est. 2007

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A View About Cholesterol and Heart Disease

We live in a world where people have become fixated with cholesterol levels. Many of us don’t manage our diets or organize our busy lifestyles to support healthy living, yet we remain infatuated by our cholesterol levels. Most people if asked about the likely effect of high cholesterol on the body immediately harbour thoughts of…

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We live in a world where people have become fixated with cholesterol levels. Many of us don’t manage our diets or organize our busy lifestyles to support healthy living, yet we remain infatuated by our cholesterol levels. Most people if asked about the likely effect of high cholesterol on the body immediately harbour thoughts of heart attack!

In a recent writing by Shin Ohtake described as a recognized strength coach and fitness and fat-loss expert has posited the view that it is not fat/cholesterol but from a dietary stand point the biggest causation seems to be sugar and insulin.

Here is the link to the article which details Shin Ohtake unconventional view.

50 responses to “A View About Cholesterol and Heart Disease”

  1. David Avatar
    David

    WordPress was down for a while last night.

  2. Stephen Guy-Clarke Avatar
    Stephen Guy-Clarke

    Put simply, refined sugar overstimulates the hormone insulin, which in turn stimulates HMG-CoA reductase (an enzyme responsible for cholesterol synthesis inside each cell). As insulin speeds up the enzyme activity within the cholesterol manufacturing pipeline, it leads to a build up and surplus within each cell. At this point there is no need for the cell to retrieve any from the bloodstream and cholesterol begins to build up in the blood. Reduce insulin and immediately the signal that causes an increase in cholesterol synthesis is silenced and the cells begin to harvest the necessary cholesterol directly from the blood, causing blood levels to drop. Excess insulin also inhibits the release of glucagon. Glucagon’s job is to restore blood sugar levels for optimal brain function. Glucagon inhibits the activity of HMG-CoA reductase. So by increasing the hormone glucagon you decrease the cholesterol producing machinery inside the cells, forcing LDL receptors to rush to the cell surface in an effort to pull cholesterol from the blood and restore the appropriate balance.

  3. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    Accurate Biochemistry Sir!
    Wow! What a pleasure!

  4. Straight talk Avatar
    Straight talk

    Thank you Stephen for your clear concise explanation, in a language the layman understands.

  5. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    David
    I will now take a little time to say a few words about one paragraph in the article you posted which gives MANY INCORRECT VIEWS about heart disease and cholesterol.

    The author opines thus
    Just to clarify, since I really haven’t talked too much about fat, consuming dietary fat (except trans fat) does not increase your level of triglycerides. And, in fact eating saturated fat is completely fine for your health, as long as you’re consuming low amounts of sugar. But I’ll get into the whole fat subject on another day.
    =====================================
    Trans fats (synthetic) are bad because the body does not handle trans fats well because the body prefers the natural CIS FATS. The only way to explain this further is to use chemical structures.

    Trans fats are man made because they allow fats to last longer and not go rancid.

    If you take in triglycerides YOU WILL have tryglycerides in your blood.

    Triglycerides on digestion forms 1 molecule of glycerol and three of fatty acid. These are taken up by the brush border in the intestines and reconverted into tryglycerides BEFORE being taken up by the lacteals – which are part NOT of the blood circulation but the LYMPHATIC CIRCULATION.

    Note digested fat is not taken to the liver by the hepatic portal vein for processing but is carried by the lymphatic circulation and enters the blood circulation via the left subclavian vein which of course empties into the HEART.

    So if you eat lots of fats on digestion it GOES STRAIGHT TO THE HEART!

    This brilliant man (pardon the sarcasm) then points out that ” in fact eating saturated fat is completely fine for your health, as long as you’re consuming low amounts of sugar”

    One wonders how much sugar he suggests that one should use, because it is well established that if yourdiet is high in fat the acetyl CoA units derived from the metabolism of fatty acids will accumulate in the absence of adequate concentrations to run the Krebs cucle to burn the acetyl CoA.

    The result of a high fat low or no carb diet is
    1 KETONE BODY FORMATION and
    2 CHOLESTEROL SYNTHESIS.

  6. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    Thisunqualified brilliant author asserts ” Possibly the most famous study came out in 2006. It was a study about a cholesterol lowering drug called Vytorin. The case was controversial because the study was finished two years prior, but wasn’t made public until two years later, because the results were horrible.

    The drug lowered cholesterol better than other cholesterol lowering drugs like statin, but it also increased plaque build up and increased arterial wall thickening. Both major contributors for heart disease.
    ======================================
    The man is dishonest because it was NOT proven that vytorin causes increased plaque build up and increased arterial wall thickening.

    This is a case that we discussed on BU on Medical Corner two years ago, where we pointed out that it was thought that Vytorin would not only reduce cholesterol levels by blocking the activity of HMGCoA reductase, but that it would also reduce absorption from the gut. The problem was that it did not kill two birds with one stone, i.e it did nor act synergistically.

    Perhaps you can link that discussion here David.

    But here is part of the arguement for those who pretend that they understand what HmgCoA reductase is. LOL

    Cholesterol is made in our bodies from a substance called Acetyl CoA.

    Acetyl CoA is itself a central compound of the body’s metabolism.

    It is made when we break down the fatty acids obtained from digestion of the fat we eat in our food.

    It is made too from certain amino acids in the protein we take in our food.

    It is also made from the carbohydrates in our food.

    Acetyl-CoA can also be derived from the alcohol we consume.

    The first step in making cholesterol in the body involves two molecules of acetyl-CoA condensing to form acetoacetyl-CoA. That is 2 Acetyl CoA’s join up or hold hands if you please. This reaction requires a catalyst called an enzyme to make the reaction occur.

    The next step in making cholesterol in the body involves the acetoacetyl-CoA made in the first step condensing or joining up with a next (i.e a third) acetyl-CoA. . This reaction also requires a catalyst called an enzyme to make the reaction occur.

    So as a result of this threesome if you please, we have a substance we call HMG-CoA for short.

    Next HMG-CoA is converted to a substance called mevalonate in a two step reaction.

    And yes you guessed correctly. This reaction also requires a catalyst called an enzyme to make the reaction occur. Except that this reaction (catalyzed by the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase) is considered to catalyze the rate-limiting step in the pathway of cholesterol synthesis and is the site of action of the most effective class of cholesterol-lowering drugs, the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (known as the statins)

    The drugs like Zocor and Lipitor block the further synthesis of cholesterol by all the several steps that follow by blocking the making of mevalonate. If the body does not make mevalonate, it can not make cholesterol.

