Cholesterol, an essential cellular component, is now being touted as the new villain for anyone’s ill health. Whether it is diabetes or heart disease, cholesterol is blamed. With sedentary lifestyles setting in, food consumed more than required and the excess is converted to fat and stored, which leads to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, etc.
You will be surprised to know why cholesterol is not the villain that it is being blamed out to be.
1. Cholesterol is non water soluble fat and so requires a vehicle for transportation in the blood stream and target cells. The transporters for fat are the lipoproteins, which are high density lipoprotein (HDL) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) depending on their density. LDL carries fresh cholesterol and HDL carries recycled cholesterol. When we talk about cholesterol, we generally mean the sum HDL, LDL, VLDL and triglycerides. Cholesterol is not measured, it is only estimated. What is measured is actually amount of these lipoproteins, not the cholesterol.
2. Essential Cellular Component: Cholesterol is an absolutely essential component of every cell and is found in cell membranes, hormones (such as thyroid and Vitamin D), bile acids, vitamin D, neurons, etc. Almost all body cells contain cholesterol and it is essential for various functions including digestion, sensory perception, body movement, reproduction, etc. Without cholesterol, all functions would be suffered.
3. Intrinsic Cholesterol: Approx 80% of the cholesterol is made by liver and intestines, where as 20% is from food we eat. The body does not need cholesterol from external food sources for its normal function. 80% of the required cholesterol is produced by the liver to meet the above demands.
4. Familial issues can cause some people to have abnormalities with intrinsic cholesterol production.
5. Statins that are used to reduce cholesterol levels were originally used for their anti-inflammatory properties and had the desirable side effect of reducing cholesterol. This became one of their main indications, but stopping cholesterol production is stopping a very vital body function, such as the production of thyroid and vitamin D which is not desirable.
6. The studies have shown that cholesterol levels in the food have least impact on the blood cholesterol levels. Animal fats like liver, meat, fish, eggs, which were believed to increase cholesterol levels were avoided, but research now says the contrary.
Cholesterol is neither good nor bad, is not an indicator of heart health, and is absolutely essential for healthy functioning. So, while we are constantly worried about reducing the cholesterol numbers, there is definitely a twist in the tale.
Studies showed and experts also advocate that a lifestyle modification approaches before starting any cholesterol reducing medications. So before you jump into correcting your cholesterol level through drugs, correct your hormonal levels, Vit D levels and your stress levels.
Dr H S Wilkhoo www.wellnessdrwilkhoo.com
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