The Cholesterol-Heart Disease Theory: Myth vs. Fact
                    — by Cynthia Cechota

In the 1950s a researcher named Ancel Keys set out to prove that there is a causal relationship between the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol in the diet and the incidence of heart disease. Though it was widely accepted that flaws existed in both his data and conclusions, Keys received enough publicity to generate the “cholesterol revolution.” The food industry picked up on the craze and used it as means to sell margarine and oils. When the media jumped on the bandwagon, the cholesterol and heart disease theory became fact in the court of public opinion.

Recipe for Healthy Holiday Nog.

Since those early days, cholesterol has remained a highly politicized health problem. It’s not hard to imagine why given the three major industries that have emerged as stakeholders: the medical industry who diagnose and treat patients for high cholesterol; pharmaceutical companies who produce the “remedy”; and the food industry who produce artificial foods to control the “condition.” Each of these industries has a vested interest in maintaining the status quo, and employ legions of lobbyists to further their cause. In such an environment, critics such as Dr. Uffe Ravnskov, MD, PhD, author of The Cholesterol Myths: Exposing the Fallacy that Saturated Fat and Cholesterol Cause Heart Disease, do not usually get published in the mainstream media.

In his thought provoking and thoroughly researched publication, Dr. Ravnskov identifies and dispels a number of myths that the anti-cholesterol forces have been nurturing for half a century. He has extensively studied the original research papers that have “proven” the cholesterol-heart disease connection and found that they are either inconclusive or point to the fact that cholesterol is not a factor in heart disease. What’s so compelling about Ravnskov’s work is that he debunks a number of the accepted myths about cholesterol both in terms of the science employed and by using basic logic to show how they fail the “common sense” test. The reader is led to wonder how the original researchers managed to overlook such evidence. A list of Ravnskov’s cholesterol myths include:

Myth #1: High fat foods cause heart disease.
Myth #2: High cholesterol causes heart disease.
Myth #3: High fat foods raise blood cholesterol.
Myth #4: Cholesterol blocks arteries.
Myth #5: Animal studies prove the diet-heart idea.
Myth #6: Lowering your cholesterol will lengthen your life.
Myth #7: Polyunsaturated oils are good for you.
Myth #8: The cholesterol campaign is based on good science.
Myth #9: All scientists support the diet-heart idea.

(Note: More information is available at www.ravnskov.nu/cholesterol.htm. Ravnskov also strongly encourages readers to go directly to the source materials themselves.)

First, Some Raw Definitions

Even if you have had little or no exposure to the field of medicine, it is imperative that you understand how your body works. Such knowledge empowers you to make decisions about your own health. Understanding the terminology is the first step in this process. Let’s cover those that pertain to the cholesterol debate:

Cholesterol – Erroneously thought of as a fat, but is actually a special alcohol molecule with a high molecular weight (27 carbons, one oxygen, and 46 hydrogens); an animal sterol not used by the body for energy; present in foods as milligrams: does not dissolve in water, which means it has to have a carrier to take it through the blood stream.

LDL (Low-Density Lipoprotein) – Its outer shell dissolves in water, while inside it has a protective insoluble shell that acts as a carrier for cholesterol, which does not dissolve in water; called “bad cholesterol” because it carries cholesterol from the liver into the blood, where it is delivered to various parts of the body and put to work, which is actually good; when cells need more cholesterol, they call on LDL to deliver it.

HDL (High-Density Lipoproteins) – Also dissolves in water; called “good cholesterol” because it acts as a carrier for cholesterol from the tissues back to the liver.

Triglyceride – A dietary fat: three fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule; as a liquid, it is called an oil, as a solid it is called a fat; used by the body as energy; present in foods as grams; offers twice as much energy as protein or carbohydrates; will always measure high unless you’ve fasted for 12 hours.

What Does Cholesterol Do, Anyway?

