More Cholesterol more wisdom?

More cholesterol more wisdom (?) but beware of heart attack.

Tumhara khun khun or hamara khun pani? Often we hear the dialogue in Indian cinema. But our blood became oily. Telvala khun! However it has boosted up the brain power of the humans as the brain is also made of fat. 

Cholesterol is a waxy steroid of fat that is produced in the liver (20-25%), intestines, adrenal glands and reproductive organs. It is used to produce hormones and cell membranes and is transported in the blood plasma. It is required to establish proper membrane permeability and fluidity. Cholesterol is recycled. It is excreted by the liver via the bile into the digestive tract. Typically about 50% of the excreted cholesterol is reabsorbed by the small bowel back into the bloodstream. 

Cholesterol is an important precursor molecule for the synthesis of vitamin D and the steroid hormones, including adrenal gland hormones cortisol and aldosterone as well as sex hormones progesterone, estrogens and testosterone.

There are several types of lipoproteins within blood called, i.e., VLDL (very low density lipoproteins), LDL (low density lipoproteins), and HDL (high density lipoproteins). 

LDL (bad cholesterol) molecules are the major carriers of cholesterol in the blood. These molecules form foam cells and often trapped in the walls of blood vessels and contribute to atherosclerotic plaque formation. These plaques are the main causes of heart attacks, strokes, and other serious medical problems. HDL (good cholesterol) particles are thought to transport cholesterol back to the liver for excretion or to other tissues that use cholesterol to synthesize hormones in a process known as reverse cholesterol transport (RCT). 

Cholesterol is oxidized by the liver into a variety of bile acids. The excretion and reabsorption of bile acids forms the basis of the enterohepatic circulation, which is essential for the digestion and absorption of dietary fats. When more concentrated, as in the gallbladder, cholesterol crystallises and is the major constituent of most gallstones. 

The total blood cholesterol level should be: < 200 mg normal blood cholesterol, 200–239 mg borderline-high,  > 240 mg high cholesterol. The desirable LDL level is considered to be less than 100 mg, although a newer upper limit of 70 mg. A ratio of total cholesterol to HDL—another useful measure—of far less than 5:1 is thought to be healthier. 

All foods containing animal fat contain cholesterol to varying extents. Major dietary sources of cholesterol include cheese, egg yolks, beef, pork, poultry, fish and shrimp. Total fat intake, especially saturated fat and trans fat plays a larger role in blood cholesterol than intake of cholesterol itself. Saturated fat is present in full fat dairy products, animal fats, several types of oil and chocolate. Trans fat is most often encountered in margarine and hydrogenated vegetable fat, and consequently in many fast foods, snack foods, and fried or baked goods.

A change in diet in addition to other lifestyle modifications may help reduce blood cholesterol. Avoiding animal products may decrease the cholesterol levels in the body not only by reducing the quantity of cholesterol consumed but also by reducing the quantity of cholesterol synthesized. Elevated cholesterol levels are treated with a strict diet consisting of low saturated fat, trans fat-free, low cholesterol foods, often followed by one of various hypolipidemic agents, such as statins, fibrates, cholesterol absorption inhibitors, nicotinic acid derivatives or bile acid sequestrants. 

As statin drugs are affecting the synthesis of cholesterol, it may reduce the memory power (brain is made of fat) and have side effects on liver in long run.

Cholesterol can be controlled through diets but what to do? Our life style becomes irregular. Our kitchens are left with the servants or the hoteliers. The spouses have lost interest in cooking. Therefore the science of cooking food as per the seasons and day light time is missing from all homes. The teachings of Ayurveda (how to live long?) have been forgotten.

Living in stress can aggravate the secretion of adrenal gland and can increase the level of cholesterol. Please stop living in stress (meditate or mediate!) and also stop giving stress to others. Though stress is like a chilly essential for boosting up the enthusiasm and performance, but should be within the tolerance level. Music comes from the balance. A loose wire of a violin produces no music and it breaks if tightened.  

I shall give some tips in my next mail. 

Shubham bhavatu Kalyanam.

Punamchand

3 November 2011

NB: 

1.        Cholesterol synthesis is a very complex issue. There were Nobel Prizes given in Physiology or Medicine to clarify its pathway 

2.        It is debatable that a diet, changed to reduce dietary fat and cholesterol, can lower blood cholesterol levels, (and thus reduce the likelihood of development of, among others, coronary artery disease leading to coronary heart disease), because any reduction to dietary cholesterol intake could be counteracted by the organs compensating to try to keep blood cholesterol levels constant.