Cholesterol

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol's health and healing properties

Symptoms of low cholesterol

Cholesterol food sources

References

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a type of fat found in all animals. It is an essential part of cell membranes, and is used in the body to make bile, steroid hormones, and fat-soluble vitamins including Vitamin A, D, E and K. It plays an essential part in most body processes. Three quarters of the cholesterol in a healthy adult is made by the liver, intestines, adrenal glands and other organs in the body. The remaining quarter of the cholesterol comes from food. If there is insufficient cholesterol in the food we eat, then the body makes more.

A large part of a normal healthy human body consists of fats and cholesterol. A quarter of the brain is cholesterol. Almost half of the walls of cells (cellular membranes) are made of cholesterol; saturated fats are another major component of all cells.

Cholesterol is one of the main healing agents in the body. When there is injury or inflammation, cholesterol is produced by the liver and sent to the site for repair work. LDL cholesterol is the form in which it is sent to do the healing at the point of inflammation. After the healing is completed, it travels back to the liver as HDL cholesterol. Cholesterol is essential for the production of healthy new cells where they are needed for repair, replacement or growth. This is why cholesterol levels rise after any injury, surgery, dental work, any kind of inflammation, or a bacterial or viral attack. After the repair work is completed, the level of blood cholesterol will go down again.

Most cholesterol is made by the liver. Short chain and medium chain saturated fats are converted to ketones in the liver, and some of these ketones are used to make cholesterol. Ketones (not glucose) are also the preferred source of energy for virtually all cells in the body, including the brain.

The medical and pharmaceutical industries push the myth that high levels of cholesterol are dangerous, and the cause of heart disease, arterial disease, strokes and other ailments. However, this is not correct, as plenty of research shows that high levels of cholesterol are not good predictors of heart disease, (1, 2, 3, 25) the situation is just the opposite. (24, 26, 27) Most heart attacks and strokes occur in people who do not have elevated cholesterol. High blood cholesterol levels above 6 or 7 mmol/L may sometimes indicate another health condition such as liver malfunction.

The motivation for this deception is to sell statin drugs such as Lipitor, Pravachol, Crestor and Zocor. These drugs have numerous serious nasty side-effects (4, 13) such as muscle wastage, memory loss and amnesia, decreased brain function and increased risk of diabetes, and the reason for taking statins in the first place is misguided. (25, 26)

Cholesterol is essential for good health and wellbeing. High levels of dietary cholesterol are NOT responsible for heart and arterial disease. A high level of cholesterol in the blood is not necessarily a problem, but a high level of triglycerides may be a problem. It is the oxidation of cholesterol which can cause the build-up of plaque and calcium deposition, atherosclerosis and inflammatory responses. Conventional medicine has tried to lower cholesterol for decades, yet heart disease is still the biggest killer. Doctors are slowly coming around to tackling the root causes of heart disease, atherosclerosis, high blood pressure and other circulatory problems, by recommending patients cut out sugar and processed foods, limit their eating windows, and tackle systemic inflammation.