    This is the mechanism of action of the drugs we call statins. Statins work by mimicking or pretending to be mevalonate, and thereby blocking the activity of the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase.

    The drug Vytorin contains as one of its components a statin (Simvastin), and so it is able to lower cholesterol levels by limiting the synthesis of cholesterol in the body.

    Does this mean that a person who takes statins, have no cholesterol in their blood stream?
    Of course not!

    Why is this, you may ask? The answer is because we take it in our diets with the fats we eat. Thats what the Vytorin ad says. We get cholesterol from the franks we eat , and from daddy Frank!

    So the Pharmaceutical companies made a drug (Ezetimibe) that blocks the absorption of cholesterol from the gut into the blood.

    So now we have statins that block the MAKING of cholesterol IN the body. And we have Ezetimibe which blocks the ABSORPTION of cholesterol INTO the body.

    So the manufacturers of these two drugs decide to get together and make a product that would as we say hit two birds with one stone. That is one drug formulation would now block the MAKING of cholesterol IN the body as well as . block the ABSORPTION of cholesterol INTO the body. The manufacturers were aiming for the synergistic effect of 1+1= 2. Hence Vytorin which is Ezetimibe and Simvastin.

    And as far as lowering the HDL cholesterol in the body and achieving an increase in the lowering of HDL cholesterol in the body, Vytorin was shown in clinical trials in 2004 to do as designed. Hence its approval and subsequent success on the market.
    So what is the issue?

    The enhance study showed that the combination drug Vytorin did not decrease the level of plaque build up in the arteries as was expected.

    Though 1+1= 2. was achieved for lowering of HDL cholesterol in the body, 1+1= 2. was NOT achieved for decreasing the level of plaque build up in the arteries as was expected

    Can we then say that Vytorin is useless, or that it does not work? I dont think so.

  7. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    Here is one accurate thing this unqualified moron said.

    When sugar enters the liver it has three choices.
    1 – Get directly transported for immediate energy use (ie. brain)
    2 – Get converted into glycogen for storage in muscles and some in the liver
    3 – Convert all other excess sugar into triglycerides (fat)

    So if you abuse sugar you will get FAT

    and guess what if you eat lots of FAT and dont burn it off in vigorous avtivity YOU WILL GET FAT TOO.

    If you are on a low carb diet and using too much fat and you are a diabetic YOU WILL GET DIABETIC KETOACIDOSIS! You will be in deep doo doo!

  8. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    Our brilliant gym man states that ….”So here’s what happens in your body after you have a meal.

    Let’s say that you just ate a typical carbohydrate rich meal with some pasta and bread. When you eat, each food (macronutrient) gets broken down into their respective digestible components.

    Protein into amino acids, carbohydrates into sugar and fat into fatty acids.

    All components go through your liver first. Your liver decides what to do with your basic components. So, after a meal high in carbohydrate foods, your going to have a lot of sugar going to your liver. And before it gets there, it passes by your pancreas where insulin is secreted. The more sugar there is the more insulin is secreted by your pancreas. And interestingly, the amount of insulin secreted allows your liver to make the necessary decision on what to do with all the sugar.
    ======================================
    It is NOT TRUE that not “All components go through your liver first.” We have already established that this NOT so, and that FATS are absorbed via the lymphatics into the circulatory system without going through the liver directly.

    It is also ERRONEOUS to say that “So, after a meal high in carbohydrate foods, your going to have a lot of sugar going to your liver. And before it gets there, it passes by your pancreas where insulin is secreted.”

    NOTE THAT FOOD IS ABSORBED FROM THE SMALL INTESTINE AND GOES FIRST TO THE LIVER VIA THE HEPATIC PORTAL VEIN.

    THE LIVER IS THE FIRST PROCESSOR OF SUGAR NOT THE PANCREAS. Note I DID NOT say that the pancreas does not influence the metabolism of sugar.

  9. David Avatar
    David

    Thanks Doc GP

    It is absolutely scary how people with a fan club can disseminate information of a technical nature in the glib way that they have done so. Isn’t there some oversight body that John Public or anybody for that matter could lodge a complaint. Misinformation on health matters is serious business.

  10. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    “Cholesterol causes heart disease and saturated fat increases cholesterol and hence saturated fat causes heart disease.” His mockery continues when he opines “ …fat became nationally demonized as the cause of heart disease (along with weight gain). “ One would think that there is no relationship between heart disease and fat and obesity.

    Clearly a high carb, low fat diet is not a “healthy heart” diet, but neither is the low carb high fat diet a better alternative. Sensible folk know that everything in moderation is a better deal. And the Biochemistry reveals that you must have some glucose on board to fire up the Krebs cycle so that acetylCoA units released from fat and protein metabolism can be processed. It is well known that in the absence of oxaloacetate from the Krebs cycle that acetyl CoA can not enter the Krebs cycle. If fats or proteins are taken in excess of carbs there will not be enough oxaloacetate to keep the Krebs cycle going and the acetyl CoA units will combine to form ketone bodies, and eventually cholesterol.

    The author then cites the study done by a Dr Yudkin that “specifically noticed that Key’s hand selected the countries that showed positive correlation between fat and heart disease, while conveniently leaving out other countries that didn’t fall nicely into his hypothesis. According to Dr. Yudkin, the data showed a much stronger correlation between sugar consumption and heart disease, than fat/cholesterol and heart disease. “
    So what? Yudkin did not prove that Keyes was wrong. He agreed that in some countries that there was indeed a positive correlation between fat and heart disease.

    Yudkin stressed that there is correlation between sugar consumption and heart disease. Should we be surprised? After all this confused twit then goes on later to correctly assert that excess carbohydates in one’s diet results in fat synthesis after some glucose is used up or stored as glycogen in the muscles or liver.

    Our Rok-et scientist in his rok-esque way does not seem to be cognizant of the fact that carbs, fats and proteins all release acetyl CoA in their metabolism, and that excessive consumption of ANY or ALL of them will cause the formation of ketone bodies and cholesterol. THIS IS ESPECIALLY VERY IMPORTANT FOR THOSE MONITORING OR MANAGING DIABETICS TO GRASP, because ketone bodies are very strong acids.