Cholesterol is a substance made in our livers and other organs. That fact alone is a strong clue that cholesterol is not a deadly poison, but is, in fact, essential for life (why would our bodies produce a deadly poison capable of killing us?). It is very important to our cell structure and is most commonly found in our blood, brain tissue, liver, kidneys, adrenal glands, and the myelin sheaths (the fatty covering that protects our nerve fibers). Our brains consist mostly of cholesterol. Our hormones are made of cholesterol. Our cell membranes are protected from free radicals by cholesterol. Cholesterol plays an integral role in the body’s healing process. This is why cholesterol is found in injured arteries; it is called to the site to help heal wounds (unfortunately, it takes the blame as the cause of the wound). Cholesterol carries out functions that are critical to life, and yet everyone (with a few exceptions) from doctors to dieticians, are telling people they must lower their cholesterol, or die from a heart attack.

We also gain usable cholesterol from our diet, but it is only found in animal tissue. Cholesterol that is consumed in food is not burned as energy or digested in the usual sense, as triglycerides are. There is no breaking apart of larger particles into smaller ones. Instead, it is absorbed into the intestinal walls where it is eventually picked up by a carrier (LDL or HDL) and transported into the blood stream or to the liver.

What Determines Your Cholesterol Level?

Consuming less dietary cholesterol will not have a significant effect on serum cholesterol levels. Why? Simply stated, if your body does not receive it from your diet, it will manufacture cholesterol in the liver or another organ. It is also a fact that our bodies are so dependent upon cholesterol for good health that it is impossible to get enough from diet alone. That’s why your wonderful, intelligent body will produce the rest for you. So, the needs of your body are one determinant of your cholesterol level. Stress (worrying about your cholesterol level?), genetics, age, and cultural background will all have an impact on each person’s individual cholesterol needs. If you are highly stressed, your cholesterol level may be high due to the adrenals working harder. If you come from a family with a history of high cholesterol, you may always have high cholesterol.

If you are overweight or a smoker, have a poor diet, or get no exercise, you could have a heart attack whether or not your cholesterol is high. Then again, plenty of thin people with “normal” cholesterol levels have heart attacks. Think about this: Prior to 1920 (and before the rush to low-cholesterol diets) people ate a traditional diet consisting of meat, potatoes, eggs, and raw milk products, and heart disease was rare!

What Does It All Mean?

Cholesterol serves a necessary role in maintaining a strong, healthy body. “High” cholesterol could mean a lot of things. For example, it could mean that there is an underlying health problem that should be explored. It could also mean that you are getting older and your body is working a little harder to maintain its balance. Or, it could be that your cholesterol was too low and your body has corrected itself. The important thing to remember is that, when it comes to cholesterol, your body understands best what it needs.

I understand this is a highly controversial topic. It took me a few years to convince my 68-year-old mother that she needn’t worry about her cholesterol levels for two reasons—it naturally increases as we age, and old women with high cholesterol levels live longer than do women with low cholesterol levels. Please don’t take my word for it. I encourage you, as Dr. Ravnskov did, to research this topic yourself and take charge of your own health. Your life could depend on it.

Healthy Holidays to you.

© 2003 Cynthia Cechota, M.S.

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For further reading:
The Cholesterol Myths: Exposing the Fallacy that Saturated Fat and Cholesterol Cause Heart Disease
by Uffe Ravnskov, MD, PhD
Know Your Fats: The Complete Primer for Understanding the Nutrition Fats, Oil, and Cholesterol
by Mary Enig
The Untold Story of Milk (Chapter 10 is entitled, “Cholesterol, Animal Fats, and Heart Disease: A Modern Myth?”)

More "Nutrition" articles from the archives:
A Nutritional Perspective on Vegetarianism, by Cynthia Cechota
What They Won't Tell You About Soy, by Cynthia Cechota
Habits of Old Keep You Feeling Young, by Cynthia Cechota

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed on this Web site are not necessarily those of CreativeRefuge.com and are not medical advice. Please consult your doctor prior to making any changes to your existing diet or exercise regimen.