Index

Normalize your Cholesterol
through diet and lifestyle changes

Plant stanols and sterols
Plant stanols and sterols, also called phytosterols, occur naturally in plant sources such as peanuts, beans, olive oil and peanut oil. Phytosterols, like stigmasterol from soybean oil, are of current interest because they lower blood cholesterol levels, although the response varies widely. Phytosterols have the same basic structure as cholesterol, but differ in the side chains attached to carbon 17.

Sterols that are fully saturated (no double bonds) are called "stanols". For example, stigmastanol has the same structure as stigmasterol, but without the double bonds. When fatty acids react with the hydroxyl at carbon 3 they form "sterol esters". Phytosterols appear to work by interfering with the absorption of cholesterol by the intestines, resulting in lower blood cholesterol levels.

Garlic
Several studies have reported that raw garlic has cholesterol-lowering properties, but the effects do not appear to be long-lasting. Garlic capsules and other forms of garlic appear to be ineffective at lowering cholesterol. In addition, raw garlic's pungent smell and strong taste can produce bad breath and bad body odor. One scientific study in 2000 concluded that garlic is superior to placebo in reducing total cholesterol levels, but the size of the effect is modest, and the robustness of the effect is debatable. Therefore, the use of garlic for hypercholesterolemia is of questionable value.[9] A more recent study in 2007 found that there were no statistically significant changes in blood cholesterol readings from eating the equivalent of one clove of raw garlic per day.[12]

Niacin
Niacin is also known as nicotinic acid or vitamin B3. It is a water-soluble vitamin whose derivatives such as NADH play essential roles in energy metabolism. Niacin lowers total and LDL cholesterol and raises HDL cholesterol. It also can also lower triglycerides. The dose needed for treatment is about 100 times more than the Recommended Daily Allowance for niacin. High doses (75 mg or more) of niacin can cause side effects such as a burning, tingling sensation in the face and chest, and red or "flushed" skin. High doses of niacin are associated with toxic side effects that include worsening of diabetes control and exacerbation of peptic ulcer disease and gout.[15] Treatment for high cholesterol with niacin must be done under a doctor's care.

Statins
The enzyme hydroxy-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase (HMG-CoA reductase or HMGR) is responsible for making cholesterol in the liver. The level of cholesterol in the blood normally serves as a feed-back mechanism to determine how much cholesterol is made. Cholesterol inhibits the activity of HMGR by degrading the enzyme, but insulin stimulates the removal of phosphates and indirectly activates HMGR which results in extra cholesterol production.

Statins are synthetic drugs developed by pharmaceutical companies that block HMG-CoA reductase thereby lowering the level of cholesterol in the blood. Statins belong to the class of drugs called HMGR inhibitors. Some of the most common statin drugs are Lipitor, Crestor, Pravachol, and Zocor. The drugs are successful at lowering cholesterol, and they reduce morbidity and mortality in patients with risk factors for atherosclerotic disease. Unfortunately, 5% of statin users experience gastrointestinal and muscular problems. Statins inhibit not only cholesterol synthesis, but also synthesis of other substances such as Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) which leads to a reduction of high energy phosphates, anaerobe metabolism and mitochondrial dysfunction that sometimes cause muscle damage. Bayer Pharmaceutical Division withdrew its cholesterol-lowering drug Baycol (cerivastatin) from the U.S. market in 2001 because of reports of fatal rhabdomyolysis, a severe muscle adverse reaction involving destruction or degeneration of skeletal muscle. The following table shows the most commonly prescribed statins and their attributes.

Life Style Summary to Normalize Cholesterol

• Don't smoke. Smoking increases total cholesterol, reduces HDL, and increases other risk factors for heart disease. Click here to learn how to quit smoking.
• Eliminate all foods with hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats.
• Limit consumption of saturated fats. Trim fats from meats, and remove the skin from poultry. Avoid coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and butter. Use skim milk instead of milk with butterfat.
• Decrease consumption of meat products and replace them with vegetables, specially legumes like beans and chick peas.
• Decrease your consumption of carbohydrates, such as bread, pastries, candies, rice, and pasta.
• Add some polyunsaturated fats to your diet in the form of sunflower seeds, walnuts, grape seed oil, and flaxseed oil.
• Add soluble fiber to your diet by eating oat bran, oatmeal, beans, peas, citrus fruits, strawberries, and mangos.
• Maintain a normal weight with a BMI in the range of 18.5 to 24.9. Click here for weight control tips.
• Exercise regularly. Click here for exercise tips.

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