    When fatty acid oxidation in the liver is uncontrolled, as in severe diabetes or starvation, ketone body production becomes excessive and life-threatening, because when ketone bodies accumulate, they may not be completely metabolized by the body. And so there are elevated levels of ketone bodies in the blood.

    Under these conditions the blood pH becomes acidic, and can lead to death due to ketosis or ketoacidosis , which can often be detected by the odor of acetone on the breath.
    Because two of the ketone bodies are acids, they can lower the blood pH below 7.4, which is acidosis, a condition that often accompanies ketosis. A drop in blood pH can interfere with the ability of the blood to carry oxygen and cause breathing difficulties.

    Boyh of the ketone bodies b-hydroxybutyrate and acetoacetate are organic acids. These compounds are released in the protonated form, which means that their release tends to lower the pH of the blood. In normal individuals, other mechanisms compensate for the increased proton release, but individuals with untreated Type I diabetes mellitus often release ketone bodies in such large quantities that the normal pH-buffering mechanisms are overloaded!

    Under such conditions; the reduced pH, in combination with a number of other metabolic abnormalities associated with lack of insulin results in diabetic ketoacidosis, a life-threatening acute disorder of Type I diabetes.

    In most cases, the increase in ketone body concentration in blood is due to increased synthesis in liver; in severe ketoacidosis, cells begin to lose ability to use ketone bodies also.

    Why does ketosis or ketoacidosis occur with the very high concentration of ketone acids in the blood that accompanies diabetes, or starvation? Ketones are commonly elevated in the blood in states of diabetes, or starvation, as the body calls upon its fatty acids (stored as triglycerides) to break down and provide fuel. Ketones may also be elevated in diabetes mellitus, where glucose does not enter the cell and cannot be efficiently utilized.

    In these states the body breaks down triglycerides to provide the fatty acids and acetyl CoA useful as fuel, sometimes with formation of ketones as well. In severe diabetic ketosis, one may actually detect the smell of acetone coming from the patient, as mentioned before.

    It is clear that individuals eating diets extremely high in fat and low in carbohydrates, or starving, or suffering from a severe lack of insulin (Type I diabetes mellitus) therefore increase the synthesis and utilization of ketone bodies. Other diabetics are obviously also at risk.

  11. David Avatar
    David

    @Doc GP

    Here is the link to the Vytorin discussion of couple years back.

  12. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    The author of this silly article continues his moronic mouthings thus “Sadly, even with all the studies and information indicating that fat/cholesterol isn’t what causes heart disease, and that sugar consumption is the real culprit. The NCEP is still spreading false information. Political and financial reasons are probably the main reason behind this. The makers of cholesterol lowering drugs sell approximately 20 billion dollars annually. And these powerful pharmaceutical lobbyists practically own the politicians. Even worse, the American Academy of Pediatrics is now recommending cholesterol screening for kids as young as 2 years old and treating kids with statin (cholesterol lowering drugs) as young as 8 years old.

    =======================================
    He has to “beefs” here.
    1 The sale of statins
    2 Cholesterol screening for kids as young as 2 years old and treating kids with statin (cholesterol lowering drugs) as young as 8 years old.

    Drugs of all kinds should be avoided as much as possible. Drugs ought not to be presecribed or taken willy nilly as is the norm in contemporary societies. However, despite their potential and actual side effects many folk benefit from the judicious use of drugs.

    The statins have been found to be efficacious in lowering cllesterol levels especially in folk wit ACQUIRED HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA.

    Why are children aged 2 screened for cholesterol levels? Simple! Its an easy inexpensive way to adcertain the incidence or prevalences of FAMILIAL HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA !

    But the jackass diesnt know about this, or he is biased and dishonest and does not care to mention it. Such men are evil and wicked!

    : Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an autosomal dominant disorder that causes severe elevations in total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc).

    heterozygous FH occurs in approximately 1 per 500 persons worldwide.

    Because FH is associated with a high risk for premature coronary artery disease (CAD), health professionals should be alert to the signs found during a physical examination and to the laboratory values suggestive of FH.

    Early detection and aggressive management to lower the LDLc level helps prevent or slows the progression of coronary atherosclerosis. Moreover, if the first-degree relatives of a patient with FH are screened, other gene carriers can be identified and treated.

    Does the above paragraph make sense?

    FH is a disorder of absent or grossly malfunctioning low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptors. The LDL receptor, is the primary determinant of hepatic LDL uptake, which normally processes approximately 70% of circulating LDL.

    The ligand on LDL that binds to the receptor is apolipoprotein (apo) B-100. The LDL receptor also binds another ligand, apoE, which is found on most lipoproteins other than LDL. They include very low-density lipoprotein, chylomicrons and their remnants, and a subclass of high-density lipoprotein (HDL). The LDL receptor binds apoE with higher affinity than apoB-100, and some mutations in the receptor may spare binding to apoE.

    A major change in the number or functional status of LDL receptors directly affects serum cholesterol levels. If the liver does not take up LDL particles, serum LDLc levels increase. Also, when LDL is not internalized by the hepatocytes, hepatic synthesis of cholesterol is not suppressed.

    This leads to further cholesterol production despite high levels of circulating cholesterol. Therefore, circulating cholesterol levels are increased dramatically.

    The total and LDLc levels of infants and children with homozygous FH are higher than 600 mg/dL. In patients with heterozygous FH, half the LDL receptors are normal and half are rendered ineffective by the mutation.

    These patients’ total cholesterol and LDLc levels are higher than twice the population average. LDLc levels of 200-400 mg/dL are common.

    Can you see now why the screening is necessary?

    Thats why I said in Mach 2008 that one has to know how to read and interpret the medical literature. People are writing articles for which they are paid to include or exclude what their sponsors dictate. This includes doctors as well as laymen (like the UK doctor who has been struck of the register for untrutful and unethical “research” on vaccines.
    D

  13. Elly Avatar
    Elly

    Well gentlemen, you’re obviously very intelligent people (note the sarcasm). Once you’re done slapping each other on the back and congratulating one-another on another hypothesis disproved, why don’t you make the effort to provide the everyday day layperson with some legitimate advice to help them maintain their quality of life. Too busy working on your response to the next “unqualified moron” who dares to interpret findings differently to yourself? Thought so.