Cholesterol's health and healing properties

• Healing of injuries, reducing inflammation (17), and binding to some toxic residues.
• Immune system. Protection from infections. (6, 7, 8, 17, 18, 19, 20) Cholesterol is almost completely absent among prokaryotes (bacteria), and therefor acts as an antibiotic. For example, a traditional remedy for tuberculosis (TB) and many other serious bacterial and viral infections is a mixture of cream and raw egg yolk, a rich source of cholesterol and saturated animal fats.
• Protection against cancer. (11, 21)
• Antioxidant.
• Brain and nervous system. Cholesterol is the most abundant organic molecule in the brain and sufficient cholesterol is absolutely essential for proper brain function. (22)
  Low levels of cholesterol lead to depression, schizophrenia, emotional instability, excessive anger and numerous other neuropathies and psychological disorders. (24)
  Cholesterol is a remedy for memory loss.
  Low blood cholesterol is routinely recorded in criminals who have committed murder and other violent crimes. (5)
  Supplementing with cholesterol and saturated fats reduces violent behaviour, in addition to suicides, aggressive behaviour and depression. The massive campaign by pharmaceutical companies and industrial manufacturers of processed foods to reduce cholesterol may be responsible for much of the aggression in our society today. Oxford professor David Horrobin says: "reducing cholesterol on a large scale could lead to a general shift to more violent patterns of behaviour. Most of this increase in violence would not result in death but in more aggression at work and in the family, more child abuse, more wife-beating and generally more unhappiness." (9)
• Babies and children. A quarter of the cholesterol in a healthy young body is found in the brain. Every cell in the brain and nervous system needs plenty of cholesterol, and if cholesterol is restricted the effects are catastrophic. The brain and eyes of a foetus will not develop properly without sufficient cholesterol. Human breast milk is rich in cholesterol, tailored for the brain, eyes and developing nervous system of infants. A three decade study of 3,500 young adults in Brazil not only confirmed the short-term benefits of breastfeeding, but also confirmed the long-term consequences for human populations, showing that breastfed babies are more likely to turn into more intelligent (4 IQ points), well-educated and higher-earning adults. (23)
• Bile. Cholesterol is used by the liver to make bile. Bile is stored in the gallbladder. Sufficient bile and bile salts are essential for good digestion of fats and the absorption of fat-soluble nutrients.
• The endocrine system (glands). Cholesterol and animal fats are needed to produce steroid hormones, particularly by the adrenal and sexual glands. Cholesterol is the precursor (building material) for pregnenolone which then becomes the precursor for testosterone, progesterone and various estrogen, androgen, aldosterone, DHEA and other corticosteroids. (24) When you have sufficient cholesterol, your body is able to make all the steroid hormones it needs. There is no danger of overdose, which is a big problem from taking hormone supplements. Hormonal imbalance is more likely when you take hormone supplements, causing a variety of horrible ailments (especially from excess estrogen). Progesterone is the safest and least problematic hormone to supplement, and the reason is that it is used as the precursor to make many other hormones.
  
  These hormones are essential for many systems in the body - energy, digestion, brain and nervous function, growth, reproduction and immune system. Insufficient cholesterol leads to a wide range of ailments including infertility, aggression and other psychological problems. Cholesterol sufficiency should be used as a first treatment for many of today's diseases.
• Production of energy in cells; building material for fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K; and production of bile acids for digestion.
• Healthy cell membranes contain a high proportion of cholesterol. Those who eat diets high in omega-6 polyunsaturated fats damage the function of their cells and develop a range of modern degenerative diseases.
• Longevity. Cholesterol is strongly associated with having a long and healthy life. (14, 15, 16, 24, 26)

Symptoms of low cholesterol

Low levels of cholesterol lead to so many different ailments that it is difficult to connect the dots between the cause and the effect. One researcher whom I follow (28) defines low cholesterol as
less than 120 mg/DL or 3.1 mmol/L total cholesterol;
less than 50mg/DL or 1.3 mmol/L LDL cholesterol.
Low cholesterol, particularly when below these levels, significantly raises the risk of the following symptoms:

