The straight dope on cholesterol – Part I

We ingest (i.e., take in) cholesterol in many of the foods we eat and our body produces (“synthesizes”) cholesterol de novo from various precursors. About 25% of our daily “intake” of cholesterol – roughly 300 to 500 mg — comes from what we eat (called exogenous cholesterol), and the remaining 75% of our “intake” of cholesterol — roughly 800 to 1,200 mg – is made by our body (called endogenous production).

  The straight dope on cholesterol – Part II

In this post we’ll address the following concept: How does cholesterol move around our body?

  The simple cholesterol test that says if you need statins — and why doctors in UK aren’t using it

Attached to each LDL particle is a single molecule of a protein called apolipoprotein B100 (ApoB). And by determining how much ApoB is in the blood we can “count” exactly how many LDL particles are present. Determining LDL in this way is better than measuring the cholesterol stored inside, because ApoB has been shown to be a superior predictor of cardiovascular disease than measuring both LDL cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol.

  The straight dope on cholesterol – Part III

Re-absorption of the cholesterol we synthesize in our body (i.e., endogenous produced cholesterol) is the dominant source of the cholesterol in our body. That is, most of the cholesterol in our body is made by our body.

  What is cholesterol?

You can’t talk about nutrition without mentioning cholesterol, but most folks (including many of the doctors who tell you yours may be too high) don’t know what cholesterol actually is, let alone the actual risk it portends. I’m going to be doing a lot of writing about the confusion over cholesterol in the future, but I want to very quickly give you a few things to consider.

 Cholesterol Redux: As Eggs Make A Comeback, New Questions About Health Risks

Part of the renewed appeal stems from the dietary advice we got back in 2016. That's when the U.S. Dietary Guidelines dropped a long-standing recommended limit on dietary cholesterol. The move was seen as a green light to eat eggs. But a new study published in the medical journal JAMA reopens a long-standing debate about the risks tied to consuming too much dietary cholesterol.

 Cholesterol wars: We may be fighting the wrong enemy

Few people doubt cholesterol is a factor in heart disease – but by fixating on it, we might be ignoring things that matter more

 Do High-Cholesterol Foods Raise Your Cholesterol?

Foods high in cholesterol, like eggs or cheese, can raise blood cholesterol levels, though the effect is relatively modest and varies from person to person. The best evidence available suggests that saturated fat, rather than dietary cholesterol per se, is the major contributor to serum cholesterol.

 FDA Clears New Type of Cholesterol Drug

Doctors see the drug as an alternative for millions of patients who can’t take or aren’t responding to statins.

 Getting Your Cholesterol Checked? Why You Don't Have To Fast

The next time you have blood drawn to check your cholesterol level, you may have a smile on your face. The reason? You don't have to fast overnight and skip breakfast before your blood draw.

 High Cholesterol? It Must Be January

Study shows levels spike after holiday indulgences

 Is it time to retire cholesterol tests?

The next time you go in for a medical checkup, your doctor will probably make a mistake that could endanger your life, contends cardiologist Allan Sniderman of McGill University in Montreal, Canada. Most physicians order what he considers the wrong test to gauge heart disease risk: a standard cholesterol readout, which may indicate levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or non-high density lipoprotein (non-HDL) cholesterol. What they should request instead, Sniderman argues, is an inexpensive assay for a blood protein known as apolipoprotein B (apoB).

 New Guidelines for Treating High Cholesterol Take a Personal Approach

Physicians should consider a patient’s family history of cardiovascular disease and in some cases a heart scan before prescribing drugs.

 Once and For All, Saturated Fat is Not the Devil

Cardiologists want you to know this.

 Research Check: is white meat as bad for your cholesterol levels as red meat?

This short-term study does not provide evidence that choosing lean white meat over red meat is either better or worse for your health.

 Telomeres Are the New Cholesterol. Now What?

I’ve been surprised at how many of my friends seem to know about telomeres and seem concerned when I mention my shortened ones. Telomeres, in that sense, are the new cholesterol. I worried, too, that all this testing could be seen as a supreme act of vanity: A guy in good shape for his age dropping thousands of dollars on tests out of curiosity while much of his cohort nationwide struggles with hypertension and diseases like diabetes.

 What healthy cholesterol levels should look like, based on age and gender

Here's what you need to know about how cholesterol levels are measured and what's considered healthy for you.

Apolipoprotein B (apoB)

Several studies have shown that apoB may be a better predictor of cardiovascular disease risk than LDL-C.

Making sense of cholesterol – the good, the bad and the dietary

Cholesterol can be confusing. But understanding it could help you live a longer, healthier life.

Ask Well: Should You Fast Before a Cholesterol Test?

Current cholesterol testing guidelines in the United States stipulate that fasting before a cholesterol test is “preferred.” But repeated studies have found no clinically significant differences between results from cholesterol tests done on a full stomach and those done after fasting.

Cholesterol levels dropping in U.S., but many still need care

Among people taking cholesterol medication, the average level of that “bad” cholesterol — what’s known as LDL cholesterol — dropped 21 points over the study period, the researchers reported in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. It was declining even before the 2013 guidelines but continued to inch down afterward. Total cholesterol levels and another fat known as triglycerides likewise decreased.

HDL, LDL, WTF: Cholesterol?