  14. Anon Avatar
    Anon

    Has it occured to you Elly that Dr GP by correcting the obvious errors in the article that David posted has in so doing actually provided good advice for the everyday layman?

    Are they everynight laymen as well Elly?

    Your sarcasm and useless popst only serves to highlight your own personal ignorance, hatred and envy. I would think that Dr GP must as a Barbados Exhibition winner , qualified doctor and medical school teacher have some intelligence. I certainly do as it is clearly evident in his posts above.

    Can you debunk or refute anything that Dr GP has said? Can you add anything of substance to the discussion. You cant, or else you would. Your ignorance precludes your doing so.

    When will we as black people respect our own people?

    Has Dr GP not given of much of his time over the last two years to share his knowledge of medicine and health science with BU readers?

    Has anyone else taken the time to respond to the article that David has posted?

    Has Dr GP shown clearly why the author of the article is incorrect. Have you tried to check whether Dr GP is correct or incorrect online? Are you capable of doing so? Or have you checked and found that Dr GP is again correct?

    Dont you wish that you had such knowledge and ability to articulate your views as he does with his flair and panache?

    How many doctors are they in Barbados? How many of them have taken the time to come on BU and offer an opinion or any advice at all on medical or health matters.

  15. David Avatar
    David

    @Elly

    Your response is devoid of logic.

    Is the biochem by Doc GP correct or not? That is what is germane to the layman at this point.

    We don’t want ordinary people reading Shin Ohtake’s article and running with it if it is erroneous.

    BU posted a comment on his website earlier today suggesting he visits BU to respond to Doc GP. So far nothing.

    Elly are you Shin Ohtake?

  16. Vic Avatar
    Vic

    so are the intelligent docs saying that cholesterol causes heart disease ? This is the essence of Shin’s article.
    His minor pointers may have been flawed , but you have been dishonest as hell in keeping silent on this one main issue : Does cholesterol cause heart disease ?
    Maybe you’re a stooge for the ‘pharma’ industry and make money selling statins….just another money loving doctor hiding behind technicalities without answering the main questions that matter.
    that’s worse than a moron! and you think you can reason……feel free to reply.

  17. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    I don’t think that I can reason Sir….I KNOW!

    And no, I am not a stooge for the ‘pharma’ industry nor do I make money selling statins.

    And I have not written a prescription for many years, because you see I have been teaching Basic Medical Sciences especially Biochemistry and Pharmacology, inter alia.

    And no I am not hiding behind technicalities, instead I have dissected the article and debunked the nonsense therein.

    If you knew any basic Basic medical sciences you would know that the issues I raised are important fundamental issues of Anatomy and Physiology, inter alia, and not minor pointers, as you opine.

    It seems that you, like the author are not really qualified to opine on this matter.

    But you are indeed correct when you p[osit that what you call his “minor pointers” are FLAWED. Yes Sir! THEY ARE FLAWED IN A MAJOR WAY SUCH THAT IT MAKES THE AUTHOR OF THE ARTICLE MOST UNRELIABLE & UNSUITABLE for consumption for those capable of reading the medical litterature.

    If you will read the article again, with the help of some functioning Betz cells from someone (since you have none of your own) you will find that there is no essence what so ever in the article. It is a rambling rant filled with Scientific error throughout, and the author’s bias.

    By no stretch of the imagination is the essence of Shin’s article that cholesterol causes heart disease.

    And intelligent doctors around the globe do believe that there is a strong association and correlation with high cholesterol levels and heart disease, WHETHER THE CHOLESTEROL ARISES FROM AN EXCESSIVE INTAKE OF FAT or FROM AN EXCESSIVE INTKE OF CARBOHYDRATES

    In BOTH CASES THERE WILL BE AN EXCESS OF ACTYL COA WHICH WILL BE CONVERTED TO CHOLESTEROL

    IN THE CASE OF EXCESS CARBOHYDRATES AN EXCESS OF ACTYL COA WILL ARISE FROM THE DECARBOYLATION OF PYRUVATE..

    IN THE CASE OF EXCESS FAT THE EXCESS OF ACTYL COA WILL ARISE FROM BETA OXIDATION.

    Go check it online if you dont believe me. LOL

    If you will read the article again, with the help of some functioning Betz cells from someone (since you have none of your own) you will find also that this basic science moron put the emphasis on carbohydrates and insulin. He blames carbohydrates and insulin for everything.

    Now tell me who is paying him to write this bovine excrement?

    You will notice that the first responder to the Scammer’s article Stephen Guy-Clarke realized that carbohydrates and insulin seemed to be the authors main focus, and that he responded to this issue, correctly if not fully.

    Mr Clarke did not include the important role of epinephrine, nor did he address the important role of the counter regulatory hormones in diabetes especially.

    Seeing that Mr Clarke’s response was accurate, that was the only issue raised in the totally erroneous article that I did not address. But you would not know that, because you are blinded by your bias and your desire to discredit my knowledge and scholarship, and your obvious and blissfull ignorance of the Basic Medical Sciences.

    If you will read the article properly again or get some one to interpret what is said therein you will notice that ALL of the issues raised in the piece of junk was adressed, and not what you in your obvious ignorance think is important.

    You may now put your little tail between your legs and slink of to the nearest garbage heap in search of a sardine tot to retrieve.

    I have asked David to post a ppt on the synthesis of cholesterol, which goes into it in much more detail than I did in the discussion in 2008.

    If I get the time I will put together another ppt to adress all thes issues raised .

  18. Vic Avatar
    Vic

    there’s a big difference between cause and correlation……whether you or i have Betz cells or not…………… Name calling is too easy and I don’i see myself slinking away, not yet anyway. Nor am i stubborn or dogmatic to hold onto to outdated notions like that of Ancel keyes that saturated fat causes heart disease……he never proved it but the polyunsaturated oil industry (and the ‘pharma’ industry later on) loved in. No prizes for guessing why.

    its a pity you have not updated your knowledge but its not too late. Credit should be given where its due. Shin has addressed a pertinent issue where many of us would have thought otherwise ,that its fat that is the bad guy. Everything is low fat nowdays yet heart disease is at epidemic levels.

    http://www.ravnskov.nu/cholesterol.htm
    The following link above is where i come from. I didn’t need Betz cells to understand this issue. Try checking up on weston.a price foundation .
    Nowdays being qualified to opine on a matter is just an excuse to promote one’s personal view and interests…………..product sales by bankers , statins and god knows what else by some doctors.
    The cholesterol Myth seems very real , sharp insulin spikes by carbs and sugar seem very bad. It seems shin was right to target this issue though he may have gotten his technical supporting arguments wrong…..

