5 myths you need to stop believing about cholesterol
Professor Sanchez Lopez is the Head of the Intensive Care Unit of the National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery Havana, Cuba. He is specialist in both Neurology and Intensive Care and has a PhD in Medical Sciences.
Over 30 per cent of Australians have high cholesterol, and people aged 55 to 64 are affected the most. Information online can be confusing, especially with so much conflicting information about diets and cholesterol as new research emerges. So what’s true, and what’s outdated? Here is a guide to the most common cholesterol myths.
1. Cholesterol is harmful to your health
Cholesterol is a type of lipid (fat) which is present in the blood and in all the cell membranes. Cholesterol is often viewed negatively but it actually plays a critical role in the functioning of every cell wall throughout the body. Total cholesterol, as can be seen in blood tests, represents the total content of cholesterol in your blood, which results from the cholesterol carried by lipoproteins (carriers of fats in the blood) and includes, among others two main types of cholesterol.
One is the “bad” kind (LDL cholesterol) which is the main culprit that contributes to the development of atherosclerosis forming plaque that can clog arteries, make them less flexible or even vulnerable to rupture. Elevated levels of LDL-C are considered the main risk factor for cardiovascular issues and lowering such levels decreases the cardiovascular risk.
In turn, HDL- cholesterol is known as “good” because it helps remove LDL-cholesterol from the arteries and back to the liver, where it is broken down and passed from the body. HDL-cholesterol has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that help to maintain vascular health.
2. All fats are bad for you
Despite its reputation, fat has an important role to play in a healthy diet, providing a source of energy as well as essential fatty acids. Instead of avoiding fat altogether, it’s better to swap saturated fat for unsaturated fat as some of these fats help the cholesterol balance in your blood by decreasing the bad (LDL) cholesterol and increasing the good (HDL) cholesterol.
Many prepared foods have high levels of saturated fat – ranging from baked desserts like cakes and biscuits, to pizza and pies. Nuts, avocados, oily fish, beans and pulses are all good sources of unsaturated fat which can easily be incorporated into your daily diet.
3. Eggs are the cause of elevated cholesterol levels
This myth goes back to the days when people thought that eating cholesterol in food would raise cholesterol in the blood. Although egg yolks are high in cholesterol, current research shows that for most healthy people, eating eggs has a much smaller effect on harmful LDL-cholesterol, especially when compared with the much greater effects of saturated fatty acids found in food such as fatty meat.
Eggs and cholesterol-conscious diets can be compatible, as long as your overall diet is varied and balanced. According to the Australian Heart Foundation, a normal person can eat up to six eggs each week as part of a healthy balanced diet. Diabetics have other restrictions and should limit their egg consumption to two to four eggs per week.
4. Cholesterol is caused solely by diet
A number of factors can influence cholesterol levels. Smoking increases cardiovascular risk and exacerbates the detrimental effects of LDL-C on the body. Quitting smoking can raise the HDL-C and significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular issues. Studies have also shown that age, duration of drinking and BMI are all closely associated with hypercholesterolemia, a condition characterised by very high levels of cholesterol in the blood. Lack of exercise or physical activity can also increase LDL-C levels and can reduce HDL-C levels, while exercise can do the opposite.
5. “You can lower your cholesterol with this one trick…”
Maintaining healthy cholesterol levels can be quite simple, but there’s no single magic bullet. Doctors recommend taking a multi-tiered approach that combines regular exercise with a varied and balanced diet overall. Cholesterol management can also be supported by complementary medicines such as Cuban Policosanol which is isolated and purified from a natural source: the Cuban sugar cane wax. It can help to reduce (LDL-Cholesterol) and may help to increase good cholesterol (HDL-Cholesterol) levels, thus improving the ratio of LDL-Cholesterol/HDL-Cholesterol.