Cholesterol is a Good Guy

Important for the entire body

Dec 01, 2023

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For at least 30 years, we’ve been conditioned to believe that cholesterol is the ‘bad guy’ in our body and horrible for our health. Almost every health article and book you read screams about lowering your cholesterol level, like it’s pure poison. Diets, drugs, and entire lifestyles are designed to lower or nearly eliminate cholesterol from our blood and our tissues. I actually remember hearing a cardiologist proclaim years ago that he hoped the latest/greatest statin would lower his cholesterol levels to nearly zero. What an idiot. Did he learn nothing in medical school about the necessity of cholesterol for a healthy body?

Statins, the class of cholesterol-lowering drugs, have become some of the most prescribed drugs in America. As of 2017, more than 32 million people in the United States (10% of Americans) are currently on a statin with an estimated 56 million people (24% of Americans) eligible to consider a statin. A more recent report (2018) states that nearly 30% of adults 40 years and older in the US are on a statin. The widespread use of statins heightens the importance of careful consideration of their effects on the body. This is a short overview; entire books are written on the subject. But hopefully, you’ll see here there is another side to the story and be willing to consider doing something for your body.

Cholesterol in your cells

Every cell membrane in our body contains cholesterol. One of its primary functions is to maintain the integrity and fluidity of cell membranes. Since cholesterol is in the fat family (a lipid) it is insoluble in water. It maintains the structure of cells, keeping a balance between stability and fluidity. When cholesterol levels are not adequate, the cell membrane becomes leaky. Cholesterol is the body’s repair substance: scar tissue contains high levels of cholesterol, including scar tissue in the arteries.

Within the walls of our cells are special components called lipid rafts. Rafts play a central role in cell growth and cell signaling. Rafts are important in many cellular processes and have been best studied in T cells, B cells, and the allergic response. Several groups of pathogens - bacteria, prions, viruses, and parasites – can hijack lipid rafts for their purposes. Many diseases have been cataloged that involve raft abnormalities and the list continues to grow, focusing on viruses, prions, and Alzheimer's disease. Cholesterol serves as the “glue” to hold together the rafts. Without cholesterol, the rafts become dysfunctional.

Cholesterol and the Brain

The human brain makes up about 2% of the body's total weight but contains 25% of the body’s cholesterol. Most of the brain’s cholesterol exists in the axons of nerve cells, where it protects cells and facilitates quick transmission of electrical impulses. This has a big impact on how thought, movement, and sensation are controlled.

Scientists are still learning about the role of cholesterol in the brain, as well as the drugs they use to manipulate it and how they affect memory, dementia, and the risk of stroke. What we do know is that cholesterol is vital to proper brain function. It plays a role in memory and the utilization of serotonin, the body’s feel-good chemical. When cholesterol levels drop too low, the serotonin receptors cannot work. The myelin sheath around nerves is essential for transmitting impulses throughout the body.

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) prevents the flow of cholesterol from the blood to the brain. Therefore, the brain synthesizes all its cholesterol in its own tissues (de novo). However, this does not protect the brain from statins which can cross the barrier and reduce the level of cholesterol in the brain below the level required for normal cognitive functioning. Statins that have been shown to cross the BBB include atorvastatin (Lipitor), simvastin (Zocor) and lovastatin/Mevacor; pravastatin (Prvachol) and rosuvastatin (Crestor) do not.

Even though this study differs somewhat from the table above, it reports that Lipitor and Zocor have a higher proportion of cognitive impairment reports compared to other statins. Even after a single dose administration, statins have been shown to produce inhibitory effects, especially on MVA production, which produces cholesterol and CoQ10 in the brain.

Research has also shown that high LDL cholesterol considered a bad thing to someone in their mid-50s, is actually good for those in their 80s. This study from 2018 has shown that “high levels of LDL may be considered as a potential protective factor against cognitive decline.” Therefore, all of those folks in their 70s and 80s should reconsider the risk/benefit of taking a statin vs lowering mental acuity.