• Memory impairment, depression, emotional instability, excessive anger, schizophrenia and numerous other neuropathies and psychological disorders. (24)
• Multiple sclerosis and many other neurological conditions. Foods high in cholesterol and animal fat are both a prevention and remedy for mental and psychological ailments such as amyotropic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease) and many others. (12)
• Children - impaired brain and nerve development, leading to a wide variety of developmental problems and intellectual disabilities.
• Adrenal exhaustion.
• Infertility, reproductive problems, menstrual problems, menopause problems. About one in three Western men and women are now infertile. Researchers have confirmed that women who eat high-fat dairy products and avoid low-fat diary products are significantly more fertile. (10)
• Erectile dysfunction.
• Digestive problems. Poor absorption of fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E, K. Vitamin insufficiency, particularly vitamin D (leading to insulin resistance, heart disease, mental problems, autoimmune diseases, arthritis, osteoporosis, cancer and more).
• Gallstones, bile and gallbladder problems. Bile is made from cholesterol, and bile is required to emulsify and digest fats. The liver needs cholesterol to produce sufficient bile to digest fats properly and extract vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids and other nutrients. The symptoms of insufficient or thick sluggish bile are:
  Fatty stools, leaving a fatty ring in the toilet;
  Vitamin A, D, E and K deficiency, and omega-3 fatty acid deficiency, causing a wide variety of serious illnesses.
  Constipation, though this is not a reliable symptom as loose stools can have other causes such as a damaged gut biome or fructose malabsorption.
• Weak immune system. Cholesterol binds to toxins, particularly toxins produced by harmful bacteria such as Staphylococcus. Those with low cholesterol are prone to bacterial and viral infections.
• Cancer.
• Fatty liver disease.
• Cataracts in the eyes.
• Hyperthyroidism.

Cholesterol food sources

There is no cholesterol in plants, it is ONLY available from animal fats.

• Butter (particularly grass-fed butter), lard, tallow, duck fat and other animal fats.
• Caviar and other fish eggs.
• Fish and seafood. Cold water fatty fish such as sardines, mackerel, salmon and shrimps are the best.
• Fatty cheeses, thick cream.
• Egg yolks. Yolks must be fresh, and preferably raw. In contrast, egg whites should be cooked because they contain anti-nutrients and digestive-inhibitors.
• Cod liver oil (must be really fresh).

References

1. Penny M. Kris-Etherton et al. Fish Consumption, Fish Oil, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, and Cardiovascular Disease. AHA, 2002; 106: 2747-2757 doi: 10.1161/01.CIR.0000038493.65177.94.

2. Jennifer G. Robinson, Neil J. Stone. Antiatherosclerotic and Antithrombotic Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids. The American Journal of Cardiology, 2006. 98:4, Supplement 1, 39-49.

3. Reiffel, J.A., McDonald, A. Antiarrhythmic effects of Omega-3 fatty acids. The American Journal of Cardiology. August 2006, 98 (4A): 50i-60i.doi:10.1016/j.amjcard.2005.12.027. PMID 16919517.

4. Folkers K, Langsjoen P, Willis R, Richardson P, Xia LJ, Ye CQ, Tamagawa H. Lovastatin decreases coenzyme Q levels in humans. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1990 Nov;87(22):8931-4.

5. Natasha Campbell-McBride. Put Your Heart in Your Mouth. Medinform Publishing, 2007.

6. Iribarren C. et al. Serum total cholesterol and risk of hospitalisation and death from respiratory disease. International Journal of Epidemiology 26, 1191-1202, 1997.

7. Iribarren C. et al. Cohort study of serum total cholesterol and in-hospital incidence of infectious diseases. Epidemiology and Infection 121, 335-347, 1998.

8. Elias E. R. et al. Clinical effects of cholesterol supplementation in six patients with the Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS). American Journal of Medical Genetics 68, 305-310, 1997.

9. Horrobin David F. Lowering cholesterol concentrations and mortality. British Medical Journal 301, 554, 1990.

10. Chavarro JE. et al. A prospective study of dairy foods intake and anovulatory infertility. Human Reproduction, issue 28, Feb 2007.

11. Mark R. Goldstein. Do statins prevent or promote cancer? Curr Oncol. 2008 April; 15(2): 76-77.

12. L. Dupuis, et al. Dyslipidemia is a Protective Factor in Amyotropic Lateral Sclerosis. Neurology 70, no. 13 (25 March 2008): 1004-09.

13. Cholesterol-reducing Drugs May Lessen Brain Function. Science Daily, 26 February 2009, referring to Iowa State University study.

