Tagged with 'LDL-cholesterol'

Jack and Jill, both non -smokers, walk out of their health care providers office satisfied that an annual check-up indicated a blood pressure under 140/90 and a blood sugar under 125. They were told they were low risk for heart disease and their LDL cholesterol of 150 mg/dl was therefore not of much concern. They were satisfied as they had heard somewhere in the news or maybe on a podcast that cholesterol no longer matter like in the old days. Well, those old days are back with new data from a prospective study from Spain, the PESA trial.

The PESA study is following over 4,000 bank workers in Madrid, free of known heart disease, and assessing them for silent artery damage using heart artery calcium CT scans and ultrasounds of the carotid and femoral arteries.

In a new report, researchers identified 1,779 of the study subjects that were like Jack and Jill and had total cholesterols under 240 mg/dl. A group of 740 participants had even better results with blood pressures under 120/80 and blood sugars under 100 mg/dl and were reported on too.

How frequently was silent hardening of arteries, called subclinical atherosclerosis, identified in the group of 1,779 subjects? A whopping 50% had aging arteries that raise the risk of heart attack, stroke, vascular problems of the legs, and shorten lifespan. In the 740 superstars, the rate of silent vessel disease was still 38%. These numbers are striking but match test results I see in my advanced preventive cardiology clinic where I routinely do similar vascular assessments.

Should Jack and Jill be tested for silent heart and vascular artery disease? Yes, they should and I have written repeatedly about the role of coronary artery calcium scans using CT as a cost effective way to assess individual risk. These scans are under $100 in my hospital and take under 5 minutes.

Should Jack and Jill be concerned about their LDL-cholesterol levels? They should. In the PESA study, LDL cholesterol was an independent predictor of atherosclerosis in the overall group and the picture above shows how the higher the LDL cholesterol was in the study group, the greater the chance of disease in one or more artery systems. The authors of the study indicated "LDL cholesterol, even at levels currently considered normal, is independently associated with the presence and extent of early systemic atherosclerosis in the absence of major cardiovascular risk factors. These findings support more effective LDL cholesterol lowering for primordial prevention, even in individuals conventionally considered at optimal risk".

How Low Should Jack and Jill Want Their LDL Cholesterol?

Even the nine study participants in PESA who had LDL cholesterol levels of 60-70 mg/dL range still had a 11% rate of subclinical plaques, leading the investigators to suggest that atherosclerosis develops when LDL cholesterol exceeds a threshold of approximately 50-60 mg/dL. The authors wisely recommended intensive lifestyle efforts for primordial prevention of artery damage starting as young as possible.

The Bottom Line: Do not walk out of your physical or workplace wellness exam satisfied that your LDL cholesterol is the only lab elevated beyond optimal. It might be a clue to progressive aging and damage of your heart and arteries. Ask for advanced testing and work with an experience practitioner to bring your numbers into the optimal range. As 2017 closes and 2018 approaches, LDL cholesterol is back, in fact it never went away, as an important measure of cardiovascular health to focus on. 

Sincerely,
Dr. Kahn

About the author
Dr. Joel Kahn is one of the world's top holistic cardiologists. He has treated thousands of acute heart attacks during his career, and would like to put a stop to ALL future heart attacks by educating and inspiring people to embrace a holistic lifestyle. America’s Healthy Heart Doctor has been featured on The Doctors and Dr. Phil television shows, and is one of the few doctors that posts consistently for Mind Body Green.  

Olive oil truly is liquid gold with its many health benefits. Considered the most important component of the traditional Mediterranean diet, this extraordinary fruit juice and its effects are still not fully understood. Yet some of the ways olive oil can preserve and improve human health have been firmly established.

Here are the five most scientifically supported health benefits of olive oil today.

1. It Can Help Lower Your “Bad” Cholesterol

Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL), also known as the body’s “bad cholesterol,” transports and deposits cholesterol in the tissues and arteries, which can eventually cause plaque and block the artery. Monounsaturated fats can lower LDL thus protecting against atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). Plus, monounsaturated fat does not negatively affect the levels of High Density Lipoproteins (HDL) known as the “good cholesterol,” which carries all cholesterol away from the arteries. High levels of HDL are associated with a decreased risk of heart disease.

Olive oil is one of the best sources of monounsaturated fats and has the advantage of being less susceptible to oxidation. In addition, oleic acid, a fatty acid abundant in olive oil, appears to also protect from oxidation of LDL.

It is important to mention, to achieve this reduction in bad cholesterol you cannot just add olive oil to a diet high in saturated and trans fats and expect a miracle. You must replace the unhealthy fats with olive oil in combination with a Mediterranean-style diet.

2. Olive Oil Can Help Lower Your Blood Pressure

Several studies for different age groups, and with a large number of participants, have found the consumption of olive oil is associated with a decrease in blood pressure.

The SUN study with over 6,000 participants found olive oil intake reduced the incidence of hypertension in men, while another Spanish study published in the American Journal of Hypertension found a diet containing polyphenol rich olive oil reduced blood pressure in young women with mild hypertension.

