The cholesterol myth

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tiltbillings
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Re: The cholesterol myth

Post by tiltbillings »

danieLion wrote:
tiltbillings wrote:"Negligible" might be an overstatement.
What actual support do you have for this?
Your source suggests 15% of cholesterol is from diet. Is 15% "negligible?"
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
danieLion
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Re: The cholesterol myth

Post by danieLion »

Tilt,
I accept your apology.

However:

According to this JAMA study:
Context: Reduction in egg consumption has been widely recommended to lower blood cholesterol levels and prevent coronary heart disease (CHD). Epidemiologic studies on egg consumption and risk of CHD are sparse.
Conclusions: These findings suggest that consumption of up to 1 egg per day is unlikely to have substantial overall impact on the risk of CHD or stroke among healthy men and women.


And:

According to Harvard’s Public School of Health
A solid body of research shows that for most people, cholesterol in food has a much smaller effect on blood levels of total cholesterol and harmful LDL cholesterol than does the mix of fats in the diet.
According to the University of Illinois Extension
Dietary cholesterol only has a slight effect on your total blood cholesterol level.
---
My wife works at a research hospital and participates in their health promotion program. The wellness guide they provided (2011-2012) has a chapter on cholesterol. In their five pages of excellent dietary recommendations not once do they recommend avoiding dietary cholesterol.

Furthermore:
Q.How much does the cholesterol I get through food really affect my blood cholesterol level....?
A.It depends. Most people absorb about half the cholesterol they consume through foods, but absorption rates vary (from 20 to 60 percent) from person to person. This variation may help explain why dietary cholesterol seems to increase levels of “unhealthy” LDL blood cholesterol in some people more than others, says EatingWell advisor Alice Lichtenstein (credentials).

In any case, saturated and trans fats have a bigger detrimental effect on blood cholesterol levels, and heart health in general, than dietary cholesterol does. “Trans and saturated fats not only affect how much plaque is deposited in blood vessels, but also may damage the tissue of blood vessels,” says Susan Moores, M.S., R.D., a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. With a few exceptions—notably eggs and shellfish—foods high in cholesterol, such as fatty meats and whole-milk dairy, also tend to be high in saturated fat. Cutting back on sources of saturated fat automatically limits intake of dietary cholesterol.

Really, the best approach to controlling blood cholesterol is a big-picture one. “Most important to heart health is achieving a healthy body weight through diet and exercise,” explains Lichtenstein. Independent of specific dietary choices, research shows that shedding excess pounds lowers “unhealthy” LDL cholesterol and boosts the “healthy” HDL kind.

Bottom line: Unless your doctor has advised you to, don’t sweat counting dietary cholesterol; it’s just one factor (and not the most important one) affecting blood lipids. Limit intake of saturated fats by loading up on vegetables, fruits and whole grains, choosing low-fat dairy and lean proteins, and substituting healthy oils for butter. When shopping for crackers, snacks and margarine-type spreads, buy only those that are labeled trans-fat-free (and don’t include “partially hydrogenated fat” in the ingredients list). Maintain a healthy weight. And, if you’d like, enjoy an egg each morning and shellfish several times a week.
Source
See also:
Myth: Eating Cholesterol-Rich Foods Raises Blood Cholesterol Levels
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tiltbillings
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Re: The cholesterol myth

Post by tiltbillings »

danieLion wrote:Tilt,
I accept your apology.
That is nice of you; however, an apology was not proffered. And your quotes -- and thank you for them -- give a nice overview of the variations on the issue.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
danieLion
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Re: The cholesterol myth

Post by danieLion »

tiltbillings wrote:Your body, mainly your liver, produces 75 percent of your cholesterol.
The research says this is extremely debatable; some studies say 85% (at what percent will you consider it neglible?).
tiltbillings wrote:The average diet adds another 300 to 500 mg of cholesterol.
The research also says this is extremely debatable.
tiltbillings wrote:Your all caps statement is obviously wrong.
It was only a little wrong and I revised it a while ago. Quit living in the past.
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tiltbillings
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Re: The cholesterol myth

