Online health influencers claim that low cholesterol causes hormonal problems, damages your brain, and raises your risk of cancer and premature death. Are they right?
Once again, thanks for your research on cholesterol. I just recently viewed a video on YouTube, Nutrition Made Simple by Dr Gil Carvahlo, covering this exact topic; do high blood pressure, high blood glucose, high cholesterol numbers indicate longer life?
Anecdotally, my cholesterol numbers don’t seem have any relation to lifestyle. When I retired from the Navy at 42, I was fit(ran, lifted weights, cycled, swam), 7% body fat, healthy(cholesterol was 116), yet I didn’t eat what we would call a healthy diet today. Three years later cholesterol was up to 118. In the years before and after, my levels varied between 120-170, without changes in diet or lifestyle. I don’t know what those numbers are now as I haven’t had blood work done. As Dr Tom Cowan says, “there’s a 100% cure for high cholesterol, which is never to do the test again.” I relate this to say I can read many things, which in the end help me little. Which brings me to the questions you didn’t address; what is high? What is low? What is normal?
I read some of the links you referenced and here is what I garnered:
a)Dietary cholesterol content has little impact on plasma cholesterol (including LDL-cholesterol).
b) It is thus legitimate to question whether dietary cholesterol itself (inde-pendently of plasma cholesterol levels) has a relationship (either a simple, statistical association or a causal relationship) with the risk of CVD
c) On the basis of these data, one can conclude that if dietary cholesterol does lead to an increased risk of CVD, that risk is low. The clinical implication is thus negligible.
It seems that society is bifurcated. How can two people, or two groups look at the exact same data and draw two opposite conclusions. Seed oils are bad. Seed oils are good. Linoleic acid is bad. No, it’s good. Carbs are bad. Carbs are good. Eggs are bad. No, they’re good. This bifurcation isn’t just with nutrition and health. It’s everything. I’m not even talking about influencers. That’s just a euphemism for con artist. My opinion is that all the numbers we are given as to what is healthy are just that - numbers. Statistics.
Fascinating to watch the 'experts' from different frames of reference pushing a specific perspective on so many different issues Robyn. Often on the latest bandwagon it seems.
Discerning the truth around real health choices and optimal lifestyle etc can be challenging to say the least. Appreciate your perspective and encouraging people to think Robyn. Loved your critical thinking posts!
Once again, thanks for your research on cholesterol. I just recently viewed a video on YouTube, Nutrition Made Simple by Dr Gil Carvahlo, covering this exact topic; do high blood pressure, high blood glucose, high cholesterol numbers indicate longer life?
Anecdotally, my cholesterol numbers don’t seem have any relation to lifestyle. When I retired from the Navy at 42, I was fit(ran, lifted weights, cycled, swam), 7% body fat, healthy(cholesterol was 116), yet I didn’t eat what we would call a healthy diet today. Three years later cholesterol was up to 118. In the years before and after, my levels varied between 120-170, without changes in diet or lifestyle. I don’t know what those numbers are now as I haven’t had blood work done. As Dr Tom Cowan says, “there’s a 100% cure for high cholesterol, which is never to do the test again.” I relate this to say I can read many things, which in the end help me little. Which brings me to the questions you didn’t address; what is high? What is low? What is normal?
I read some of the links you referenced and here is what I garnered:
a)Dietary cholesterol content has little impact on plasma cholesterol (including LDL-cholesterol).
b) It is thus legitimate to question whether dietary cholesterol itself (inde-pendently of plasma cholesterol levels) has a relationship (either a simple, statistical association or a causal relationship) with the risk of CVD
c) On the basis of these data, one can conclude that if dietary cholesterol does lead to an increased risk of CVD, that risk is low. The clinical implication is thus negligible.
It seems that society is bifurcated. How can two people, or two groups look at the exact same data and draw two opposite conclusions. Seed oils are bad. Seed oils are good. Linoleic acid is bad. No, it’s good. Carbs are bad. Carbs are good. Eggs are bad. No, they’re good. This bifurcation isn’t just with nutrition and health. It’s everything. I’m not even talking about influencers. That’s just a euphemism for con artist. My opinion is that all the numbers we are given as to what is healthy are just that - numbers. Statistics.
Thank you for your excellent questions/comments which deserve a complete post to answer them... coming up, next!
Fascinating to watch the 'experts' from different frames of reference pushing a specific perspective on so many different issues Robyn. Often on the latest bandwagon it seems.
Discerning the truth around real health choices and optimal lifestyle etc can be challenging to say the least. Appreciate your perspective and encouraging people to think Robyn. Loved your critical thinking posts!
That bandwagon is so overused, I'm surprised its axles haven't broken 🤣🤣🤣🤣!
Indeed!