) from the liver to the cells.
VLDLs or Very Low Density Lipoproteins are a type of LDL that primarily carries triglycerides.

In other words, LDLs deposit lipid material into the peripheral tissues and HDLs pick up lipid material from peripheral tissues and carry it back to the liver.

Because the blood stream is a watery medium, fat-soluble materials require these special carriers to be transported through the blood. (Water and Oil don't mix.)

The Fat and Cholesterol Theory of Heart Disease

For several decades a causative relationship between athrosclerosis (coronary artery disease) and dietary fats, oils and cholesterol, has been the object of much research and conjecture.
The popular consensus during this time has been that:
- The consumption of natural saturated fats and oils were causing heart disease
- The consumption of polyunsaturated oils would cure and prevent heart disease
- The consumption of cholesterol-containing foods was also a causitive factor
- Eating the conventional food pyramid of low fat, high carbohydrate diet would prevent heart disease.
But what is the truth...

The Framingham Study

Framingham is a small town near Boston. SInce the early 50's a large number of Framingham citizens have taken part in a study to determine risk factors for atherosclerosis and heart disease.

The study is commonly cited as supporting the cholesterol theory.

But here is a list of some of the actual findings:
- Women with low cholesterol died equally as often as did women with high cholesterol.
- For men older than 47, cholesterol levels made no difference in death rates. (Note - More than 95% of heart attacks in men occur after age 48.)
- The authors of the Framingham Study noted that those whose cholesterol had decreased by itself during the 30 year study had a greater risk of dying than those whose cholesterol increased.

The actual author's report stated: "For each 1% mg/dl drop in cholesterol there was an 11% increase in coronary and total mortality (deaths)."
Yet the American Heart Association and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute stated in their review titled, "The Cholesterol Facts..." "The results of the Framingham study indicate that a 1% reduction... of cholesterol [corresponds to a] 2% reduction in CHD risk.

The Statistics Shuffle

The Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial, also called MRFIT, measured blood cholesterol of more than 300,000 American middle-aged men.

A conclusion of this study was that the risk of dying froma heart attack with cholesterol above 265 was 413% greater than with a cholesterol below 170.

WOW!

But... 'with statistics you can change black to white, or vice versa, as any politician will tell you."

"How many men in the MRFIT study had, in fact, died of a heart attack? The total number was 2258, or 0.6% of the more than 300,000 men investigated."

Among the men with the highest cholesterol levels, 494 or 1.3% died of a heart attack. (You could also say that 98.7% did not die of a heart attack."

Among the men with the lowest cholesterol levels, 95 or 0.3% died of a heart attack. (You could also say that 99.7% survived.)

Therefore, the difference in numbers of deaths between the two groups was 1%. (99.7% minus 98.7%) "One percentage point doesn't have the same alarming effect as... 413%, but both figures are correct because 1.3 is 413% of 0.3."

Can Cholesterol Levels Be Too Low?

"At the American Heart Association's annual stroke conference (February 1999), a report was presented showing that people with cholesterol levels under 180 double their risk of hemorrhagic stroke compared to those with cholesterol levels of 230."

"Hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood wessel in the brain breaks pen..."

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I know that this is alot to read and take in but this is a very important subject and one often talked about on this board. It is good to have the facts of what cholesterol actually does.

If cholesterol is the demon that we have been lead to believe, then why does plaquing only happen in arteries and not capillaries or veins? The cholesterol would be present in all three places.

My belief, which is backed by plenty of research out there, is that cholesterol deposit in areteries is due to its job as a healer of injuries. When the arteries become inflammed and injured, cholesterol and other material present in scarring is being put down to seal and repair the injured area.

So cholesterol deposit is the result of a problem, not the cause. What is the cause?

Well, common causes of atherosclerosis include:
- Nutritional deficiences which leads to damage and degeneration to the lining of blood vessels, resulting in inflammation and plaquing.
- High Blood Sugar, diabetes - causes inflammation and protective plaquing.
- High Insulin levels, Insulin Resistance, Hyperinsulinism - causes inflammation and protective plaquing
- High Homocysteine levels
- Some prescription drugs and other toxins
- Prolonged stress
- Oxidation of LDLs
- Ingestion of trans-fats or rancid fats
- Smoking
- Infections

All of these will lead to arterial inflammation and protective plaquing.

