i am sure that you’ve heard for decades that LDL cholesterol – called the bad cholesterol – can kill you if your cholesterol levels are high enough, you might be tempted to think I’m nuts for telling you it can actually help you live longer.
But here’s the thing:
A new analysis of earlier studies on people over 60, with high levels of LDL, show that they live longer and aren’t at risk for heart disease.
“A University of South Florida professor and an international team of experts have found that older people with high levels of a certain type of cholesterol, known as low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C), live as long, and often longer, than their peers with low levels of this same cholesterol.
The findings, which came after analyzing past studies involving more than 68,000 participants over 60 years of age, call into question the ‘cholesterol hypothesis,’ which previously suggested people with high cholesterol are more at risk of dying and would need statin drugs to lower their cholesterol.”
What is LDL
lipoprotein that carries cholesterol throughout your body to the cells that require it for your health. In other words, the LDL is a transport vehicle. In addition to cholesterol, LDL also carries triglycerides, vitamin E, and other nutrients to bring energy and protect your cells.
The reason cholesterol needs to be transported is because it’s what’s called hydrophobic – on its own, it doesn’t mix well with the watery environment in your body. But it’s got to get to your cells intact somehow, right? That’s the lipoprotein job in here.
I am surprised that how the essential carrier become “bad” becomes ? , but helps to transport cholesterol from the liver through your vascular system to your cells.
What is HDL ?
so-called good cholesterol HDL (high-density lipoprotein). HDL cholesterol, too, is really a carrier. HDL cholesterol’s journey is the reverse of LDL; that is, it carries cholesterol from your vascular system to your liver for recycling.
You can see how LDL and HDL are simply exchangers: they shuttle fats, including cholesterol, back and forth in your body. There’s nothing inherently good or bad about them.
Why do doctors believe high cholesterol and LDL will cause heart attack and stroke?
Before jumping into heart attack it is better to understand how the blood vessels get damaged and the process of Atherosclerosis.Atherosclerosis is a chronic disease of the arteries characterized by the buildup of plaques within the inner walls of arteries.These plaques are made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium, and other substances found in the blood. Over time, the plaques can harden and narrow the arteries, restricting blood flow and leading to various cardiovascular problems.
Why plaque are build in arteries?
Atherosclerosis does not happen in healthy blood vessels and in healthy people. But Atherosclerosis can happen due to endothelial injury (blood vessels damage) and the subsequent thrombotic (blood clotting) response.
Causes for endothelial damage are Hyperglycemia(diabetes),Inflammation,smoking,toxic,stress,seed oils,etc
1. Hypergycemia (Insulin Resistance):
Insulin resistance is a condition where the body’s cells become less responsive to the hormone insulin, which regulates blood sugar levels. Here’s how it affects blood vessels:
- Hyperglycemia: When cells don’t respond well to insulin, blood sugar levels remain high. Chronic hyperglycemia can lead to endothelial dysfunction, a condition where the inner lining of blood vessels (the endothelium) doesn’t function properly.
- Oxidative Stress: High blood sugar levels can increase the production of free radicals, leading to oxidative stress. This oxidative damage can harm the endothelium and promote atherosclerosis (the buildup of plaque in the arteries).
- Inflammation: Insulin resistance is often associated with increased levels of inflammatory markers. Chronic inflammation can further damage the endothelium and contribute to plaque formation.
2. Inflammation:
Inflammation is the body’s response to injury or infection, but chronic inflammation can harm blood vessels:
- Endothelial Dysfunction: Persistent inflammation can damage the endothelium, making it more permeable to lipids and white blood cells. This can initiate and accelerate the process of atherosclerosis.
- Plaque Formation: Inflammatory cytokines can attract immune cells to the vessel walls, promoting the accumulation of lipids and the formation of atherosclerotic plaques. These plaques can narrow and harden the arteries, leading to reduced blood flow and increasing the risk of cardiovascular events.
- Thrombosis: Chronic inflammation can increase the risk of blood clots forming within the vessels (thrombosis), which can block blood flow and lead to heart attacks or strokes.
3. Stress:
Stress, particularly chronic stress, can also negatively impact blood vessels:
- Sympathetic Nervous System Activation: Stress activates the sympathetic nervous system, leading to the release of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. This can cause temporary spikes in blood pressure, which over time can damage the blood vessels.
- Hypertension: Chronic stress is associated with sustained high blood pressure (hypertension). Hypertension can damage the arterial walls, making them more susceptible to atherosclerosis and other forms of vascular damage.
- Behavioral Factors: Stress can lead to unhealthy behaviors such as poor diet, lack of exercise, and smoking, all of which are risk factors for vascular disease. Additionally, stress can contribute to insulin resistance, creating a vicious cycle of metabolic and vascular damage.
After endothelial injury, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol particles can infiltrate the arterial wall.
These LDL particles become oxidized (ox-LDL), which is a key step in the atherosclerotic process. I was taught that culprit is the cholesterol and LDL.
However recent studies have shown that LDL is an another good LDL.Remember I said one of low-density lipoprotein’s (LDL) roles is to transport materials that protect your cells?
Well, LDL’s healing role is to help repair damage to cell membranes by acting as a type of bandage for the wounds that occur in your arteries from high Fat Storing Hormone and Fat Storing Hormone resistance.
When these two conditions cause damage, plaques containing LDL form in response. When this repeatedly happens – when your arteries suffer multiple wounds – eventually your arteries will calcify, putting you at risk of a heart attack or stroke. Calcium is also found in plaques, but it’s not the bad guy either. Like LDL, it’s there to help heal damage.High LDL levels are often caused by this healing response, yet over time became wrongly associated as a high-risk factor of cardiovascular disease. In other words, though LDL is found at the crime scene, it’s not the criminal.
Okay, let’s eliminate high LDL levels as an indication of potential cardiovascular disease that can shorten your life. But you still want to know if you’re at risk, right?
A test that will give you a far better assessment of your risk for cardiovascular disease than a cholesterol test is the coronary artery calcification test – it helps to predict longevity. Plus, the American College of Cardiology states,
“Checking for calcium build-up in the heart’s arteries is the best way to identify patients at increased risk for heart disease, based on a recent study that compared the top three tests used to predict cardiovascular risk.”
If you want to better assess your risk, ask your doctor about having this test done.
When you truly understand that LDL is a healer, not a villain, you’ll notice yourself feeling less anxious about your cholesterol test results. You’ll notice having this information will reassure you that a high LDL cholesterol level doesn’t automatically mean you’re doomed to death by heart attack or stroke.
Don’t get me wrong; a high level of healing LDL isn’t some magic potion. It won’t turn a bad diet into a good one or reverse the side effects of years of metabolic syndrome or Fat Storing Hormone resistance.
But now that you know high LDL levels can be a result of your body’s own healing process, and can actually support you to live longer, I hope you’ll feel more confident about your health.
Because in the end, your health is what matters most, isn’t it?