Very High Cholesterol May Not Be As Previously Thought

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Very High Cholesterol May Not Be As Previously Thought

 

http://www.mercola.com/2001/may/5/cholesterol.htm

 

Even though familial hypercholesterolemia -- a genetic condition that causes

very high cholesterol levels -- has been linked to the early onset of heart

disease, the risk of early death may vary significantly among people with

the disorder.

 

 

Moreover, researchers speculate, the findings suggest that other factors

such as diet and exercise help determine the overall death risk of people

with the genetic condition.

 

In a study of an extended family affected by familial hypercholesterolemia,

investigators found that, over two centuries, about 40% of family members

lived normal life spans.

 

 

During the 1800s, members of the family tended to live longer than average

for the time, but the rate of early death began to rise in 1915, reaching a

peak in the 1950s, according to the authors. Since then, the life expectancy

of the family members has been increasing.

 

 

But the investigators found that death rates varied considerably from branch

to branch of the family tree. During the decades when the family as a whole

had shorter-than-average life spans, some branches of the family had normal

life spans and others had extremely high rates of premature death.

 

 

The wide variations in risk suggest that environmental factors, such as

 

diet,

smoking

and physical activity

may interact with genetics to affect the risk of cardiovascular disease and

early death.

 

 

It is possible that high levels of " bad " LDL cholesterol might have

protected 19th century family members from infections common at the time,

while the lack of other heart disease risk factors, such as widespread

cigarette smoking or fatty diets, might have reduced their risk of death.

 

 

Since death rates varied from branch to branch of the family tree, other

genetic factors might have affected the risk as well. Variations in social

class and in where different branches lived may also have had an effect.

 

 

Whatever the reasons for the variations, the study shows that even though

genes are important in determining life expectancy, environmental factors

also play a major role.

 

 

British Medical Journal April 28, 2001;322:1019-1023

 

 

 

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Dr. Mercola's Comment:

 

About one in 500 people have a genetic defect in which they have elevated

cholesterol levels of 350 or even higher. This level seems to be resistant

to every type of dietary modification. Yes, even the no grain, no sugar

approach.

 

I have only treated about 5 or 6 of these individuals. They are very

uncommon. Which means that about 99% or more of the people that are

currently on drugs to lower their cholesterol do not need it, as they will

respond very well to the no grain no sugar approach.

 

 

This approach will usually work in several weeks for most people, especially

if they apply a good exercise program.

 

 

Eating eggs will NOT raise one's cholesterol.

 

 

This is an important study in that it shows that just because one's

cholesterol is elevated, even as high as 350, it does NOT mean that one will

die of heart disease.

 

 

How can this be?

 

 

My take on it is that not all cholesterol is bad. Now, I am not just talking

about HDL and LDL, but the key factor here is OXIDIZED cholesterol. It is my

understanding that the lining of the blood vessels have no receptors for

normal cholesterol, only oxidized cholesterol.

 

 

What is oxidized cholesterol? That is cholesterol that has been damaged by

oxygen. This usually occurs under stress conditions in which one's internal

antioxidant mechanisms are compromised.

 

 

So, if one follows an optimal food choice program, then the levels of

oxidized cholesterol will be lower, even if the total cholesterol is in very

high ranges.

 

 

Stress also can play a huge role in cholesterol oxidation, as can lack of

sleep and too little or too much exercise.

 

 

So the issue of whether or not to treat cholesterol is much more complex

than it appears to be. It is certainly not as simple as putting everyone

with an elevated cholesterol on medication.

 

 

I believe this is a major piece of research in that it fully emphasized the

critical nature of lifestyle and NOT genetics on the influence of chronic

disease (in this case heart disease, the number one killer in the US).

 

 

That is why it is important to check for other risk factors like

homocysteine, ferritin, and Lp(a) (see below).

 

It is interesting to note though that the researchers and journal editors

conclude that since they can not identify which factors are responsible,

they advise ALL of these individuals be treated with cholesterol-lowering

drugs.

 

Related Articles:

 

Five Blood Risk Factors For Coronary Heart Disease

 

Lipoprotein(a) Increases Heart Disease Risk

 

Recent Literature Support For LP(a) Importance and Reduction

 

How To Reduce Your LP(a) and Decrease Your Risk of Heart Disease

 

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