  19. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    ” sharp insulin spikes by carbs and sugar” is nothing new. That was the basis of the Atkins diet over 30 years ago.

    Sharp insulin spikes by carbs and sugar caused more sugar to be taken out of the blood and CONVERTED TO ACETLY COA UNITS!

    So whether you eat nuff carbs or fas or proteins you end up with ACETYL COA UNITS IN ABUNDANCE.

    When you have ACETYL COA UNITS IN ABUNDANCE AND EXCESS YOU CAN DO ONE OF TWO THINGS WITH THEM
    1 MAKE KETONE BODIES

    2 MAKE CHOLESTEROL.

    ” sharp insulin spikes by carbs and sugar” means NOTHING BY ITSELF!

    ” sharp insulin spikes by carbs and sugar” LEADS TO INCREASED ACETYL CO A UNITS AND ITS CONSEQUENCES? Ah lie?

    And hypercholesterolemiais BOTH
    1 AN ACQUIRED DISEASE and
    B A HEREDITARY DISEASE.

    I dont care two hoots about either the polyunsaturated oil industry or the the ‘pharma’ industry.

    I have said repeatedly that trans fats are bad. I have never promoted drugs or polyunsaturated oils. I do not myself cook with oils Ok

    You say that Ancel keyes idea that saturated fat causes heart disease is an outdated notion but have you thought it through Sir. I promise you that if you eat lots of carbs you WILL MAKE LOTS OF ACETLY COA

    YOU WILL NOTE THAT THIS FACT IS NOT OUTDATED AS IT IS BASIC BASIC BIOCHEMISTRY

    ” sharp insulin spikes by carbs and sugar” is BAD AND LEADS TO AN INCREASE IN ACETYL COA UNITS.

    BUT GUESS WHAT INCREASED FAT INTAKE WHETHER OF SATURATED OR UNSATURATED FATS WILL ALSO LEAD TO AN INCREASE IN ACETYL COA UNITS.

    YOU KNOW WHERE TO CHECK TO FIND THIS BASIC BASIC BIOCHEMISTRY.

    Shin has NOT addressed any pertinent issue.

    The level of your Biochemical illiteracy is outstanding and yet you want to challenge me because you cant understand what you are reading. I will not read the jink you ask me to read. I wont waste my time

    You say “Everything is low fat nowdays yet heart disease is at epidemic levels.”

    Sure there is much hype about low fat but are the masses heading this advice? Is the diet of those who have heart disease not laced with much fat?

    Are you saying and can you prove that low fat diets is the cause of the epidemic of which you speak?

    And if folk took no fat at all in thier diets but ate only carbohydrates would they not get FAT most highly esteemed Biochemistry dunce.

    Did you know that you cant make carbohydrates from fats, but LOTS OF CABOHYDRATES WILL MAKE LOTS OF FAT.

    Why is this? LET ME TELL YOU ONE MORE TIME

    Each glucose unit you take in is converted to 2 pyruvate units by the glycolytic pathway. Ah lie? (Go read it up Its online. If you dont understand it yourself, get some one to explain it for you.)

    Next each pyruvate unit is decarboxlated in a complex process to give an ACETYL COA UNIT.

    So each glucose unit gives 2 ACETYL COA UNITS.

    So if you have a high carb diet you will not only get ” sharp insulin spikes by carbs and sugar” YOU WILL MAKE KETONE BODIES AND CHOLESTEROL. Ah lie?

    You will find this information on several websites.

    It does get boring beating up on brainless boys who would like to challenge my understanding of Biochemistry. I answer questions nicely from would be learners but FOOLS LIKE YOU MUST BE STAMPED ON! YOU DO NOT HAVE A CLUE WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT. AND YOU ARE DISPLAYING YOUR IGNORANCE!

    cholesterol is NOT A MYTH cholesterol is REAL!

    sharp insulin spikes by carbs and sugar are part of life as when epinephrine is called upon to generate fuel for FIGHT FRIGHT OR FLIGHT

    sharp insulin spikes by carbs and sugar are are dealt with by the body very easily once you are not diabetic.

    Now tell me about how the body deals with HIGH CHOLESTEROL LEVELS WHETHER FROMMEXCESSIVE INTAKE OF CARBS OR PROTEINS OR FATS.

    EAT NUFF OF ANY OF THE ABOVE AND YOU WILL GET FAT.

    Come again my friend I need some cheap entertainment!

  20. David Avatar
    David

    @GP

    Will upload after conversion.

  21. Christopher Halsall Avatar
    Christopher Halsall

    @BU.David… Your slip is showing…

    @GP… Would you like to play a game?

    I challenge you — if your God does not agree with what I am doing, let him strike me down by lightening.

    Not my family or my friends, but me personally.

    God All Mighty… Please strike me down by lightening if you don’t agree my questions have merit…

    I’m waiting….

  22. David Avatar
    David

    @Chris

    What slip is that?

  23. David Avatar
    David

    Posted with the compliments of Doc GP

    Synthesis of Cholesterol detailed

    Lipid Metabolism For BU Thread On Cholesterol

  24. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    David
    What really amuses me is when Biochem illiterates read stuff online and then come thinking that they can teach you something because they find stuff on some website that they clearly dont understand, and some how figure that your knowledge is in the dark ages.

    I recently taught a Biochem class for three terms in which the students had to write in a Critical Thinking Problems for one week, on the topic ” Cholesterol is bad and should be eliminated from the diet.” Do you agree or disagree? Defend your answer.
    •
    Here is a preliminary outline I gave them.

    A Suggested Outline/Plan (you can modify it as you like)
    • a- What is cholesterol? (Show structure)
    • b- List and describe the good/useful features of the steroid cholesterol in the body?
    • c- List and describe the bad / disadvantageous features of cholesterol in the body?
    • d-Is all cholesterol derived from the diet? If not, how is it made in the body, and transported? e-Does regulation of synthesis and transport of cholesterol or any defects that inhibit such regulation play a part in the possible ill effects of cholesterol levels in the body?

