Cholesterol Issues

Mediterranean Diet Reduces Blood Pressure, Glucose, and Lipid Levels

Research · May 05, 2014 TAKE-HOME MESSAGE In this randomized, parallel-design, controlled trial including 235 participants, a Mediterranean diet supplemented with either extra virgin olive oil or nuts was associated with significant decreases in mean systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose levels, and total cholesterol compared with placebo. Patients at high cardiovascular […]

Off the Lifestyle Hook with Statins? Study Shows Weight Gain, More Calories Consumed

Medscape Michael O’Riordan April 24, 2014 SAN DIEGO, CA — Individuals prescribed statin therapy for high cholesterol levels have increased their caloric intake by nearly 10% and their intake of fat by 14% over a recent 10-year period, while no changes in eating habits have been observed among statin nonusers, a new study shows[1]. In […]

Contribution of intimal smooth muscle cells to cholesterol accumulation and macrophage-like cells in human atherosclerosis

Circulation. 2014 Apr 15;129(15):1551-9. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.113.005015. Epub 2014 Jan 30. Allahverdian S1, Chehroudi AC, McManus BM, Abraham T, Francis GA. Abstract BACKGROUND: Intimal smooth muscle cells (SMCs) contribute to the foam cell population in arterial plaque, and express lower levels of the cholesterol exporter ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) in comparison with medial arterial SMCs. […]

The effect of green tea on blood pressure and lipid profile

A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials  Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases, 03/27/2014  Evidence Based Medicine  Review Article Onakpoya I, et al. – The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the evidence for or against the effectiveness of green tea (Camellia sinensis) on blood pressure and lipid parameters. Green tea intake […]

Calcium, Vitamin D Benefit Older Women’s Lipid Profiles

Published: Mar 10, 2014 By Charles Bankhead, Staff Writer, MedPage Today Full Story   Action Points In this randomized trial in postmenopausal women, supplemental CaD significantly increased 25[OH]D3 concentrations and decreased LDL -C. Higher concentrations of 25[OH]D3 were also associated with modestly higher HDL-C levels and lower triglyceride levels.   Postmenopausal women had significant improvement […]

Pantethine, a derivative of vitamin B5, favorably alters total, LDL and non-HDL cholesterol in low to moderate cardiovascular risk subjects eligible for statin therapy

A triple-blinded placebo and diet-controlled investigation Evans M, Rumberger JA, et al Vasc Health Risk Manag, 2014 Feb 27; 10: 89-100. PubMed Reference Journal Reference In a randomized, triple=blinded, placebo-controlled study involving patients with low to moderate risk of cardiovascular disease eligible for statin therapy, supplementation with pantethine – a derivative of vitamin B5 – […]

Serum total cholesterol concentration and 10-year mortality in an 85-year-old population – Full Text Article

Clin Interv Aging. 2014; 9: 293–300. Published online 2014 Feb 13. doi: 10.2147/CIA.S53754 PMCID: PMC3928456 PMID: 24611005 Yutaka Takata Abstract Little is known about the association between total cholesterol (TC) and all-cause mortality in the elderly (especially the very elderly). Here we examined the association between TC and all-cause mortality in 207 very elderly (85-year-old) […]

Reduced Vitamin D Levels and Familial Combined Hyperlipidemia

Diabetol Metab Syndr 2014 Jan 22;[EPub Ahead of Print], I Miñambres, JL Sánchez-Quesada, J Sánchez-Hernández, J Rodríguez, A de Leiva, A Pérezesearch · February 10, 2014 Full Story Journal Reference TAKE-HOME MESSAGE In this study looking at 59 patients with familial combined hyperlipidemia (FCHL) and 48 healthy controls, the FCHL patients had significantly lower 25(OH)D concentrations. […]

Beyond Cholesterol

JANUARY 20, 2014 BY CHRISTOPHER MASTERJOHN Article Summary • Between 1928 and 1945, Weston Price measured the fat-soluble vitamin content of over twenty thousand samples of butterfat from many different regions. He found that abundant sunshine and rainfall, together with high-quality soil, was associated with high concentrations of vitamins within the butter and fewer deaths […]