So don't address the result - address the cause.

[TaDa!]

Thanks so much for all your work Kajun! Very interesting stuff as usual!!!!

Pauline

[rndiane]

This is very interesting information. I thank you for the thought you have put into this. My question is where does the family history of heart disease come into play? My family has a horrible history of heart disease. Granted some have Type II diabetes but not all.
Diane

[beachlvr58]

I could not agree more. I have a book called "Stop the Inflammation" and it basically says all of this and I do believe it. I know that eating organic and clean helps with inflammation. I'd really like to throw out my Zetia but I am afraid to. I fought not to take anything until my dic did a CRP blood tests that said I was at risk for cardiovascular disease so that freaked me out. I have to have my blood work done since doing this WOE to see how it has faired but I am on zetia so I won't know if it is the meds or the WOE..Frustrating

[pooticus]

kajun great summation and info. i would however recheck your facts on how much cholesterol is synthesized by ingested cholesterol because as i remember it from mary enig's book, that number is much lower than 50%. i remember it as closer as 10% or something like that. it was a miniscule amount.

thanks again for all ur hard work and the education u provide.

[Marlee]

Originally Posted by KajunDC

So cholesterol deposit is the result of a problem, not the cause. What is the cause?

Well, common causes of atherosclerosis include:
- Nutritional deficiences which leads to damage and degeneration to the lining of blood vessels, resulting in inflammation and plaquing.
- High Blood Sugar, diabetes - causes inflammation and protective plaquing.
- High Insulin levels, Insulin Resistance, Hyperinsulinism - causes inflammation and protective plaquing
- High Homocysteine levels
- Some prescription drugs and other toxins
- Prolonged stress
- Oxidation of LDLs
- Ingestion of trans-fats or rancid fats
- Smoking
- Infections

All of these will lead to arterial inflammation and protective plaquing.

So don't address the result - address the cause.

This is fascinating. Never thought of it like this before. Certainly makes sense though. My mom died of heart disease so I really want to do all I can to lower my chances. Can the protective plaquing be reversed?

[KajunDC]

Originally Posted by Marlee

This is fascinating. Never thought of it like this before. Certainly makes sense though. My mom died of heart disease so I really want to do all I can to lower my chances. Can the protective plaquing be reversed?

A couple of things that work for removing previously deposited plaque include garlic - used long term for effectiveness - and Soy Bean Lecithin. Globe Artichoke works well too.

Also important in prevention is to take in a good amount of fiber, especially pectin, as fiber is necessary to bind and remove excess cholesterol, and also you should address any gallbladder issues. (But that does NOT mean to get the gallbladder removed. Having the gallbladder removed can increase the chances of developing atherosclerosis as it is an important organ.)

[Marlee]

Originally Posted by KajunDC

A couple of things that work for removing previously deposited plaque include garlic - used long term for effectiveness - and Soy Bean Lecithin. Globe Artichoke works well too.

Also important in prevention is to take in a good amount of fiber, especially pectin, as fiber is necessary to bind and remove excess cholesterol, and also you should address any gallbladder issues. (But that does NOT mean to get the gallbladder removed. Having the gallbladder removed can increase the chances of developing atherosclerosis as it is an important organ.)

Thanks for the tips! Never heard of using pectin... gonna have to do some research. Still have my gallbladder... never had any problems with it at all. Only thing I'm missing is my tonsils

[KajunDC]

Originally Posted by Marlee

Thanks for the tips! Never heard of using pectin... gonna have to do some research. Still have my gallbladder... never had any problems with it at all. Only thing I'm missing is my tonsils

Pectin is the most efficient fiber at removing excess cholesterol but all fiber helps in this regard.

Glad you still have your gallbladder. Surgeons enjoy yanking it out of people nowadays as much as they used to enjoy yanking tonsils. Its a crying shame too as it is so easy to get a gallbladder functioning correctly again, unless of course there is cancer involved, which is quite rare. They don't do the tonsils too much anymore - now that they figured out that the tonsils are important for the body. One day down the road the same will be true for gallbladder removal. I'm just wondering which organ they will start yanking out then to take its place in the revenue stream.