    • Remember that “cholesterol inhibits its own biosynthesis and activates an enzyme that stores cholesterol in cholesterol ester droplets”, thereby exerting some internal balance in the body”
    • Remember also that “high concentrations of cholesterol inside the cell also inhibit the synthesis of LDL receptors to ensure that the cell will not take up too much cholesterol.
    • Remember also that “People with hypercholesterolemia who have a genetic defect in the gene coding for the LDL receptor do not take up as much cholesterol. As a result they accumulate LDL cholesterol in the plasma. This excess plasma cholesterol is then deposited on the artery walls, causing atherosclerosis.”

    • f- Conclusion.
    • Is cholesterol really that bad?
    • Or do we have to balance the good things about it by reducing the bad things by maintaining cholesterol levels in the body.
    • g- Can we intervene with drugs to keep things in balance by decreasing synthesis in the body, or by reducing uptake by the body, so we can reap the benefits of the good about cholesterol?
    • If Yes, can you name any of these drugs, and say how they work?

    • Ideally, this is the level to which we must aspire to think, and the answers we must find.
    • After all this is the sort of information that you want to walk away with from a course such as this in a Health Science degree Program.
    • I have posted a file from a discussion on a blog that I was involved in on cholesterol synthesis and Lipitor & Vytorin in Doc sharing that you might find useful for this exercise.

    Does this outline indicate that my knowledge on cholesterol is outdated?

  25. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    If the betzpaenics had understood the litterature that they ought to have been reading about cholesterol they might be able to tell us some of the good things about cholesterol as my students were able to grasp from by teaching and guidance.

    Here is part of an essay by one student on the Good about Cholesterol

    Cholesterol is required for membrane synthesis, steroid synthesis, and in the liver, bile synthesis.

    Cholesterol helps with building cells membranes. It is also essential for production of hormones and the protection of the skin.

    Cholesterol promotes the production of Vitamin D and is involved in bile acid production.

    Cholesterol is an important element in building and maintaining cell membranes. It creates strong rigid cell walls, and helps the cell protect itself from foreign bodies. Immunity of the cell is built from cholesterol; and cholesterol also increases fluidity of the membranes.

    When cholesterol is existent in a phospholipids membrane it prevents transition to the crystalline state; and in order for normal cellular function to occur, cholesterol is definitely needed.

    The presence of cholesterol in a phospholipid membrane interferes with the close packing of fatty acid tails in the crystal state, and thus inhibits transition to the crystalline state. Phospholipid membranes with a high concentration of cholesterol have a fluidity intermediate between the liquid crystal and crystal states.

    Cholesterol is the precursor to all steroid hormones including mineralocorticoids, glucocortiods, and both male and female sex hormones. Mineralocorticoids (e.g. aldosterone) regulate ion concentrations, mineral balance and blood pressure, and glucocortiods like cortisol enhance carbohydrate metabolism.
    Cholesterol is needed to synthesize hormones such as cortisol, aldosterone, and the sex hormones: estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. Pregnenolone is converted to progesterone, which is the hormone that is associated with the starting and completion of pregnancy. Progesterone in turn is converted into the glucocortiod, cortisol, which is involved in glucose and glycogen metabolism in the body, and controls inflammation.
    Testosterone is a sex hormone referred to as an aldrogen, which regulates libido, muscle mass and other roles. Both testosterone and estrogen are involved with the development of male and female sex characteristics such as deep voices with males and breasts with females.
    Cholesterol is also a precursor of Vitamin D. Cholesterol promotes the production of Vitamin D and also maintains it. Sunlight is required to turn cholesterol into Vitamin D, and as a result; Vitamin D helps improve the immune system. Vitamin D is also required for metabolism of calcium and phosphorus, and this comes from cholesterol.

    Cholesterol is secreted by the skin glands and also helps protect the skin from foreign bodies, dehydration, cracking, and harmful rays from the sun. Cholesterol also aids in the healing of scar and burn injuries, and prevents skin infection.

    Bile acids are the end products of cholesterol utilization. Bile acids are synthesized in the liver from cholesterol and secreted in the bile. Bile acids are used to digest the insoluble or harmful fat that enters the body through the foods that we eat. Recent studies of bile acids suggest that bile acids are an essential metabolic regulator of lipid, glucose, and energy homeostasis

    Dont you think that my students learned something about cholesterol from the black bajan boy. Why do the locals in Bim think that he they cant learn anything from him.

    Maybe I will give you some thoughts about the Bad about cholesterol or a ppt thereon LOL

  26. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    Oh yes David I have sent my students to BU to read our discussions on Caster Semanya and all about fats and cholesterol LOL

    And No David. I was not able to collect any royalties to pay you this time.

  27. David Avatar
    David

    Another presentation by Doc GP.

    BASIC SCIENCES & BIOCHEMISTRY FOR BETZPAENIC BRIMBLERS

  28. David Avatar
    David

    One thing about you Doc GP, when you biting is trouble…lol.

    Will let MME, Not Saved et al grade you man, David or other members of the BU household are not* competent so to do on the subject of biochem.

    Eagerly await Vic’s response to your biochem onslaught. Hope you are not this verbally edged with your students…lol.

  29. Pat Avatar
    Pat

    @ Dr. GP

    Well, I wont beat my brains out over those two. People, like myself, who are interested take your information seriously. Let people who want to, eat themselves to death. The information is free, but no one can make a person use it.

    Thanks for the slide package.

  30. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    No students and I have fun. I joke a lot in class I joke a lot when I teach Bible too.

    Also students ask questions if they dont understand.

    They dont come with this judgemental attitude and BS about big pharma etc. They are glad for the guidance, and know that they must support what ever they say by two or three relevant references..

    Student whom I quoted above above was happy that she could go from scratch and produce good articles under my supervision.

    I waiting pun de idiot too. He can have some more stuff that was shared on this topic between the students and I

  31. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    Thanks Pat

    I wont be beating my brains out. i just pick out a few slides and put together a ppt and ask David to upload it. Not only is the info free but never in the history of Bajan journalism has any one brought this type of information to our people and tryto explain things by the clear illustrations in these ppts.

    Give the credit to David.

    There is a need for folk to come to BU with serious information that is factual, and to stop trying to demean and denigrate folk trying to share good info.

  32. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    David

    Man I here waiting for your assigned head teachers to come and correct my Basic Science, but I dont expect Elly and Vic the mock stick to return.