Cholesterol and hormones

Cholesterol is the precursor to the hormones produced in the adrenal cortex including glucocorticoids, which regulate blood sugar levels, and mineralocorticoids, which regulate mineral balance. These hormones are used during various stress responses, promote healing, and lower inflammation. Cholesterol is also necessary to produce sex hormones, including testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone. Thus, a lowered cholesterol level can be expected to disrupt the production of hormones and lead to blood sugar problems, edema, mineral deficiencies, chronic inflammation, difficulty in healing, allergies, asthma, reduced libido, infertility, and various reproductive problems.

Does your doctor/cardiologist ever talk to you about these health concerns?

Cholesterol and Vitamin D

Cholesterol is produced in the body by a complex series of reactions involving more than 20 different steps. The last step relies on the enzyme DHCR7, which converts a substance called 7DHC into cholesterol. This substance, 7DHC, can also be turned into vitamin D by UV from sunlight.

Good Foods

People with elevated cholesterol often wonder if it's OK to eat eggs, as egg yolk is rich in cholesterol. Generally speaking, it should be fine for most people, as the cholesterol in eggs does not have a significant effect on blood cholesterol. In fact, eating large portions of foods that are rich in sulfur is extremely important for both balancing your cholesterol and detoxing your system. Sulfur is found in many plant- and animal-based foods. This is a prominently compiled list:

Eggs
Allium vegetables: garlic, leeks, onions, scallions, shallots
Cruciferous vegetables: arugula, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, radishes
Legumes: chickpeas, fava beans (broad beans), kidney beans, lentils, peas
Meat and seafood: chicken, crab, lobster, scallops, organ meats
Dairy products: milk, yogurt, parmesan cheese, cheddar cheese
Nuts and seeds: almonds, Brazil nuts, walnuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds

Statins: Any Benefits?

Most doctors are convinced–and seek to convince their patients–that the benefits of statin drugs far outweigh the side effects. They can cite a number of studies in which statin use has lowered the number of coronary deaths compared to controls.

This excerpt was written by The Westin Price Organization a while back and is still spot on:

Dr. Ravnskov has pointed out in his book The Cholesterol Myths, the results of major studies up to the year 2000 generally showed only small differences and these differences were often statistically insignificant and independent of the amount of cholesterol-lowering achieved. In two studies, EXCEL and FACAPT/TexCAPS, more deaths occurred in the treatment group compared to controls.
Dr. Ravnskov’s meta-analysis of 26 controlled cholesterol-lowering trials found an equal number of cardiovascular deaths in the treatment and control groups and a greater number of total deaths in the treatment groups.An analysis of all the big controlled trials reported before 2000 found that long-term use of statins for primary prevention of heart disease produced a 1 percent greater risk of death over 10 years compared to a placebo.

While many, many studies have been published since his 1992 analysis, this was during the period of time the statin onslaught was gearing up and no researcher would dare loudly challenge the status quo today if they want to continue to be funded.

Protecting the brain and the heart

Cholesterol is one of three end products in the mevalonate (MVA) production chain. The two others are dolichol and ubiquinone (Co-Enzyme Q10), both involved in cellular energy production. The heart requires high levels of Co-Q10 to maintain cardiac function and a lifetime of beating. It is also critical for nerve conduction and muscle integrity. Side effects of CoQ10 deficiency include heart failure, muscle and tendon weakness, and neuropathy.

CoQ10 preserves brain cells from central neurotoxic damage, acting as a powerful antioxidant and neuroprotective compound. In addition, clinical evidence indicates that CoQ10deficiency can result in neuropathological conditions, such as cerebellar ataxia, encephalomyopathy, and multiple system atrophy.

As a general recommendation, CoQ10 at least 100mg/day as a gel cap will go a long way to protect both your heart and your brain, with or without a statin. I actually give Teegan, my 13 pound Japanese Chin, 100 mg gel cap once per week!