Myths, Lies, and Cholesterol

[NU_nutrition_TS]

Always go into your GPs appointment prepared! You can always search out some peer-reviewed journal articles and print them off and take them with you. Very often doctors do not keep up to date with the latest medical research and theories but rely on drug company reps for their information - and since statin sales are the number one source of revenue for these companies, it is in their financial interest to perpetuate the 'high cholesterol' hysteria!

[dougie9071]

Right, I've been reading the good book (Fats that heal, fats that kill) and I am learning a lot more. Even if the cholesterol in my blood was affected by the cholesterol in my diet, there's no way I eat enough to produce such a high total cholesterol reading (I'm due to have it checked again in May, I have to pester the doctor for a full analysis to be done though instead of another total cholesterol reading). Therefore I suspect I suffer from Familial Hypercholesterolemia, my dad had heart problems at a young age and died of heart failure when he was only 53.

So, what to do about it? I'm sceptical of doctors because mine seems very 'statin-happy'. However it seems I have only 2 options;

1. Ignore it and make sure my diet is excellent, on the understanding that cholesterol alone is not an accurate method of predicting CHD; or
2. Go on statins...

Btw, I realise what I'm saying is bordering on 'seeking medical advice', but any suggestions of appropriate medical professionals to speak to about this would be much appreciated. I'm absolutely set against going on statins.

[NU_nutrition_TS]

I have not read *** Erasmus's book, so only know a superficial amount about his recommendations by reading articles he and others have written about them.

So, correct me if I am wrong, the main plank of his recommendations seems to concern the intake of polyunsaturated essential fatty acids? If so, in my view, this is giving an inordinate amount of emphasis on a component that should make up a relatively tiny percentage of our total daily nutrient intake.

With regard to familial hypercholesterolaemia, the currently predominant theory is that this is probably caused by a genetic mutation that decreases/impairs the function of LDL receptors, which clear LDL from the blood, leading to increased serum LDL levels. It is unlikely that manipulation of dietary fats/cholesterol alone have much input into causing or alleviating this condition. However, the presence of FH is merely a supposition.

As already mentioned in this thread, if you are resistant to taking statin drugs (and, at the end of the day, it is your body and a GP should not be able to force any therapy on you without your consent), you should insist that your doctor does a full and proper lipid panel (VAP or NMR) test to determine exactly how much of each sub-fraction of LDL cholesterol you have.

It is currently thought that only large amounts of the very small and dense LDL particles are likely to be a causative or risk factor for CHD.

You should also make sure triglyceride levels are also accurately measured - triglycerides are also a better indicator of CHD risk than cholesterol alone. Ditto C-reactive protein.

[dougie9071]

Thanks for your reply NU, yes the book does basically recommend lots of polyunstaurated fats combined with vitamins and minerals (big emphasis on Vit C and CQ10). He has a big downer on Sat-fat and any processed/refined foods. I haven't finished the book yet so I've yet to read about his take on eggs etc. I'm not going to take it in isolation as an authority, but the book has been extensively peer-reviewed favourably.

For my next blood test, I will be going private if the NHS won't go for the full test.

[NU_nutrition_TS]

I don't think eating large amounts of PUFA is a healthy solution for anything. You only need tiny quantities (a matter of a few grams, at most) of the essential fatty acids.

I'm not a huge fan of mega-doses of vitamin C, though many respected people swear by it (Linus Pauling for one) and coQ-10 is beneficial if you are on statins, as these drugs interfere with the mechanism that synthesises both cholesterol and coQ-10 in the liver.

It's sad that you have to get this test done privately - though fortunate that you are in a position to do it - as it is your 'statin-happy' doctor who is pressuring you about your cholesterol levels and should be willing to oblige your request if he wants you to make an informed decision on possible statin therapy.

Good luck with the tests - I hope the results will be favourable and finally put your mind at rest on this issue.

[hailtotheking]

From what i remember from Erasmus's book, what he is really getting at is an appropriate EFA balance. This can be mistaken as a recommendation to load up on omega 3's. In reality, getting an appropriate omega 3: omega 6 balance is relational to the amount of omega 6 you are consuming, and also total PUFA intake. Have a look here How much omega-3 is enough? That depends on omega-6. How too much omega-6 and not enough omega-3 is making us sick

[NU_nutrition_TS]

Rather than start a new thread, I will resurrect/bump this one!

Peter Attia, a medical doctor, has a blog called 'The War on Insulin' (no, don't click away just yet!) and has just started a series of posts on cholesterol. If you have ever had any questions on the whats, whys and wherefores of cholesterol, then this series attempts to answer them:

The straight dope on cholesterol - part 1
The straight dope on cholesterol - part 2
The straight dope on cholesterol - part 3

More to follow!

[NU_nutrition_TS]

While I have this thread bumped, I've noticed a lot of people - as well as wanting to know what cholesterol is and what it does - also ask about what high or low levels mean with regard to health and longevity.

Well, here is a search results page from a blog called 'Healthy Diets & Science' by David Evans, which lists many of his recent posts about published scientific studies that show the opposite of what 'conventional wisdom' pushers often tell us about our cholesterol levels:

HEALTHY DIETS AND SCIENCE