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Posts Tagged ‘Protein’

Are you searching for ways to boost your testosterone levels naturally? How about doing it through your diet!

The following is a collection of tips from doctors, scientists and fitness experts about using foods to increase your testosterone levels.A list of foods and vitamins that will optimize your levels include:Zinc: The best source of dietary zinc is meat. White meat chicken is the best choice. And salmon is the best choice in fish. For vegetarians, choose peanuts or beans. Fruit would not be a good choice because plant sources of zinc are harder for the body to use and are not good testosterone food sources.Vitamin A: essential for the normal function of the reproductive organs. There are lots of fruits that increase testosterone in this category: apples, blueberries, cantaloupe, pineapple and citrus fruits, just to name a few. Other food sources of Vitamin A include fish (salmon, again), leafy greens (spinach) and brightly colored vegetables like tomatoes, red peppers and yellow squash.

Salmon is obviously it’s a great source for a lot of different vitamins that help to boost your testosterone levels. Other than being an excellent source of Vitamin A and zinc, as well as protein, fish oil is said to keep SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin) levels lower. When testosterone runs into SHBG in the blood stream, it becomes attached to it, and then can’t interact with any of the body’s cells.

The net effect of testosterone that is attached to SHBG is the same as a lack of testosterone since it is prevented from having any impact on the body. Salmon might be your number one testosterone food source followed closely by oysters which are naturally rich in zinc.Eat enough. The amount of calories you consume each day should be enough to maintain your bodyweight. Lower-calorie diets are associated with lower testosterone levels. Consume around 18-20 calories for every pound of bodyweight.Eat animal protein. Studies show that vegetarian diets lead to lower blood testosterone levels and higher amounts of “inactive” testosterone even when protein intake is the same. Be sure to consume poultry, beef, fish and pork.Red meat is particularly good due to its higher levels of saturated fat and zinc, a mineral associated with higher testosterone levels.Eat some fat. Research suggests that when total fat, saturated fat and monounsaturated fat intakes increase, so does testosterone. Choose foods high in monounsaturated fats, like avocadoes, nuts, seeds, olives and olive oil. Red meat and dairy products (not the fat-free varieties) are also good sources of protein and saturated fat.

Worried about your heart health? Research states that most saturated fat found in beef, chicken and pork does not raise LDL (”bad”) cholesterol levels.Eat some dietary cholesterol. Studies show that those who train while on a higher-cholesterol diet gain more muscle mass and strength than those who eat less cholesterol. Foods like egg yolks and red meat are good sources. What is more, research shows the cholesterol in egg yolks does not raise LDL (”bad”) cholesterol levels.Drink a protein and carb shake after working out. Consuming proteins and carbs after training has been shown to increase the amount of testosterone that enters muscle cells, where it can increase muscle growth. Take 20-40 grams of whey protein and 40-100 grams of simple carbohydrates post-workout.Eat cruciferous veggies. Broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage yields compounds called indoles that help lower certain estrogens, which in turn can help reduce estrogen’s inhibitory effects on testosterone production.Eat plenty of carbs. A higher ratio of carbs-to-protein – somewhere around 2:1 is best – results in higher testosterone levels. Shoot for at least 2 grams of carbs per pound of bodyweight.Do not eat too much. Taking in too many calories can lead to gains in bodyfat, which can ultimately lead to lower testosterone levels by increasing your levels of estrogen.Do not eat too much protein. Consuming more protein than carbs can increase the loss of testosterone through urination. While protein is necessary for higher testosterone levels, too much can have a negative effect. Stick to about 80-90% of your body weight in grams of protein.Do not eat too much fat. Spread out your fat consumption throughout the day and avoid high-fat meals, which can actually decrease testosterone levels momentarily. Keep fat consumption at 30% of your total caloric intakeWatch your alcohol intake. Drinking alcohol can lead to lower testosterone levels by increasing the conversion of testosterone to estrogen. Keep alcohol consumption to a couple of glasses a week.Do not eat too much fiber. Eating a healthy diet should give you enough fiber to stay healthy. Get roughly 35 grams of fiber per day when trying to keep testosterone levels Foods to Avoid:The following foods are not testosterone friendly sources:

Fried foods, sugar and caffeine over stimulate the adrenals, which produce some testosterone. Over stimulating the adrenals leads to “adrenal exhaustion”, means they are not going to produce testosterone or anything else. So eating a breakfast of hash browns, toast with jelly and coffee with cream and sugar would NOT be a good choice. A healthy diet and testosterone production go hand in hand.

