3 Health Myths - Cholesterol
We've already briefly touched on the three topics mentioned, but I think it's important to go into a little more depth. This is due to the fact that, in the office, there are very few patients who don't have doubts or misconceptions about at least one of these subjects, and the majority have questions about all of them.
You have to lower your cholesterol (and keep it “low”) at all costs
This is one of the most absurd and unfounded myths in existence, and I'm going to justify it simply:
Cholesterol is a fundamental component of the membranes of all the cells in our bodies, as well as being one of the main precursors of many of our hormones. Our brain and nervous system also depend on it to exist and function properly. Knowing this, does it make sense to believe that nature has placed a “time bomb” inside us, which we are capable of producing even without eating fat (yes, our bodies can make cholesterol from carbohydrates and proteins, if necessary)? Clearly not.
🟢 In my practice, I have observed that patients with good lifestyle habits and high HDL (above 50; 60 for women) and a total cholesterol around three times this value, generally have a very good life and fewer complaints than others. This is partly due to the fact that cholesterol itself is not dangerous, unless it is out of proportion (with low HDL), excessively high and/or oxidized. Poor lifestyle habits can facilitate the oxidation of cholesterol, which, when oxidized, adheres easily to artery walls and increases the risk of cardiovascular complications.
🟢 Too low cholesterol can lead to multiple hormonal deficiencies. For more information, read on: http://icaro.med.br/colesterol-e-hormonios---qual-e-a-relacao/.
🟢 The drugs most commonly used, excessively in my opinion, to lower cholesterol “by force” are statins. However, in doing so, they also reduce the production of two substances that are extremely important for health, which naturally leads to a series of unpleasant and sometimes even disabling side effects: Coenzyme Q10, which is essential for energy production, and Dolicol, which is necessary for the manufacture of proteins. Find out more at: http://icaro.med.br/mito-colesterol/.
Of course, all this is just my “superficial” opinion on the subject, although it is based on numerous scientific articles. Do you know http://www.thincs.org/ and http://scholar.google.com/? I encourage you to ask questions, read, research, study and form your own opinion. After all, if having critical judgment is always important, it becomes even more essential when it comes to your health.
For those who wish to delve deeper into the subject and better understand the myth of “cholesterol as a health villain”, I suggest reading the following materials:
🔗 https://fabriciopersonaldasaude.blogspot.com/2012/02/oovo-e-o-mito-do-colesterol-parte-1-em.html
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