Tag Archives: cholesterol

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In Spacedoc’s newsletter this morning a link to a letter about eggs:

In a recent Atherosclerosis article, Spence et al set out to determine if consumption of egg yolks leads to carotid vascular damage [1]. The authors’ suggested premise is that egg yolks are a rich source of cholesterol, making them a risk factor for cerebrovascular disease.
How cholesterol became established as a risk factor for cerebrovascular disease  despite a historically weak and inconsistent association appears in great detail elsewhere [2]. Suffice it to say,
dietary cholesterol may have very little impact on serum cholesterol
[3], and serum cholesterol may have very little impact on vascular damage [4] and cerebrovascular disease [5]. (Moreover, if serum
cholesterol has any effect at all, it may be one of protection e.g.,
against hemorrhagic and total stroke in hypertensives [5,6]).

Lucan SC, Egg on their faces (probably not in their necks); The yolk of the tenuous cholesterol-to-plaque conclusion, Atherosclerosis (2012), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2012.10.076

In Defence of Eggs

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Zoe raises some very important conflict of interest issues that are seeping into our medical charities

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) describes itself as “a charity that aims to prevent people dying from heart diseases”. Until now, the BHF has remained relatively conflict free – a paragon of virtue in fact when compared with some other ‘heart charities’. Heart UK, for example, calls itself the cholesterol charity (cholesterol should have a charity for having become endangered, but that’s not what they mean!) Heart UK partners with drug companies, the very companies that profit beyond wild dreams from the lucrative war on this life vital substance, as their partner list confirms.

I receive a copy of the BHF magazine, which comes out six times a year. It is called “Heart Matters” and should be commended for having no adverts. It should also be completely ignored because the high carb/low fat/fear cholesterol advice is doing serious harm. However, at least the BHF has appeared free from conflict – until now…

Zoe

The British Heart Foundation & Flora pro.activ – Conflict of Interest?

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Yet more revelations about the importance of cell membrane cholesterol.

The medical profession will have to admit the anti-cholesterol stance was a massive mistake (it’s another scandal in the making).  All cellular excretions use cholesterol rich rafts and cholesterol lipids to wrap and release products and message molecules.

When we block cholesterol production we shut down or cells – oops!

Cholesterol is known to modulate the physical properties of cell membranes, but its direct involvement in cellular signaling has not been thoroughly investigated. Here we show that cholesterol specifically binds many PDZ domains found in scaffold proteins, including the N-terminal PDZ domain of NHERF1/EBP50. This modular domain has a cholesterol-binding site topologically distinct from its canonical protein-binding site and serves as a dual-specificity
domain that bridges the membrane and juxta-membrane signaling complexes. Disruption of the cholesterol-binding activity of NHERF1 largely abrogates its dynamic co-localization with and activation of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator, one of its binding partners in the plasma membrane of mammalian cells. At least seven more PDZ domains from other scaffold proteins also bind cholesterol and have cholesterol-binding sites, suggesting that cholesterol modulates cell signaling through direct interactions with
these scaffold proteins. This mechanism may provide an alternative explanation for the formation of signaling platforms in cholesterol-rich membrane domains.

Cholesterol Molecule

Cholesterol – vitally important in Cell Signaling

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Total Cholesterol levels in psychiatric patients after a suicide attempt are lower than healthy controls and remain low in follow-up, independently from the severity of psychopathology. The results support the role of low plasma levels of total cholesterol as a biological risk factor in suicidal behavior, especially in affective patients.

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reports of low levels of plasma cholesterol – suicide risk factor

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Over the 40 years from 1969 to 2009, I had a forty year anecdotal adventure in biochemistry leading to the publication of a seminal paper on cell-membranes and an invitation to contribute more biochemical thoughts in new hypotheses about modern medicine.  12 years involved in teaching chemistry followed by 28 years in Information technology.

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The anecdotal adventures in biochemistry started in the 1970s. Working as a chemistry teacher I found myself increasingly troubled by contact dermatitis and eczema.   This career trauma led to my retraining as a computer scientist and information technologist, a cleaner environment in which to survive and explore modern science.

The Anecdotal Biochemist

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Quoting from Saudi Gazette Report from King of Organs Heart Conference in Hofuf:

The overall impression that evolved from the presentations was summed up in the words of Dr. Malcom Kendrik, “The whole cholesterol thing is bunk”.

King of Organs Conference - Saudi Arabia

Brothers in arms in the assault on the shibboleths of commercial medicine exchange views during a break in proceedings at the King of Organs conference in Hofuf on Tuesday. (L-R) David Diamond, Malcom Kendrick, Carlos Monterio and Paul Rosch. — SG photo

“Dark chocolate is a far better drug to take than statins” David Diamond.

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Fat and cholesterol are good for you -see Zoe’s blog for details.

Graph from WHO data

WHO data on Fats (Female) ZH

Zoe Harcombe:

All you need to do is to look at the lines going down to the right and wonder how on earth we ever got away with telling people that cholesterol causes heart disease. High cholesterol is associated with lower heart disease and vice versa – for all the data available in the world. High cholesterol is not even associated with high heart disease, let alone does it cause it.

WHO Cholesterol data

Cholesterol & heart disease – there is a relationship, but it’s not what you think

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Myopathy is a known side effect of all statins, including simvastatin, and the risk increases with higher doses. However, its most serious form, rhabdomyolysis, is a very rare side effect. The risk of myopathy is greater in: elderly patients (>65 years); women; patients with renal impairment or hypothyroidism; patients who consume large quantities of alcohol; those with a history of previous muscle problems during treatment with statins or other lipid-lowering drugs; or those with family history of muscle disorders. Concomitant use of some medicines may also increase the risk of muscle damage.

Statins MHRA warning

UK GPs warned over muscle risk with Statin

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CholesterolCholesterol

Vitamin D3 Vitamin D3

Spot the difference Cholesterol + sunlight -> Vitamin D3

Visit Dr Stephanie Seneff’s blog essay for the full story

– Eat a low-fat diet,
– Avoid the damaging rays of the sun

These two tenets, taken together, are extremely bad medical advice, and that the consequences of our government’s success in selling this well-intended but misguided recommendation to the American public are devastating and long-lasting, particularly to our nation’s children.

Sunscreen and Low-fat Diet: A Recipe for Disaster

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Why is it news that full dairy products and milk intended to provide the full nutritional requirements of any active growing mammal are really good for you?  Celebrate all meats, full fat dairy products, eggs, and fish as being exactly right nutritionally. I have been reading biochemistry papers since the 1960’s and have yet to find any evidence that these foods have ever caused disease.  On the other hand refined carbohydrates (sugar-damaged proteins aka AGE) are ultimately quite dangerous for our health.  Advanced glycaemic end-products accumulate and cause disease when we spend decades over-indulging our sweet tooth!

Excellent foods!

Cheese ‘could reduce diabetes risk’ – Daily Telegraph