Results from the Greek component of the EPIC study (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition) which included over 28,500 volunteers concluded olive oil intake is inversely associated with both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. While it appears the polyphenols in the olive oil may be responsible for this action, researchers have demonstrated that oleic acid; a fatty acid in olive oil may also induce this lowering effect.

3. Eating Olive Oil Can Help Prevent Cancer

Olive oil consumption has been associated with a reduced risk of cancer. A review conducted last year by Greek researchers from the University of Athens looked at 19 observational studies, with over 36,000 participants, and found higher rates of olive oil consumption were associated with lower odds of having any type of cancer. Another review of 25 epidemiological studies concluded that “preferring olive oil to other added lipids, particularly those rich in saturated fats, can decrease the risk of upper digestive and respiratory tract neoplasms, breast and, possibly, colorectal and other cancer sites.”

4. It Protects from Oxidative Damage

Oxidative damage occurs when your body doesn’t have enough antioxidants to protect against the damaging free radicals. Apart from the beneficial monounsaturated fats in olive oil and specifically oleic acid, olive oil also contains polyphenols. Polyphenols are phytochemicals, components that have antioxidant activity. The specific type of polyphenols found in olive oil appear to protect the oxidation of LDL cholesterol in the body.

Researchers for the Eurolive Study Group found that consumption of olive oil at real-life doses of about 2 tablespoons per day improved the fatty acid profile in LDL, associated with a reduction of the oxidative damage to lipids. It appears that oxidized LDL is a major contributor to atherogenesis; the process of plaque buildup in the arteries that eventually can lead to atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

This is an approved claim for olive oil in the European Union: “Olive oil polyphenols contribute to the protection of blood lipids from oxidative stress.”

It is important to note that only polyphenol rich extra virgin olive oils may have this effect, not refined olive oil, which does not contain these substances.

5. Olive Oil Can Help Cognitive Function

Although olive oil is better known for its protection against heart disease and cancer, there is an emerging amount of research regarding the effect of olive oil on cognitive function and, specifically, on cognitive decline associated with aging.

Generally, the type of fat consumed can affect cognitive function. A study from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School, analyzed data from 6,000 women over the age of 65, a subset of the Women’s Health Study. They found women who consumed the highest amount of monounsaturated fats, which can be found in olive oil, had better patterns of cognitive scores over time.

But it appears olive oil specifically has a protective effect. Results from the Three City Study, an ongoing multicenter study of vascular risk factors for dementia using information from almost 7,000 participants, showed individuals who had moderate to intensive use of olive oil had lower odds of cognitive deficit for verbal fluency and visual memory compared to individuals who had never used olive oil.

How much of a good thing?

When looking at the different studies in regards to the protective effect of olive oil for various conditions the amount generally ranges between 25 and 40 grams per day, or about 2-3 tablespoons.

In Health and Happiness,

Kelly Harrington, MS, RDN

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for Healthy Goods

References:

1. High-monounsaturated fatty acid diets lower both plasma cholesterol and triacylglycerol concentrations http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/70/6/1009.full

2. Effects of Monounsaturated Fatty Acids on Cardiovascular Risk Factors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis http://www.karger.com/Article/FullText/334071

3. The effect of olive oil polyphenols on antibodies against oxidized LDL. A randomized clinical trial. http://www.clinicalnutritionjournal.com/article/S0261-5614(11)00029-X/fulltext

4. Elevated Circulating LDL Phenol Levels in Men Who Consumed Virgin rather Than Refined Olive Oil are Associated with Les Oxidation of Plasma LDL. http://jn.nutrition.org/content/140/3/501.long

5. Low Fat and High Monounsaturated Fat Diets Decrease Human Low Density Lipoprotein Oxidative Susceptibility In Vitro. http://jn.nutrition.org/content/131/6/1758.full

6. Olive oil consumption and reduced incidence of hypertension: The SUN study. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11745-004-1352-x?LI=true

7. Olive oil, the Mediterranean diet, and arterial blood pressure: the Greek European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study. http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/80/4/1012.abstract

8. Olive oil consumption and reduced incidence of hypertension: The SUN (Seguimiento University of Navarra) study. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11745-004-1352-x?LI=true

9. Oleic acid content is responsible for the reduction in blood pressure induced by olive oil. http://www.pnas.org/content/105/37/13811.abstract

10. Virgin olive oil reduces blood pressure in hypertensive elderly subjects http://www.clinicalnutritionjournal.com/article/PIIS026156140400024X/fulltext  

11. Olive oil intake is inversely related to cancer prevalence: a systematic review and a meta-analysis of 13,800 patients and 23,340 controls in 19 observational studies. http://www.lipidworld.com/content/10/1/127

12. Olive oil and Cancer Risk: an Update of Epidemiological Findings through 2010 http://www.benthamscience.com/cpd/contabs/contents.php?JCode=CPD&Vol=00000017&Iss=00000008#3167024

13. Olive Oil and Cognition: Results from the Three-City Study http://www.hal.inserm.fr/docs/00/41/39/95/PDF/inserm-00413995_edited.pdf

14. Dietary fat types and 4-year cognitive change in community-dwelling older women. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ana.23593/abstract

Article courtesy of Olive Oil Times.