It is not possible to include here all of the good testosterone food sources or even all of the fruits that increase testosterone.

Consult a nutritionist or dietician for a personal plan that addresses your individual needs.

In the meantime, for breakfast tomorrow have an egg omelet (egg yolk contains cholesterol which testosterone is made from) with tomatoes and red peppers (sources of Vitamin A) and orange juice to drink. Follow that up with some alfalfa-sprout toast (alfalfa is said to be a sexual stimulant) and some fresh apples, pineapples or other fruits that increase testosterone and you are sure to have a good start to your day.

For more information about health, nutrition and supplements go to fitnessboard.net

You’d think by now we’ve all heard the theory about eating 5-6 small balanced meals a day. If this is news to you, you need to get out more! This ‘theory’ has been proven in many clinical studies and, more notably, in real life, as the best way to raise your metabolism and put your body in an efficient fat burning state at all times. But who really has time for 6 meals a day? Seriously… even if they are small, 6 meals a day is much easier said, than done. So… what can you do if you can’t nail a 6-meal-a-day regimen? Take an MRP – or 2 or 3!

I knew this kid in high school who desperately wanted to be a soldier in the Army. He was one of those kids that everyone made fun of behind his back because he wore fatigues on a daily basis. But I really respected him because he was in the weight room with me every morning at 7am. Somehow, this kid was always one step ahead of me. The difference between he and I wasn’t our workout regimen or our dedication to the weights, it was our diet. While I was eating like crap, he was eating clean and taking everything he could afford to help himself get better – not much when you’re in high school! Every day this kid ate 2 military “MRE” rations – one between the morning classes and one between the afternoon classes and I think he was taking creatine too. Back then, my dumb ass thought taking creatine was cheating! OOPS! My point is… I was working just as hard as he was but I was being left in the dust! Every one of his lifts was better than mine and while I was struggling to barely get my abs to show, he was worrying about getting more separation in his quads! Anyway, he was kicking my ass mainly because he was eating better than I was. By better I mean more often. Military MREs are good meals but they aren’t designed for bodybuilders and athletes like MRPs are. It wasn’t like he was taking these super anabolic muscle pills. It was simply that he was eating often enough to put his body in an anabolic state. His body was being an efficient fat-burning machine! Just imagine if he was taking an MRP instead! This reminds me of something our coach said one day will forever stand out to me.

What is an MRP? MRP stands for Meal Replacement Powder and they aren’t the 10-pound bags of weight gain formulas or the no-carb protein mixes that most people think of. They aren’t the colon cleansers or creatine loaded energy drinks either. They are totally sound meals that contain all the aspects of a completely healthy, bodybuilder-inspired diet… including carbs. They are perfectly balanced food supplements! MRPs have completely revolutionized bodybuilding in a way that no other product ever has before or ever will again. There will always be improvements done to the ingredients in them, but nothing will ever replace the MRP. They are a healthy, effective, convenient, dare I say… essential part of every athletes diet! And if you find the right one, they even taste good too!

In the quest to find the right MRP there are many factors. Unfortunately, most people only consider 2 things… protein and carbs. Which type of protein is in it? How few carbs does it have? But like I said before, MRPs are complete Meal Replacements, not no-carb protein mixes. An MRP should have a good balance of protein, carbohydrates, and fats. And it should also be equipped with a good vitamin array, L-Glutamine, and Essential Fatty Acids. To pick the right MRP, you need to understand what exactly to look for in each of these items. The Protein

