Busting the Cholesterol Myth - NL-027

Understanding cholesterol can be confusing, especially with all the negative hype surrounding it. We all have come to dread cholesterol because of its purported role in heart disease, but is all this hype true? Cholesterol is an important molecule that performs important and even critical functions in your body. Did you know it is an important and structural component of your cell membranes?

 

There are two types of cholesterol: LDL or low-density lipoprotein and HDL or high-density lipoprotein. Unknown to many, neither LDL nor HDL are cholesterol but they are small particles that carry fats like cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood.

Going by the existing and accepted dogma, LDL is the villain of the story that contributes to cardiovascular disease. HDL, on the other hand, is a friendly guy that helps remove bad cholesterol and provides an array of health benefits.

Many experts have challenged this theory of "bad cholesterol-good cholesterol", labelling it as flawed and twisted.

Your body needs cholesterol

Your body makes this soft waxy, fat like substance to carry out a number of functions. Cholesterol:

1. Provides structure, fluidity and permeability to cell membranes
2. Helps the brain to function properly
3. Helps in the production of hormones
4. Helps in the production of vitamin D
5. Used by the liver to make bile acids for digestion
6. Helps repair damaged cells and tissues

Is cholesterol really bad?

Cholesterol is not bad on its own. It becomes damaging when oxidised by free radicals and toxins present in the endothelium.  Oxidized LDL triggers a cascade of inflammatory immune reactions that promote the formation of plaque and create an inflammatory environment, increasing the risk of atherosclerosis and heart disease. And not all LDL is bad. A new stream of evidence suggests it is the smaller, denser LDL particles that are more likely to become oxidized and increase the risk of coronary heart disease.

A weak and damaged endothelium plays a huge role in this process. Factors such as high blood pressure, high blood sugar levels, consumption of trans fats, cigarette smoking, obesity and even pathogenic microorganisms can damage the endothelium, increasing the risk of plaque build-up. A strong, resilient endothelium can prevent or minimize this damage.  

It is time to accept that it is not the cholesterol but chronic inflammation that triggers heart disease and other chronic ailments. Chronic inflammation is caused by stress, poor eating habits, exposure to chemicals and toxins, persistent infections and long-term chronic health conditions.

Food doesn’t influence your cholesterol levels

For most people, how much cholesterol you make in the body is not at all dependent on how much cholesterol you ingest through food. Your body will still make this useful, protective molecule even when your food doesn’t contain any cholesterol. The amount of cholesterol your body can absorb from food is insignificant, so don’t feel guilty about eating eggs.  

In healthy people, the liver can get rid of excess cholesterol but in some people with a rare genetic condition called familial hypercholesterolemia, the liver doesn’t do this job very well. People with this condition have high levels of cholesterol in their blood.

In other situations, conventional treatments (such as statins) aimed to reduce your LDL cholesterol levels will not work to reduce your risk of heart disease because there are other important risk factors (insulin resistance, higher triglyceride levels and excess consumption of trans fats, sugar and highly refined carbohydrates) that are at play here and need to be addressed.