CHOLESTEROL
what’s Cholesterol:
All body cells as well as some foods contain cholesterol, a waxy, fat-like molecule. It is a precursor substance required for the production of hormones, bile salts, and vitamin D, which break down carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins. Cholesterol is also necessary for the brain since it aids in the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine.
Comparison between HDL and LDL cholesterol:
The more studies conducted, the more doctors are recognizing that there are numerous variances in cholesterol, even within the two categories that are frequently distinguished.
LDL and HDL cholesterol:
are the two main forms of circulating cholesterol in your body. Since all cholesterol is cholesterol and these proteins "shuttle" fats to and from cells, it is not accurate to label LDL as "bad" cholesterol. They just vary in size.
HDL cholesterol:
What is it?
High-density lipoprotein, or HDL, refers to the fact that HDL particles are bigger than LDL particles. The HDL cholesterol in your body moves cholesterol metabolites from biological tissue to the liver, where they can be recycled or excreted. To maintain a low risk for heart disease, LDL, or "low-density lipoprotein" cholesterol, should be kept in a certain ratio to HDL particles.
VLDL cholesterol:
also known as very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, is not measured by standard cholesterol testing but is instead approximated based on your triglyceride level. In comparison to LDL or HDL, which have substantially lower amounts, VLDL has a volume content of 70% triglycerides. Most triglycerides are transported by VLDL cholesterol, and high levels of these two particles are a major contributor to plaque buildup in the arteries.
Signs of high cholesterol:
What exactly is high cholesterol, then?
The U.S. National Library of Medicine states that elevated cholesterol has no recognized symptoms. Although there are no obvious symptoms associated with high cholesterol, some evidence suggests that if it persists above a certain level for an extended period of time, it may raise your chance of developing heart disease.
The majority of people may maintain normal cholesterol levels with diet and lifestyle changes. Although lowering your cholesterol with medicine to extremely low levels doesn't seem to have any effect on the risk of coronary heart disease or death from it, this fact was just revealed in The BMJ in 2016.
LDL CHOLESTEROL:
Due to T3's role in sensitizing the LDL receptor on the cell membrane, LDL levels can rise in those with low thyroid function. The LDL particles won't be able to dock on the cell membrane, releasing the cholesterol and fat-soluble substances into the cell as a result of lower active T3. As a result, the body adjusts and produces more LDL cholesterol overall, just as how insulin production increases in response to insulin resistance.
Optimal range: 100 to 200
VLDL CHOLESTEROL:
Triglycerides are the principal cargo that very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) carries to your tissues. Although VLDL and LDL are comparable, LDL carries more triglycerides than cholesterol. Triglycerides give VLDL a higher density than LDL. Enzymes in the bloodstream interact with triglycerides once VLDL is released, changing it from VLDL to LDL.
Optimal Range: 5-30 mg/dl
Cholesterol in HDL
High-density lipoprotein (HDL) has a high protein-to-cholesterol ratio (45-50 percent protein). LDL particles are "SWEEPED UP" by it, and it then transports them to the liver for recycling. Due to its great vulnerability to oxidation, LDL must be effectively removed from circulation. Longer-lasting LDL raises inflammation and your chance of developing heart disease.
Optimal range: 55 to 80
Suitable Ratios:
When assessing cholesterol levels, certain ratios are crucial to take into account. For optimal health, triglycerides to HDL and LDL to HDL ratios must be balanced.
LDL to HDL ratio of no more than 3:1 (2:1 is optimal)
Myths about Cholesterol:
1.The general population and the majority of health organizations subscribe to the notion that elevated cholesterol is the primary contributor to atherosclerosis and heart disease. A rising corpus of evidence, however, is busting this medical fallacy. The Lancet, a renowned medical publication, revealed in 1994 that the majority of people with coronary artery disease have normal cholesterol levels! Heart attacks affect people with normal cholesterol levels in 40% of cases. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, there is no proof that heart disease and women's high cholesterol levels are related. In fact, low cholesterol levels raise the risk of heart attack, stroke, depression, and early death, particularly after the age of 45. The risk of a heart attack is increased by low cholesterol, according to The Journal of Cardiology. You did read that right. Low cholesterol makes having a heart attack more likely. To quote the doctors from the well-known Framingham study: Total and coronary mortality increased by 11% for every 1 mg/dl decline in cholesterol (death from all sources).
The American Heart Association advises you to consume fewer fats in your diet. People are advised to consume polyunsaturated fats (such as those found in vegetable oils) rather than saturated fats (animal fats). They advise consuming 11 servings of grain every day. This will only lead to disaster. Overeating grains causes insulin resistance and raises inflammatory molecules, which are the true causes of heart disease. Although there is a lot of evidence that saturated fats are unhealthy for you, they also appear to have a significant role in preventing heart disease and stroke.
2.Heart attacks and strokes can be prevented safely and effectively with the use of cholesterol-lowering medications. Lipitor, Crestor, Vytorin, Zocor, and other cholesterol-lowering statin medications have all received intense marketing over the past 20 years, making them well-known brand names. The most popular statin medicine, Lipitor, is used by sixteen million Americans. The annual sales of statins in the United States alone exceed $12.5 billion. The statins undoubtedly reduce cholesterol levels and may even reduce the risk of dying from a heart attack, at least in people who have previously experienced one, but the magnitude of the benefit is modest. For instance, in one of the studies, the CARE study, a patient with evident heart disease had a 94.3 percent chance of avoiding death from a heart attack in five years, which increased to 95.4 percent with statin therapy. Given that congestive heart failure may be one of these medications' possible side effects, this difference of 1.1 percent is not worth the publicity these pharmaceuticals have received.
The known side effects of statins include muscle aches and weakness, nerve damage, and rhabdomyolysis, a potentially lethal condition that causes muscle atrophy. A statin called Baycol has been discontinued because it was connected to 31 rhabdomyolysis-related deaths. The most plausible explanation is statin medications interfere with Co-Q10 production. Because the heart is a muscle, it cannot function if Co-Q10 is not present. Congestive heart failure and nerve damage can result from a CoQ10 shortage.
Researchers suggested that "small high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease by their capacity to exchange lipids, affecting neuronal membrane composition and vascular and synaptic functions" in the study that was published in Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association.
Cholesterol is your friend, not your enemy❤️
RESOURCES:
https://www.nature.com/nrneurol/
2022. NP. Malika Katrouche All Rights Reserved.