    After all, all the diagrams that have been displayed illustrating the interrelationships between the metabolic pathways of proteins, fats and carbohydrates reveal two overwhelming things .
    1. Fat production is favored by a number of pathways.
    2. Acetyl CoA is located on the crossroads of the metabolic pathways of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

    When ever you metabolize food you dont get high sugar levels YOU GET ACETYLCoA., and acetylCoA can do one of two things including the SYNTHESIS OF CHOLESTEROL.

    Now cholesterol naturally has a number of good functions as revealed in the extract from my student’s essay above. But cholesterol can sometimes be a very very naughty boy too!

  33. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    David * Pat

    A word on “sharp insulin spikes by carbs and sugar”

    Around 1986 I read that when food is absorbed that the spike in insulin that is the natural consequence may be more than normal in diabetics and in folk with a predisposition the gain weight. The result of this phenomenon was to cause a relative hypoglycemia in these folk that cause them to feel hungry again though they have just eaten

    I discovered that I would leave work, go home and eat a good plate of food, and then go to conduct a 2 hr session at my private clinic, and then return home after seven and eat again!

    So I went on the Atkins diet or my version of it.

    I spent hours in JB’s and Big B checking labels for calorie counts, and discovered that one of the few packaged foods in the supermarkets was Campbell’s soups WITH A CALORIE COUNT LESS THAN 100 calories.

    So for breakfast I would mix the contents of a tin of required calorie count with a can of water and use that “to break the air out of my stomach ” as Bajans would say.

    after work I would go straight to my clinic and eat crackers and cheese . At that time JB’s sol a diet drink with no calories called Fay go I started using those cause they had a low calorie count. I saved a number of these 16 oz bottles and then I would buy REAL LEMON dilute it 16:1 and sweeten it with sachharin tabs. I got good results on this regime without changing anything else.

    The most interesting thing I discovered then is that in our master mart there were only THESE THREE PACKAGED PRODUCTS THAT WERE SUITABLE FOR FOLK WITH WEIGHT PROBLEMS AND DIABETICS BOTH OF WHOM HAVE A LOT IN COMMON

    CONSUMERS ESPECIALLY DIABETICS MUST BE ESPECIALLY AWARE THAT ‘DIABETIC CORNERS” IN SUPERMARKETS SHOULD BE AVOIDED LIKE THE PLAGUE as there is lots of hidden sugar in these products. It was at that time that I gave up tomato ketchup which is laced with sugar –probably to cut the natural acidity of the tomatoes.

    For those of you doing weight training in the gyms dont forget to do the 2o minute cardio part first

    This not only helps uyour cardiovasciular and respiratory system but it burns your sugar stores in muscles and liver. So when you start on the weights you are ready to burn your fat stores .

    When you are burning fat you will taste it! LOL How? You will taste the ketone bodies especially the acetone on your breath!

    Check it out and tell me Pat
    Pat give me your Bajan variation on my non cook attempt at modifying Atkins

    I found that the theory in the many diet books I owned and read was great BUT getting the foods mentioned in the back was …………………..not available or very expensive!

  34. David Avatar
    David

    @Doc GP

    Looks like you scared them away.

  35. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    You cant scare these morons man. They dont know any science to come back. They dont understand what they read on the internet. They just wanted to cuss me forgetting that I knew what I was talking about.

    I hope that the BU households is picking up some pointers.

    When all is said and done it seems that we were healthier when we were poorer. we were doing a lot og good things especiallt the cod liver oil etc

  36. David Avatar
    David

    @Doc GP

    The BU household is a big fan of Cod Liver Oil but in capsule form. Hope there is no difference between the capsule and the oil.

  37. Christopher Halsall Avatar
    Christopher Halsall

    @David: “The BU household is a big fan of Cod Liver Oil but in capsule form.

    I consider this a reasonable (although extreme) question…

    @BU.David…

    Are you Dr. Georgie Porgie’s bitch.

    Or is he yours?

  38. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    Cod liver oil is one of the omega 3 fatty acids that the scientists talk a lot about today………………………..long after we were into that in Barbados LOL

  39. Pat Avatar
    Pat

    @ Dr. GP

    Re the high spikes in insulin after consuming carbs and sugar, you just have to eat some protein with, or after ingesting these foods. The protein acts as a blanket and slows the absorption of the of the “sugars”. My nurse practitioner suggested 8-12 almonds, a tablespoon of peanut butter or an ounce of cheese, low fat of course.

    I would move the cardio up from 20 minutes to a full half hour. You have to have a 3 minute warm up and a five minute cool down, plus you must have the heart rate up to its max for at least five minutes of the cardio. I do one hour of cardio and one hour of weights three times a week. Now that gardening season is here, I try to fit in two sessions at the gym every week.

    Re your modified diet. You needed some protein man. Protein make you feel fuller and takes longer to digest. My favourie is sardines. I am now into smoked sprats for breakfast. Tried draining the oil over the dustbin and lost half my sardines. Man, the tin had in four and two fell in the garbage. Since that day, I only eat two sardines. If guess it is psychology. Two were sufficient then, so the brain said, all you need are two sardines! lol!

    I think Jamaicans have breakfast down pat. They eat like kings for breakfast. Big, big, like dinners. Lunch is good too and then they have jerk and festivals for supper. The smaller meal in the evening. No wonder they seem so tall and skinny. They walk a lot also.

    Re the fat burning, so that is what that taste is. That is why I am always sipping my water bottle at the gym. I wonder, does it smell? lol!

    Dr. GP, you have to do like me and start growing your vegetables. Nothing tastes like a home grown carrot, eaten in the garden with mud still on it. Or a cucumber straight from the vine or some tender raw green beans and a handful of cherry tomatoes. Most days in summer I eat my lunch in my plot. I take my water bottle or sometimes a thermos of tea. If I go after breakfast, I take just fruit and some nuts and come home for lentil soup and whole grain bread for lunch.

    Did I tell you I planted some corn for roasting? Got them off a lady from Burundi. She said Canadian corn too soft and so she got her roasting corn from Africa. She and another Congolese friend say they also play the “ship on sea, sailing free, how many men on deck” game to get others roasted corn. It surely is a small world. I hope these corn produce fruit. Another African lady planted African corn, it was 15 feet tall but not a corn in sight. The season here was too short. It was probably heritage seed to boot. Man, everyone in the garden would look at these corn, laugh and ask her when were they going to bear. ha ha ha.

