Tag: "HDL cholesterol"
We’re warned repeatedly about the supposed hazards of ‘raised’ cholesterol levels, particularly when it comes to increasing the risk of heart disease. However, lower levels of cholesterol are also linked to serious health problems, specifically an increased risk of cancer, as well as ‘haemorrhagic stroke’ (strokes caused by bleeding in the brain). For this reason, […]
When it comes to nutritional approaches to preventing heart disease, perhaps the most consistent piece of advice we’ve been given by health professionals and governments is to avoid saturated fat. This type of fat, found in foods such as meat, eggs and dairy products, is claimed to push up blood levels of cholesterol, which in […]
I came across a study recently which suggests that cholesterol can be a cause of cancer. It concerns the action of a gene which transports cholesterol out of cells. If the gene is defective, cholesterol can build up in the cell, and this is believed to reduce the cell’s ability to counteract cancer development and […]
Statins can have a wide range of adverse effects on the body, but perhaps most well known is their ability to damage and cause pain in the muscles. It’s difficult to know how many people may be affected, because as I have pointed out previously, many studies eliminate individuals prone to side-effects before the study […]
Ezetimibe is a cholesterol-reducing drug. Unlike statins (which reduce cholesterol production in the liver), ezetimibe blocks the absorption of cholesterol from the gut. It’s generally very effective at reducing cholesterol levels. On this basis, the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) licensed ezetimibe for use in the treatment of raised cholesterol in 2002. It’s been quite […]