What do you know about cholesterol? Is it good to have cholesterol, or is it bad? Is it possible to have too much of a good thing? What is the big deal about cholesterol? It is one of the most frequently mentioned topics at the physical exam in the doctor’s office, so what is the big deal? Let’s identify some truths about cholesterol.
First, “25 percent of the total amount of cholesterol found in the human body is localized in the brain,” according to Dr. Kelly Brogan, MD. All of your nerve tissue is dependent on cholesterol to provide a protective layer around the nerve strands so the electrical signals move to the right destination. Think of cholesterol as the insulation around an electrical wire. If the insulation is missing, charges can misfire, and injury can happen. Dr. Brogan states, “the brain is the most cholesterol-rich organ in the body.” Sounds like a pretty important nutrient.
Second, your body makes cholesterol every day from the food that you consume. According to the Encyclopedia of Human Nutrition, between 600 – 800 mg of cholesterol are made throughout your body each day to be used in a variety of chemical reactions to support your health. This amount your body makes is more than twice the amount of cholesterol any person will typically eat in a day. So, challenges with high cholesterol are not due to eating too much cholesterol.
Third, your body needs cholesterol to survive. Not only is your brain dependent on cholesterol but every cell of your body requires cholesterol to construct the cell membrane that makes a functional cell. Cholesterol is an important structural piece of the cell membrane helping to hold together the microscopic layers that make up the cell membrane. Without cholesterol the cell membrane falls apart and cellular function is lost.
Fourth, cholesterol is an important chemical for a number of essential activities in your body. Your body uses cholesterol to build all the hormones that direct your body activities. Bile acids that help you digest food are based on the cholesterol structure. Vitamin D, one of the only vitamins your body can make on its own, is made from cholesterol that is energized and transformed by ultra-violet light from the sun. When you get a suntan during the summer months, you are also getting a boost of Vitamin D as the sunlight converts cholesterol into this essential vitamin.
Fifth, cholesterol is shuttled throughout the body in different packages. The Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) delivers cholesterol to the various cells of the body. Many times the quantity of LDL begins to get high, and some of these LDL can get oxidized, which means inflammation can start and blood vessels can get damaged. This damage is where build up in arteries can begin to take place. The High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) picks up cholesterol from the cells of the body and returns the cholesterol to the liver. A healthy liver controls distribution of cholesterol and the recycling of cholesterol. Higher levels of HDL are important because this indicates your body is recycling cholesterol well. Therefore, you want to see a healthy ratio of LDL to HDL when you have cholesterol blood test completed. A healthy ratio is about 2 to 1 for LDL to HDL.
Finally, statin medications for reducing cholesterol levels are not as helpful as you may believe. Dr. David Diamond and Dr. Uffe Ravnskov published a research paper in 2015 in the journal Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology, showing an overall improvement of only 1% when statin medication is used. In addition, statin medication can also turn off the natural process of the body to make Coenzyme Q 10, which is an important molecule for you to generate energy. Additionally, a 2012 paper in the Archives of Internal Medicine described a study completed at a Mayo clinic that found older women in menopause were 48% more likely to develop diabetes when taking a statin medication. The drug interventions for cholesterol modification are not producing the healthful effects that are promoted.
The cholesterol debate has many complicated pieces, but the facts listed above provide some basic truths for you to begin to process. There are healthy food combinations that can help you manage cholesterol without the intervention of drugs and most of the drugs will not be as effective as you would like anyway. As you review your health goals for the coming year, consider what changes you are willing to make to be less dependent upon the local pharmacy and more knowledgeable about the foods that will promote your health.
Contact me to discuss your health goals for the coming year. I can help you realize greater health freedom in 2025. You can contact me at nutritionproportion@gmail.com, or check out my website at www.nutritionproportion.net