14. Rahilly-Tierney CR et al. Relation between high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and survival to age 85 years in men (from the VA Normative Aging Study). American Journal of Cardiology 2011 Apr 15;107(8):1173-7.

15. Vaarhorst AA et al. Lipid metabolism in long-lived families: the Leiden Longevity Study. Age (Dordrecht, Netherlands) 2011 Jun;33(2):219-27.

16. Williams PT. Low high-density lipoprotein 3 reduces the odds of men surviving to age 85 during 53-year follow-up. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2012 Mar;60(3):430-6.

17. Cheung MC et al. Phospholipid transfer protein in human plasma associates with proteins linked to immunity and inflammation. Biochemistry 2010 Aug 31;49(34):7314-22.

18. Berbee JF et al. Plasma apolipoprotein CI protects against mortality from infection in old age. The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences 2008 Feb;63(2):122-6.

19. Han R. Plasma lipoproteins are important components of the immune system. Microbiology and Immunology 2010 Apr;54(4):246-53.

20. Gruber M et al. Prognostic impact of plasma lipids in patients with lower respiratory tract infections - an observational study. Swiss Medical Weekly 2009 Mar 21;139(11-12):166-72.

21. van Duijnhoven FJ et al. Blood lipid and lipoprotein concentrations and colorectal cancer risk in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. Gut 2011 Aug;60(8):1094-102.

22. Atzmon G et al. Plasma HDL levels highly correlate with cognitive function in exceptional longevity. The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences 2002 Nov;57(11):M712-15.

23. Cesar G Victora, Bernardo Lessa Horta, Christian Loret de Mola, Luciana Quevedo, Ricardo Tavares Pinheiro, Denise P Gigante, Helen Goncalves, Fernando C Barros. Association between breastfeeding and intelligence, educational attainment, and income at 30 years of age: a prospective birth cohort study from Brazil. The Lancet Global Health, Volume 3, No. 4, e199-e205, April 2015.

24. Hamazaki T, Okuyama H, Ogushi Y, Hama R. Towards a Paradigm Shift in Cholesterol Treatment. A Re-examination of the Cholesterol Issue in Japan. Ann Nutr Metab. 2015;66 Suppl 4:1-116. doi: 10.1159/000381654. Epub 2015 Apr 29.

25. Rafel Ramos, Marc Comas-Cufi, Ruth Marti-Lluch, Elisabeth Ballo, Anna Ponjoan, Lia Alves-Cabratosa, Jordi Blanch, Jaume Marrugat, Roberto Elosua, Maria Grau, Marc Elosua-Bayes, Luis Garcia-Ortiz, Maria Garcia-Gil. Statins for primary prevention of cardiovascular events and mortality in old and very old adults with and without type 2 diabetes: retrospective cohort study. BMJ 2018;362:k3359. Published 5 September 2018.

26. Ravnskov U, de Lorgeril M, Diamond DM, Hama R, Hamazaki T, Hammarskjold B, Hynes N, Kendrick M, Langsjoen PH, Mascitelli L, McCully KS, Okuyama H, Rosch PJ, Schersten T, Sultan S, Sundberg R. LDL-C Does Not Cause Cardiovascular Disease: a comprehensive review of current literature. Expert Rev Clin Pharmacol. 10 September 2018 (online epub). doi: 10.1080/17512433.2018.1519391.

27. Marinka Steur, Laura Johnson, Stephen J. Sharp, Fumiaki Imamura, Ivonne Sluijs, Timothy J. Key, Angela Wood, Rajiv Chowdhury, Marcela Guevara, Marianne U. Jakobsen et al. Dietary Fatty Acids, Macronutrient Substitutions, Food Sources and Incidence of Coronary Heart Disease: Findings From the EPIC-CVD Case-Cohort Study Across Nine European Countries. 19 November 2021. Journal of the American Heart Association. 2021;0:e019814.

28. Eric Berg. 10 Surprising Diseases Caused by Low LDL Cholesterol. 19 December 2022.