Seven
Myths
about
Cholesterol
M
ost people today think they know what cholesterol is,
Myth #2: People with high cholesterol have
where it comes from, and what it does. If you follow
short lives
the popular media or most diet books, cholesterol is
a deadly poison that comes from food which clogs arteries and
The idea that high cholesterol can shorten lives is based on the
causes heart attacks. Like most things having to do with the
erroneous assumption that people with elevated cholesterol in-
human body, however, the role of cholesterol is much more
evitably develop cardiovascular diseases and therefore die ear-
complicated than this simple picture suggests. In fact, all these
lier than others. The reality is that high cholesterol has effects
assumptions are so oversimplified that they are flat-out wrong.
that vary by person and this assumption has not been demon-
strated.
Myth #1: Cholesterol has no beneficial effects
One meta-analysis of many different studies showed that
studies which did not support a link between high cholesterol
The most basic misconception is that cholesterol is some
and high mortality have been systematically under-reported and
sort of toxic substance that has only negative effects on the
ignored. In some studies, groups that had cholesterol-lowering
body. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, most of
intervention had higher mortality than control groups. This may
the cholesterol circulating in your blood is actually produced
be either due to possible beneficial effects of cholesterol or it
by the body instead of being derived from your food. It is a
may be due to the side effects of the medications used to con-
necessary component of cell membranes and a precursor for
trol cholesterol. The side effects of statins, the drugs most often
many hormones. It also plays a role in digestion in the synthesis
used to control cholesterol levels can be serious, and need to
of bile acids.
be balanced with the potential benefit of lowering cholesterol.
Cholesterol is synthesized in the liver and intestines from a
Some of these side effects include serious problems like muscu-
substance called Acetyl-Coenzyme A (or Acetyl-CoA). Acetyl-
lar damage, liver damage, and kidney failure, especially when
CoA is vital to aerobic respiration, helping extract energy from
a statin is used with certain other medications.
food. All cell membranes contain cholesterol, where it regulates
their flexibility and viscosity. Cholesterol also helps regulate the
Myth #3: High cholesterol causes heart disease
passage of material across the membrane. On the one hand, it
reduces cell membrane permeability to various charged ions,
Cholesterol and heart disease are commonly linked, and
while on the other it is part of the active transport mechanism
have been ever since the discovery of the disease atheroscle-
that incorporates certain large molecules into cells.
rosis. “Athero-”refers to a soft gruel-like deposit and “sclerosis”
Many hormones use cholesterol as a precursor. The body
uses cholesterol as the raw material for all steroid hormones.
Steroid hormones are involved in an enormous variety of sig-
naling pathways in the body. Hormones like aldosterone and
cortisol regulate blood pressure, blood volume and stress re-
sponses. The primary female sex hormones, estrogens and pro-
gesterone are also derived form cholesterol, as are the male sex
hormones, testosterone and dihydrotestosterone. It can also be
converted by enzymes into vitamin D.
In addition to all these effects, the liver converts cholesterol
to bile, which is necessary for digestion. Bile makes fats in food
soluble and aids in the absorption of fat by the intestines. Bile
is also necessary for the absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins,
including vitamins A, D, E and K.
www.naturalnutmeg.com February 2010
25
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