Let’s Put Cholesterol to Bed


Health-101by: Mike Lovell

It is time to close out this series on cholesterol; hopefully, it has helped you understand what is going on in your body. Some of you may have noticed the age of many of the studies I cited in these articles. This should show you how long we’ve known about diet and its affects on heart disease. In fact, there are no major studies that show a negative correlation between saturated fats and foods containing cholesterol with heart disease. So, why the push to low fat/cholesterol diets and establishing abnormally low cholesterol numbers? A preacher once told me if it doesn’t make sense, follow the buck.

Let’s ask a couple of questions: 1. What makes serum cholesterol numbers rise? 2. What causes plaque in the arteries? In actuality the things that elevate serum cholesterol also create an environment conducive to the buildup of plaque.

So what are some of the causes of elevated serum cholesterol?

  1. When the body is under high levels of stress, whether internal or external, the adrenal glands respond by producing stress hormones to combat and lower the stress. The raw material in the production of these hormones is cholesterol, so quite naturally we will see a rise in blood cholesterol levels. Several studies have been conducted that show this (Analytical Research Laboratories, Inc., 1989) (Justice, 1987).
    1. The effects of academic final examinations on serum cholesterol levels were studied on 2 groups of medical students. A significant increase in the mean total serum cholesterol levels were observed during examination periods as compared to control periods of relaxation. These findings support previous reports of the effects of mental tension on serum cholesterol levels. (Grundy & Griffin, 1959)
    2. A significant increase in mean value for serum cholesterol is shown to accompany the mental and emotional stress of examination week in a group of 44 apparently healthy, male, medical students. The mean value for serum cholesterol increased to 238 mg %, which represents an 11% increase over the mean control value of 214 mg % (P < 0.001). (Wertlake, Wilcox, Haley, & Petterson, 1958)
    3. When running a hair test there is a pattern that shows up that indicates chronic stress. This pattern is a high potassium level in relation to sodium. This type of stress pattern usually indicates excessive tissue breakdown, fatigue, diabetes and heavy metal toxicity, all of which may contribute to cardiovascular disease (Lawrence Wilson, 2009).
  2. Adelle Davis in Let’s Get Well noted that “animals and human volunteers that are fed sugar instead of unrefined carbohydrates develop high cholesterol levels”. Unrefined carbohydrates include whole grains. (Davis, 1965)
  • A deficiency in some nutrients such as Chromium, manganese and B-complex vitamins may raise stress since they are necessary in enhancing carbohydrate metabolism.
  1. Copper deficiency also decreases copper in hearts and other organs and cells and increases cholesterol in plasma. Abnormal physiology from deficiency includes abnormal electrocardiograms, glucose intolerance and hypertension. People with ischemic heart disease have decreased cardiac and leucocyte copper and decreased activities of some copper-dependent enzymes. Copper depletion experiments with men and women have revealed abnormalities of lipid metabolism, blood pressure control, and electrocardiograms plus impaired glucose tolerance. The Western diet often is as low in copper as that proved insufficient for these people (Klevay, 2000).
  2. Slow oxidation, as revealed in a properly performed hair test, indicates a sluggish or insufficient adrenal response to stress. Cholesterol levels rise due to the increased stress and the adrenal glands impaired response. This means the adrenals don’t breakdown the cholesterol to produce the stress fighting hormones (Lawrence Wilson, 2009).

odaniel_maranatha-baptist-churchWhen it comes to plaque buildup in the arteries there is a root cause, inflammation. Arteries are the high pressure side of the circulatory system in the body. When the possibility of a leak develops, the body begins its preventive maintenance program. To get a detailed account of the process follow the link provided in the cited work (Libby, 2006). To keep it simple, when inflammation shows up in the artery wall, the affected cells produce an adhesion (sticky) molecule that attracts monocytes. These are transformed into macrophages that trap lipids (LDL’s) creating a fatty layer over the inflamed area. The cholesterol in these trapped lipids are used to help repair any damaged cells causing the inflammation. If the inflammation continues the fatty layer is converted to the harder plaque which acts as a band aid. This process will continue until the inflammation is stopped or the artery is blocked. (Facing by-pass surgery is not a pleasant proposition, so feel free to email me for alternatives.)

Inflammation can be caused by oxidant damage from refined vegetable oils, margarines, refined sugars and heavy metal deposits such as cadmium found in cigarettes. Zinc is necessary to maintain flexibility of the arteries, so a deficiency can cause hardening and inflammation of the arterial walls.

A moderately physical lifestyle, an increase in the consumption of cooked vegetables and decrease in the consumption of simple carbohydrates (this includes refined wheat products) will allow the body to stay balanced and healthy. Oh yeah, leave the butter and meat on the menu, it keeps your heart healthy.

Mike Lovell
Hormone Age Management
225.928.1791 office

Works Cited

Analytical Research Laboratories, Inc. (1989). The Great Cholesterol Mystery. Retrieved from Analytical Research Laboratories, Inc.: http://www.arltma.com/Articles/CholMystDoc.htm

Davis, A. (1965). Let’s Get Well. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.

Grundy, S. M., & Griffin, A. C. (1959). Effects of Periodic Mental Stress on Serum Cholesterol Levels. Retrieved from Circulation: http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/19/4/496.short

Justice, B. (1987). Who Gets Sick. Houston, TX: Peak Press.

Klevay, L. (2000, Febuaray). Cardiovascular disease from copper deficiency–a history. Retrieved from PubMed.com: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10721936

Lawrence Wilson, M. (2009, December). CHOLESTEROL AND YOUR HEART. Retrieved from The Center For Development: http://drlwilson.com/Articles/CHOLESTEROL.htm

Libby, P. (2006, February). Inflammation and cardiovascular disease mechanisms. Retrieved from American Society for Clinical Nutrition: http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/83/2/456S.full

Wertlake, P. T., Wilcox, A. A., Haley, M. I., & Petterson, J. E. (1958, January). Relationship of Mental and Emotional Stress to Serum Cholesterol Levels. Retrieved from Experimental Biology and Medicine: http://ebm.sagepub.com/content/97/1/163.short