There Is Much More To The Story Of Good And Bad Cholesterol

With the growing obesity epidemics in the developed world, the story of good and bad cholesterol became a focus of multiple research and health advisory articles. It is now recommended to measure both types of cholesterol in the blood of patients to estimate the risk of cardiovascular diseases more accurately.

It is widely considered that monitoring of LDL cholesterol level is of paramount priority in estimating the risk for heart. The high level of HDL is viewed as normal since this is a good cholesterol.

Some new research data, however, challenge this simple view. Researchers from the Cleveland Clinics in the US tried to boost the level of good cholesterol assuming that this will be beneficial for health. It turned out, however, that in many cases good cholesterol simply converts into another kind of abnormal cholesterol, and gets deposited on the wall of blood vessels in pretty much the same manner as the bad cholesterol does.

Modifications of good cholesterol can be detected and monitored

The good news, however, is the scientists have found out exactly what converts good cholesterol into its abnormal damaging variety. The mechanism of this transformation was investigated in details. On the basis of their findings, researchers have developed a blood test for abnormally modified good cholesterol which would help to monitor patients with high cholesterol level and provide them with therapeutic interventions if and when they are needed.

New data imply that simple idea of monitoring the bad cholesterol in patients at high risk of cardiovascular complications is simply not correct. Multiple parameters should be regularly measured, and the general level of cholesterol should be kept in check.

See Also: Are Your Cholesterol Numbers Normal?

Drugs or diet?

With various degree of success, blood cholesterol level can be controlled with the use of drugs, healthier diet and exercise.

Medications such as statins (like atorvastatin and simvastatin) are commonly prescribed, working by reducing liver-produced cholesterol. Bile-acid-binding resins, such as cholestyramine and colestipol, help intestines bind bile acids, while cholesterol absorption inhibitors like ezetimibe reduce dietary cholesterol absorption. Injectable medications, including alirocumab and evolocumab, cater to specific populations, especially those intolerant to statins.

Dietary changes play a crucial role. Reducing saturated fats from red meats and full-fat dairy, eliminating trans fats often found in margarines and processed snacks, and increasing intake of omega-3 fatty acids from sources like salmon and flaxseeds can have beneficial effects. Soluble fiber from foods like oatmeal and apples can reduce cholesterol absorption, and whey protein found in dairy aids in lowering LDL cholesterol.

Exercise is the third pillar. Engaging in at least 30 minutes of physical activity on most days can raise the good HDL cholesterol and lower the bad LDL cholesterol. Aerobic exercises such as walking and jogging, complemented by resistance training like weightlifting, offer comprehensive benefits.

It is often difficult to establish which approach would work better for a particular individual. Some people have naturally high level of cholesterol biosynthesis and would consistently demonstrate excessive blood level of cholesterol even on a diet essentially free of any cholesterol. Clearly, for this people drugs such as statins are the best method for keeping cholesterol level in check. On the other hand, significant number of obese people prefers to rely on drugs instead of making any effort to eat healthier.