[Tater Head]

What foods contain pectin, other than apples.

[KajunDC]

Originally Posted by Tater Head

What foods contain pectin, other than apples.

Fruits rich in pectin include underripe apples or crabapples, cranberries, grapes, grapefruit, damson plums and oranges, and pectin is sometimes found in yogurt, while soft fruits like cherries and strawberries contain little pectin. For commercial utilisation, pectin is extracted from shredded fruit peel or pulp by adding hot water. The pectin dissolves into the hot water, and may then be precipitated as a gel by adding ethanol.

[kaisergirl]

Now if we could only educate the entire world... I may print this out and keep it in my bag for quick reference when someone rolls their eyes when I order 4 eggs for breakfast...

[pooticus]

so let me ask u a hypothetical. they package and sell fruit pectin for use in jam making...if pectin is so good for u cholesterol wise...couldn't u theoretically mix up a teaspoon or more in an 8oz glass of water and drink it to get good results? just a question...

[Tater Head]

Thanks kajun, guess I'll try and find a pill form because I can't afford to eat apples right now.

[KajunDC]

Originally Posted by pooticus

so let me ask u a hypothetical. they package and sell fruit pectin for use in jam making...if pectin is so good for u cholesterol wise...couldn't u theoretically mix up a teaspoon or more in an 8oz glass of water and drink it to get good results? just a question...

Just make sure that it is 100% pectin - I don't think they add a bunch of stuff to it - then yes, it would work.

They also have pectin supplements out there, I believe even netrition carries something.

[Shaazi]

Kajun, you did a very good job with the cholesterol info. Even so, it is still incomplete. You need to add about LDL Pattern A and B, and the hypothyroid connection to heart disease. There is a very strong connection of hypothyroidism and heart disease.

It's not just a matter of it being HDL or LDL. It's also about which LDL sub-particle is dominant. It's even about what HDL sub-particle is dominant.

It's also about Apo A and Apo B.

I'll let you research about this for yourself so you can add it to your cholesterol series.

[weasel!]

Kajun, great post, great thread! Thanks!

Here's some more info for anyone looking for the real scoop on cholesterol, that wonderful substance that's so vital to life.

A must read: The Cholesterol Myths by Uffe Ravnskov, M.D., Ph.D. For me, reading this was a profound, worldview-shattering experience.

You can do an Internet search on Dr. Ravnskov's name to find a lot of the great info in this book. The complete book, though, is INCREDIBLE. And meticulously referenced, too.

Here are some of what he identifies as "myths". Hold onto your hat:

- MYTH: Cholesterol can be lowered through diet (He says some people can, but not everyone.)

- MYTH: "Too much" cholesterol in the body/blood is associated with heart disease.

- MYTH: There is such a thing as "good" and "bad" cholesterol

- MYTH: Reducing serum cholesterol lowers the risk of heart disease

Also, I encourage you to look up the website of The International Network of Cholesterol Skeptics.

And I invite you to read this article I published in a local magazine in December 2005. The following link is to the archive on my personal blog.
Cholesterol: It Does a Body Good

(This post is based on a similar one I put on another thread recently.)

[paulabob]

I thought I'd mention Atkins was also a proponent of cholesterol not being as important as others think. He said he was happy with his patients cholesterol from 150-225. That's a 1989 book I'm looking at, I think before they knew much about HDL/LDL and ratios.

[mmam5]

Fantastic Kajun ...

My dad had 2 separate bypass surgeries to repair clogged arteries before he was 55. Cholesterol levels never over 160 (naturally) Not diabetic, always an exerciser, never overweight, moderate drinker, some stress from owning a business maybe, BUT he has lived with a 1-2 pack a day smoker since he was in his mid-20's ... lots to think about...

[afuentes]

Great article - just sent it to 8 friends.

[Bobby41]

For those that may not select one of your signature links, BUMP!

Thanks for the good information.

[sazzie]

Good read........thanks for your input!!