An Article in Forbes, New U. S Guidelines Will Lift Limits on Dietary Cholesterol, discusses the move to change dietary guidelines for cholesterol. The new guidelines will eliminate the recommendations to limit cholesterol in food. That means you can eat eggs freely again!
The recommendations to lower dietary cholesterol have been in place for decades. These changes reflect major changes in scientific beliefs on dietary cholesterol. Steve NIssen is quoted as saying, “We got the dietary guidelines wrong. They’ve been wrong for decades.”
What is interesting is 35 years ago while listening to Jeffrey Bland PhD in a seminar he taught dietary cholesterol wasn’t necessarily related to blood cholesterol. In fact, he said that low cholesterol diets often raised total blood cholesterol as they turned on the body’s production of cholesterol. He related a story of a hospitalized patient he saw whom had his dietary cholesterol lowered due to high blood cholesterol levels. This only served to raise his cholesterol dramatically. Dr. Bland added eggs back to the diet and soon his cholesterol levels started to decrease. This wisdom came 35 years ago, what did Dr. Bland know that it has taken us 35 years to discover? I do know that Dr. Bland continually quoted the scientific literature and used common sense. So the information has been there for decades. Currently Dr. Bland has a new book, The Disease Delusion, which I highly recommend to learn more about the future of medicine.
More about Cholesterol
Most of the cholesterol in our bodies is synthesized in the liver. Cholesterol is an essential component of cell membranes. Cholesterol is also an essential component of vitamin D, bile acids, and steroid hormones.
I have seen an increasing number of patients that have been coming in the office on cholesterol medications with levels well below 150 total cholesterol. Their MD”s are trying to reduce their total cholesterol level below 100. While the American Heart Association feels that under 180 is optimal, some doctors are pushing the limits and since cholesterol is such an important part of steroid hormones this isn’t without dangers.
Lower cholesterol levels are associated with depression. Men with low cholesterol and depression were 7 times more likely to die from unnatural causes. We notice these patients have decreased energy and depression. Most of them seek our help for muscle pain, a frequent side effect of statin therapy.
Other “Scientific Medical Myths”
- Cholesterol levels are not going to be as important as LDL particle size in predicting heart disease.
- Salt is not the culprit. High sodium levels are found in processed and fast foods. If we want to be healthy, we need to stop processed foods and fast foods. The danger is not the salt shaker but the hidden sodium in fast and processed foods.
- While we continue to hear about the safety of GMO’s we are hearing increasing reports on the dangers of organophosphates. No matter what you think of GMO’s and their safety, they are grown to be tolerant of organophosphates and result in higher organophosphate levels.
Eating whole healthy natural food along with moderate exercise is the best way to keep and stay healthy as we age. In addition, make sure to take your vitamins.
In Good Health,
John Montague DC