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Cholesterol

As it turns out, there's a lot more to the cholesterol story than the two numbers (LDL, the low density lipoproteins, aka "bad cholesterol) and HDL, the high density lipoproteins, aka the "good" cholesterol). You can read more about the differences between LDL and HDL here at the American Heart Association. There's also an excellent overview on cholesterol over at the National Institutes of Health.

Here's a thread on raising HDL cholesterol (the healthy one).

Next, you need to understand there's some controversy over the importance of cholesterol on the arteries. This is not to say dietary changes are not important, but it appears it's more important for some than others; in some very important, others not important at all. You'll have to do some research, and you'll have to get some blood testing to find out in which category you fit.

If you're a woman with a high lipoprotein/a level, there may be a serious concern about high LDL cholesterol and you may not be a candidate for ignoring cholesterol recommendations.

Finally, you may have noticed our Iron Online forum conversations previously about particle density. If you have high LDL with "fluffy" particles, no worries. However if you have dense LDL particles, regardless of how low your LDL is (this is Dave's problem with a total cholesterol of sub-130), it's a serious issue that needs attention.

The lab won't have checked particle density. Costs more and has to be sent out, so you have to request it. Here's more info on advanced cholesterol testing.

• IronOnline discussion on cholesterol

• Ideas on how to raise HDL (the good cholesterol).

• International Network of Cholesterol Skeptics-- Now these seriously smart docs want you to think twice before getting caught up in the cholesterol scare.

• Alan Palmieri offers this discussion on the decision-making process regarding prescription medications after his heart bypass operation.

• What started as a question on flush-free niacin developed into a comprehensive conversation about cholesterol.

• The Berkeley Heart Lab is on the forefront of cholesterol blood testing and your local doctor can have your lab tests ordered locally and sent to BHL for evaluation. It's more expensive than common cholesterol blood testing, but if you have a heart condition, some of the costs will be paid by your health insurance.

Before going on prescription medication that may cause problems, consider a three-month test with our "Judge John's" supplemental regime. Here's the outline, in his words.

John writes, "This has worked extremely well for so many who I have recommended it to. There are many supplements listed here and I would start at the top and work down. I will list them in the order of effectiveness."

• Red yeast rice - 1200 mg. - twice per day (this works in a manner similar to statin drugs. Although it is natural, I take Co Q 10 since statin drugs deplete this element which is important to the heart's functions.)

• Fish Oil - 3000 mg. - twice per day. This has so many health qualities (among them as an anti-inflammatory, it is great for everyone to take).

• Niacin - 500 mg. - twice per day. I have found that the non-flushing form does not work as effectively for me, although I am presently using it. I have read that the very annoying flushing reaction, is why it works to raise HDL (the good cholesterol). The other side effect here is that large amounts of niacin can stress the liver (as do ALL the statin drugs) so I also take a liver supplement but this is not necessary if your liver is healthy. I take it as insurance.

• Folic acid - 1 mg. twice per day. This B vitamin lowers inflammation (C-reactive protein) in your blood. This may be the most important marker of heart disease, more so than cholesterol.

• Policosanol - 10 mg. - twice per day

• Beta Sitosterol - 300 mg. - twice per day.

The last two supplements are the least potent but have little to no side effects. Keep in mind that ANYTHING that works to change the body has side effects in some manner. If it doesn't, it has no effect.

• If you decide to go on statin drugs, be sure to go on COQ10, too, and at least 100-200 mgs daily.

• So, you've been told you have a heart problem that needs attention, or that you need to go on statins, get an angiogram or other procedure. You owe it to yourself to learn more before proceeding. Maybe you do need those things, but if you don't, find out before it's too late. Grab a copy of Dr. Thomas Yannios' Heart Disease Breakthrough -- turns out this information's been out there for a while.

Before you finish, be sure to read our section on heart health and other blood testing you may need.

Now, then, how does all this work? Let's look in on Byron as he explains the cholesterol process to a forum member with high cholesterol who only eats a couple of times a day, and drinks alcohol:

The facts about how and why your body produces cholesterol seem pretty well understood. Let me give you a rundown of cholesterol metabolism as I understand it.

When you eat more than you can burn in the near future, you body has to do something with the extra calories that are kicking around in your body. Whether the excess food is fat, protein, or carbohydrate, the excess all winds up as LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol). Triglycerides are carbs that have been turned to fat that, unless they are burned off, will wind up cholesterol.

The liver handles virtually all of the conversion processes. Once it's turned to LDL, the liver will take a long time, like days to burn it off. The liver makes HDL cholesterol to retrieve LDL and finally metabolize it and get rid of it.

A few things are clear here. Calories that are not burned off in the near future wind up as cholesterol. Large servings of carbohydrates lead to high triglycerides. Large meals are very prone to lead to high cholesterol. Eating only two meals a day is not working for you. Spacing your food out into small meals, sized for the next few hours activity, may help you quite a bit. (By the way, there is no such thing as "good rice," even wild rice is better but it's all fairly dense, low nutrition, quickly absorbed carbs.)

The liver is involved at every step in the processes that metabolize carbs, fats, proteins, triglycerides, bad cholesterol, and good cholesterol. Your liver is also responsible for metabolizing alcohol. Alcohol is a toxin and your body "knows" that if it doesn't get rid of it quickly - if it is allowed to build up - serious damage and even death result. So it gives burning alcohol top priority as a matter of survival.

Thus alcohol distracts your liver from all these crucial functions. It gets behind on processing everything to the best of it's abilities, it gets behind in burning off that LDL, and the next thing you know, wham, you're on statins. Statins seem to just throw a carefully placed monkey wrench into the liver's works so that it will produce less LDL and possibly more HDL.

By the way, a young person's liver seems more able to tolerate the alcohol without screwing up all the other functions. Don't get me wrong, it sure isn't healthy when you're 21, but when you're 61, it's not funny any more.

SO I think the Druids, the Wiccans, the Bible thumpers, and our old pals science and reason are all telling you the same thing: Wagon time. Hello 4-5-6 small, balanced meals a day. Good bye John Barleycorn. When they're right they're right, what are you going to do?