No, this is not the new “must know” texting lingo; it’s the response I get from many of my patients who struggle with hyperlipidemia. Dealing with an abnormally high concentration of fats or lipids in the blood can be frightening and perplexing — just what do those numbers mean and why do they matter? Well, let’s start with the basics

OK To Eat Before Rolling Up Sleeve For Cholesterol Test?

Skipping breakfast to take a medical test is nobody's idea of fun. And it's one reason why many people never get around to having a cholesterol test. So it's good news that some doctors are now saying that for most people, a nonfasting cholesterol test will do just fine.

Take control of rising cholesterol at menopause

Here's what the numbers mean — and strategies to lower your cholesterol if it's too high.

A possible culprit in early heart attacks

High blood levels of a fatty particle called lipoprotein(a) may explain some unexpected premature heart attacks.

Bad Cholesterol Isn't Actually Always Bad

Cholesterol is complicated. While just reading the word conjures images of people eating fast food or clutching their hearts, cholesterol isn't inherently bad. When your levels are under control, it's actually a necessary and helpful part of your internal chemistry. That's true even for so-called "bad" cholesterol, or the type associated with low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles, says Michael Blazing, an associate professor of medicine at Duke. "LDL is nothing more than a truck that carries cholesterol around so that any cells that need it can get it," he says.

Cholesterol and Controversy: Past, Present and Future

Here I will present the story of cholesterol, and how it has – and continues to be - a controversial component of modern medical history.

Cholesterol Conundrum

Changing HDL and LDL levels does not always alter heart disease or stroke risk.

Cholesterol: the good, the bad, and the lipoprotein

Cholesterol is a lipoprotein made of fat and protein. It is divided into three categories: high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), and each impacts your body differently.

Got high cholesterol? Here are five foods to eat and avoid

High fat, low fat, no carb, more carb: when it comes to getting information on eating to manage high blood cholesterol, confusion reigns. We checked the most recent research from trials that tested the impact of specific foods on blood cholesterol. The verdict? Good news first! Eating more nuts, legumes, plant sterols (molecules found in plants) and olive oil helps lower blood cholesterol. The bad news? Discretionary foods (aka junk) raise blood cholesterol, especially bad cholesterol (called LDL). Eating less lowers it.

Guideline on the Management of Blood Cholesterol

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) launched the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) in November 1985. The goal of the NCEP is to contribute to reducing illness and death from coronary heart disease (CHD) in the United States by reducing the percent of Americans with high blood cholesterol.

HDL Cholesterol: Too Much of a Good Thing?

As with many other good things in life, this usually helpful protein is best in moderation.

Is Lp(a) the Best Kept Secret in Heart Disease?

Most people have had their LDL cholesterol measured. Have you ever had your Lp(a) tested? Did you know that statins may actually raise this key risk factor?

LDL Cholesterol: Size DOES Matter

Conventional wisdom tells us LDL cholesterol is bad and HDL cholesterol is good. A huge improvement from the days of "all cholesterol is bad," but still a far cry from adequate. Chances are, your doctor has failed to mention that there are two types of LDL cholesterol particles, and only one is detrimental to our health.

LDL-C does not cause cardiovascular disease: a comprehensive review of the current literature

For half a century, a high level of total cholesterol (TC) or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) has been considered to be the major cause of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease (CVD), and statin treatment has been widely promoted for cardiovascular prevention. However, there is an increasing understanding that the mechanisms are more complicated and that statin treatment, in particular when used as primary prevention, is of doubtful benefit.

Lipoprotein (a), an independent cardiovascular risk marker

Epidemiological and genetic studies have identified elevated levels of lipoprotein (a) ((Lp(a)) as a causal and independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVD).

Lipoprotein “Little A” Can Cause More Than a Little Damage to the Heart

People with a family history of early heart disease need to be tested for this inherited cholesterol particle.

Making sense of cholesterol tests

The pros and cons of total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, and triglyceride testing.

Raising ‘good’ cholesterol doesn’t protect against heart disease after all, study finds

Good” cholesterol might be in for a name change. Raising HDL, widely known as good cholesterol, for years has been thought to protect against heart attack and stroke. But a big new study published Monday found little evidence it does.

Smart Ways To Lower LDL Or ‘Bad’ Cholesterol

Having high LDL cholesterol places a person at a higher risk of developing heart disease if it is left untreated. But there are certain steps one can take to reduce or prevent high LDL levels. Of course, there are many cholesterol medications that can help lower LDL levels by varying degrees however, making therapeutic lifestyle changes can be a more active way of achieving and maintaining an improved LDL number.

Stress Raises Cholesterol More Than You Think

Many cardiologists say stress is an underrecognized factor contributing to high cholesterol.

Study: Our Cholesterol Levels Are Highest in Winter

People who need to closely monitor their cholesterol should be aware that good news received in July might not be an accurate representation of their cardiovascular health.

The Cholesterol Myth That Could Be Harming Your Health

Cholesterol could easily be described as the smoking gun of the last two decades. It's been responsible for demonizing entire categories of foods (like eggs and saturated fats) and blamed for just about every case of heart disease in the last 20 years.

What Doctors Got Wrong About ‘Good’ Cholesterol

You can have a heart attack even if you have high levels of good cholesterol.