  40. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    Pat
    The point I made about the cardio is that you are burning your glycogen stores before you start with the weights. This means when you start with the weights you are straight in to fat burning LOL So with the extra cardio you are probably burning anf glycogen stores you build up between exercise sessions.

    Re Now that gardening season is here, Depending on what movements you are doing in the garden especially with your legs you might well be burning a lot more than you think in the garden.

    Re your modified diet. You needed some protein man. Probably. It worked well back then until I abandoned it when I got into some building program.

    I use a lot of sardines which is good stuff it contains of the two omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Foods that are good sources of EPA and DHA include fish such as Salmon, Lake trout, Albacore tuna, Mackerel and Sardines. (SLAMS!) (Some texts give the following mnemonic for remembering the recommended fish as SMASH: Salmon, Mackerel, Anchovies, Sardines, and Herring.) All of these fish contain high levels of the two omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

    Recognize any of them? Many of those were standard poor people food when we were growing up LOL Mot oily fried chicken and fries from fast food joints!

    Re the fat burning, so that is what that taste is. That is why I am always sipping my water bottle at the gym. I wonder, does it smell? lol!

    Cant grow anything in this gated community. But I grew up much like what you are describing. But you seem to be having a ball.

    DAVID WE BAJANS GOT TO GET BACK TO SARDINES HERRING MACKAREL AND COD LOL

  41. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    Pat & David

    Note also that DHA is one of the major fatty acids in the phospholipids of sperm and brain cells, as well as in the retina.

    It has also been shown to reduce triglyceride levels by an as yet understood mechanism.

    Note also that linolenic acid is an essential fatty acid which seems to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease
    However, it is not clear whether it acts alone or because it is the precursor of DHA and EPA.
    So whereas we must have fat in our diets we can chose the fats that will give us the most benefit—-as we apparemtly used to do when we were more healthy

  42. mario Avatar
    mario

    What is Doc GPs view on freeze dried liver tablets. Liver is extraordinarily high in cholesterol but the processed tablets remove much of the fat.
    Would you recommend for or against taking them.

  43. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    I dont see anything wrong really
    Remember high levels of cholesterol is a relative issue since as we have pointed out cholesteriol is not all bad.

  44. Pat Avatar
    Pat

    @ Dr. GP

    It rained all day today. I went stir crazy. Went to the gym and came home and cleaned like mad. Still was restless. Kept looking out the windows and doors. Went to the garden, but had to come back home. Too wet. Cooked, still restless, so polished the piano, changed the table cloth in the dining room, clean the downstairs bathroom and the rain still falling. Man, I hope it stops tomorrow. I told my mother I would go pick some strawberries for her tomorrow.

    Man, we are now into Spanish mackerel. Delicious and cheap too.

  45. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    Pat
    Seems you had a ball today

  46. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @ Georgie Porgie.

    “WE BAJANS GOT TO GET BACK TO SARDINES HERRING MACKAREL AND COD LOL”

    I no longer have a choice. Fortunately I can also add fresh Mackerel and Salmon to my diet.
    My Doc says blood pressure normal but Cholesterol too high so may have to take medication soon.

    Thanks for the medical info you provide GP.

  47. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Hi Hants
    Do some weight training my friend and some good exercise Go on a balance diet and you might stave it off yet .

  48. wonderfulflowergarden.com Avatar
    wonderfulflowergarden.com

    Skipping breakfast does not lead to weight loss, which often leads to the opposite. Your weight, if you skip breakfast, because you tend to eat more calories during the day.
    You want breakfast to start your metabolism, so you energy. A car does not run empty and your body. Filling the car with petrol, and just watch. It’s the same with your body to feed a healthy breakfast.

  49. Butterlover Avatar
    Butterlover

    I agree with you that cholesterol is not the bad guy as it has been made to look. I believe the old “research” from the 70’s has been made to increase the margarine industry and milk-industry so that people would buy their processed new products. They add sugar to all low-fat products. This is worse than fat itself. Sugar is the cause for high cholesterol levels together with the fact that if you do not eat cholesterol then your liver will start to pump it even more. Here is an interesting book have a look Book about cholesterol!

  50. Mike Avatar
    Mike

    Hello – I have just read the indepth comments here re Shin Ohtake’s article after having read his article. I am a personal trainer who gives nutritional advice but I am not a scientist. I will therefore not question the biochemistry side of things. The issue I have is who to believe regarding the what causes heart disease. I am sure everyone trying to fight it has the right motivations.
    My questions relate to Georgie Porgie’s comments on some of the studies mentioned. He says that Yudkins did not prove Keyes wrong as there was a correlation between fat/cholesterol and heart disease in some countries. What about the others? How many countries were left out. What would the correlation have been if the whole data set was included? Why were some left out? If it is because the correlation would have been less, surely this would suggest that for the 7 countries in the study that something else as well as / instead of cholesterol is correlated. Is there data out there to prove that cholesterol is the cause of heart disease? This brings me to the second question I have relating to the study on statins mentioned. Surely the efficacy of a drug should be measured by it’s effect on on lowering heart disease and not something that we think is correlated with heart disease. To a lay person like myself the rationale for the use of statins seems flawed because their primary aim is to lower cholesterol but we only seem to be able to prove a correlation between cholesterol and heart disease in some countries. The study mentioned stated that the build up of arterial plaque was not affected. Surely the build up of arterial plaque is of more concern than elevated cholesterol levels for the majority of people.
    For me the issue is not the biochemistry behind the production of cholesterol but the interpretation of the stuides that have been done and the action taken on the basis of that interpretation. The science community cannot seem to agree on this one which makes the life of normal everyday people that bit harder. One final point. When talking about low carb diets Georgie Porgie says that without glucose,the blood would become acidic, ketones would be produced as well as cholesterol. Low carb is not NO carb. Prior to the agricultural revolution it would have been difficult to get carbs in the quantities and the refined states in which we get them today. If people ate a diet composed of natural unrefined whole foods it would effectively be a low carb diet relative to recommendations that come from governements such as the US and UK but there would still be sufficient carbs in the diet for health and survival. After all the human race made to around 10 to 20 thousand years ago without wheat and refined sugar.

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