The Under-Appreciated Life-Saving Heart Test

Ronald Grisanti D.C., D.A.B.C.O., D.A.C.B.N., M.S. Full Story:  http://www.yourmedicaldetective.com/public/1149.cfm Most people are way too concerned about their total cholesterol when in fact the focus should be on achieving an optimal HDL (good cholesterol) level. The ideal level of HDL should be between 60-70 ng/dL. HDL acts as a wheelbarrow to carry oxidized or “bad” cholesterol […]

The Cholesterol-Statin Mythology

Ronald Grisanti D.C., D.A.B.C.O., D.A.C.B.N., M.S. Full Story:  http://www.yourmedicaldetective.com/public/1148.cfm We’ve been told by every media outlet that statins to lower cholesterol will save lives. Our doctors have looked us straight in our eyes and with a spirit of compassion tell us that if you don’t take the statins you will die. Over 40 million people […]

Cholesterol Video That Will Save Your Life

Does high cholesterol really increase your risk of heart attacks? Is the role of cholesterol in heart disease really one of the biggest myths in the history of medicine? For the last four decades we’ve been told that saturated fat clogs our arteries and high cholesterol causes heart disease. It has spawned a multi-billion dollar […]

Don’t Give More Patients Statins

By JOHN D. ABRAMSON and RITA F. REDBERG Published: November 13, 2013 Full Story:  http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/14/opinion/dont-give-more-patients-statins.html On Tuesday, the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology issued new cholesterol guidelines that essentially declared, in one fell swoop, that millions of healthy Americans should immediately start taking pills — namely statins — for undefined health […]

Cholesterol levels: Are they really that important?

MICHAEL R EADES, MD. Is cholesterol the villain it is made out to be by the medical authorities? Does too much cholesterol cause heart disease? Will it shorten your life? Should you avoid saturated fats to stay free from heart disease? The answers to these questions are not the ones most people would anticipate. The […]

Sweden has it Right—Lower-Carb is Better than Low-Fat

Colette Heimowitz’s Blog Full Story:  http://blogs.atkins.com/Blogs/colette_heimowitz/Archive/2013/10/28/213745.aspx Sweden has given us the Volvo and Ikea, now it may be on the forefront in the fight against obesity. A report called Dietary Treatment for Obesity, from the Swedish Council on Health Technology Assessment (SBU), has shown that the typically recommended low-fat diet is failing to stop or […]

We Got The Saturated Fat Story All Wrong

Saturated fat is not the major issue BMJ 2013; 347 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.f6340 (Published 22 October 2013) Cite this as: BMJ 2013;347:f6340 Aseem Malhotra, interventional cardiology specialist registrar, Croydon University Hospital, London Scientists universally accept that trans fats—found in many fast foods, bakery products, and margarines—increase the risk of cardiovascular disease through inflammatory processes.1 But “saturated […]

Association of lipoprotein levels with mortality in subjects aged 50 + without previous diabetes or cardiovascular disease: a population-based register study – Full Text Article

Scand J Prim Health Care. 2013 Sep;31(3):172-80. doi: 10.3109/02813432.2013.824157. Bathum L1, Depont Christensen R, Engers Pedersen L, Lyngsie Pedersen P, Larsen J, Nexøe J. Abstract OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the association of lipoprotein and triglyceride levels with all-cause mortality in a population free from diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD) at baseline. The European […]

The Impact of Pistachio Consumption on Blood Lipid Profile

American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine The Impact of Pistachio Consumption on Blood Lipid Profile A Literature Review Hilary A. London, MS, Roman Pawlak, PhD, RD, Sarah E. Colby, PhD, RD, Elizabeth Wall-Bassett, PhD, RD, Natalia Sira, PhD Am J Lifestyle Med. 2013;7(4):274-277 Abstract Studies showed that nut consumption is associated with a reduced risk in […]

Run or Walk: Gains in Heart Health Similar

Published: Apr 4, 2013 By Michael Smith , North American Correspondent, MedPage Today Full Story Journal Reference Action Points The same energy expenditure associated with moderate (walking) and vigorous (running) exercise produced similar risk reductions for hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, and possibly coronary heart disease. However, runners typically expend about twice as much energy as walkers […]

Statin Nation – The Documentary – Video

Link to Video Source Film Synopsis: We are told that cholesterol is a major cause of heart disease. At least 40 million people are currently taking cholesterol-lowering medications, known as statins, and millions more people are avoiding foods that contain saturated fat and cholesterol. The basic idea is that dietary saturated fat raises cholesterol levels, […]