Post by tiltbillings »

danieLion wrote:
tiltbillings wrote:Your body, mainly your liver, produces 75 percent of your cholesterol.
The research says this is extremely debatable; some studies say 85% (at what percent will you consider it neglible?).
tiltbillings wrote:The average diet adds another 300 to 500 mg of cholesterol.
The research also says this is extremely debatable.
tiltbillings wrote:Your all caps statement is obviously wrong.
It was only a little wrong and I revised it a while ago. Quit living in the past.
If you go back, the 75% and the 300 to 500 quotes are yours. Not mine, but yours. http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.ph ... 20#p212764" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And you caps statement was wrong, but it nice to see that you can correct yourself. Looks like you need to do so again.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
danieLion
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Re: The cholesterol myth

Post by danieLion »

Your body has the ability to make al­l the cholesterol it needs for its various functions.
Source
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tiltbillings
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Re: The cholesterol myth

Post by tiltbillings »

danieLion wrote:
Your body has the ability to make al­l the cholesterol it needs for its various functions.
Source
And from that source:
Your body has the ability to make al­l the cholesterol it needs for these various functions. . . . Causes of High Cholesterol: Diet and DNA are the main sources of cholesterol. Learn why the numbers might be high in your case. . . . How to Lower Cholesterol: Like many conditions, eating right and exercising will control cholesterol. Learn what that means for you.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
danieLion
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Joined: Wed May 25, 2011 4:49 am

Re: The cholesterol myth

Post by danieLion »

Only a little of the cholesterol in our blood comes from our food.
Source
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tiltbillings
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Re: The cholesterol myth

Post by tiltbillings »

danieLion wrote:
Only a little of the cholesterol in our blood comes from our food.
Source
Even your own sources are not necessarily consistent with each other.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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tiltbillings
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Re: The cholesterol myth

Post by tiltbillings »

From your earlier source above: Causes of High Cholesterol: Diet and DNA are the main sources of cholesterol. Lucky DNA, except for the Alzheimer's.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
danieLion
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Joined: Wed May 25, 2011 4:49 am

Re: The cholesterol myth

Post by danieLion »

Dietary cholesterol content does not significantly influence plasma cholesterol values, which are regulated by different genetic and nutritional factors that influence cholesterol absorption or synthesis.
Source
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tiltbillings
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Re: The cholesterol myth

Post by tiltbillings »

danieLion wrote:
Dietary cholesterol content does not significantly influence plasma cholesterol values, which are regulated by different genetic and nutritional factors that influence cholesterol absorption or synthesis.
Source
The whole abstract, rather than just a bit:
  • Dietary cholesterol comes exclusively from animal sources, thus it is naturally present in our diet and tissues. It is an important component of cell membranes and a precursor of bile acids, steroid hormones and vitamin D. Contrary to phytosterols (originated from plants), cholesterol is synthesised in the human body in order to maintain a stable pool when dietary intake is low. Given the necessity for cholesterol, very effective intestinal uptake mechanisms and enterohepatic bile acid and cholesterol reabsorption cycles exist; conversely, phytosterols are poorly absorbed and, indeed, rapidly excreted. Dietary cholesterol content does not significantly influence plasma cholesterol values, which are regulated by different genetic and nutritional factors that influence cholesterol absorption or synthesis. Some subjects are hyper-absorbers and others are hyper-responders, which implies new therapeutic issues. Epidemiological data do not support a link between dietary cholesterol and CVD. Recent biological data concerning the effect of dietary cholesterol on LDL receptor-related protein may explain the complexity of the effect of cholesterol on CVD risk.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
danieLion
Posts: 1947
Joined: Wed May 25, 2011 4:49 am

Re: The cholesterol myth

Post by danieLion »

There are many factors that can increase your chance of having heart problems or stroke if you have high cholesterol, including the following:
An unhealthy diet: some foods already contain cholesterol (known as dietary cholesterol) but it is the amount of saturated fat in your diet which is more important.
Source
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tiltbillings
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Re: The cholesterol myth

Post by tiltbillings »

danieLion wrote:
There are many factors that can increase your chance of having heart problems or stroke if you have high cholesterol, including the following:
An unhealthy diet: some foods already contain cholesterol (known as dietary cholesterol) but it is the amount of saturated fat in your diet which is more important.
Source
Which is, of course, all true, as are the other sources you quoted. It is not black and white.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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