Essentially, a good high quality MRP should contain between 30-40 grams of protein. Much more than that, I would consider a protein powder, not an MRP. Protein is made up of amino acids (the building blocks of muscle) and is absolutely essential for muscle growth. Choosing the right type of protein should be the biggest determining factor when looking for the right MRP. But when you look at the facts, the choice is an easy one to make. Right now there are 4 main choices available on the protein market, whey, soy, egg, and casein. All of which have slightly different structure and functionalities. Lets look at the different proteins individually.Whey Protein Isolate is the top choice among all athletes. The fact is, whey protein is the single best protein for building and repairing muscle, it is the richest in branch chain amino acids (BCAA), and it is easiest and fastest for your body to digest. You really can’t go wrong with whey! Something else to note: You’ll sometimes see whey protein concentrate (instead of isolate). Isolate is the most pure form of whey protein. Soy Protein comes from vegetables. One of the biggest benefits of soy protein is that is has a complete array of all the essential amino acids. But it also helps reduce heart related disease by lowering LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) while it doesn’t seem to have a negative effect on HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol). Actually the FDA approved soy containing dietary supplements to claim – diets that have at least 25 grams of soy protein per day are “Heart Healthy”! Egg protein. Remember when Rocky cracked some raw eggs into that cup and just downed ‘em like it was nothin’? I swear… that movie put egg protein on the map! I still to this day haven’t summoned up enough guts to down a single raw egg! Egg protein has been coined “the World’s most perfect protein” because it has the most complete total amino acid profile of all the different forms of protein. Casein and whey are both derived from milk protein. The difference is that casein takes much longer to digest. This proves a very beneficial addition to an MRP because things that take longer to digest burn more calories. Not only does it burn more calories, it kind of acts like a timed or extended release protein so you get the benefits of protein in your system for a longer period of time.

When you look at the benefits of each protein it is easy to see why whey is the protein of choice for pure protein supplements for athletes. It’s what I’d recommend and what I choose myself when I take one. However, whey protein by itself is not a great choice for a true MRP. Again, MRPs are Meal Replacements… not strict protein supplements! And because each type of protein is important to your body, your MRP should have a combination of them all! In fact, many studies show that nitrogen retention is actually increased through a staggered protein release – something you get when you take a combination of fast and slow digested proteins. The Carbs

A good MRP will have between 15 and 30 grams of carbohydrates. The bad thing is, to make an MRP taste good, you have to add sugar and other IMPACT carbs. IMPACT carbs are carbohydrates that have a higher impact on blood sugar levels – a bad thing. Fortunately some companies have taken the extra step in their labeling process to inform the consumer of how many IMPACT carbs their MRP has. If they don’t tell you how many are in there, you should just assume that all of their carb content is high on the glycemic index. Let me clarify this to you so you have a better understanding of how this works.

When you eat carbohydrates your body breaks them down into glucose (sugar). This glucose is our body’s main source of energy. In order to use the sugar however, your body releases insulin. Insulin is what carries the glucose into the body cells. Glucose and insulin are essential to the development and functionality of brain cells and for the production of red blood cells. We need carbs! So what’s the problem with carbs? Well… the carbs really aren’t the problem. How your body responds to the glucose build up is the problem. Some carbs (simple carbs) are digested quickly and the result is a fast glucose buildup. This can be bad. If your body isn’t primed to use this quick energy buildup, it will store the glucose instead (as fat). Other carbs (complex carbs) are digested slowly. This is what you want most of your carbohydrate intake to be. The slow digestion brings on a slow glucose release and in response, a slow and steady insulin release. Eating complex carbs will make your body work to utilize that energy! And because of the slow release it won’t feel overwhelmed and start storing all the extra energy as fat. The fitness industry has coined the term “IMPACT carbs” and applied it to all the carbs that have a higher glucose response. The Fats

The best MRPs on the market will have some fat in them. And they should, because just as protein and carbohydrates are important, so are fats! Again, your body needs fats! But just as there are different forms of protein and carbs, there are different forms of fats too. I don’t want to spend a lot of time telling you the difference between all the good and bad fats. I’m just going to reiterate stuff you probably already know. Stay away from saturated fats. Saturated fats are mainly found in meat, butter, and cheese. No more than 10% of your fat intake should come from saturated fats. The fats that are important to supplement are called Essential Fatty Acids or EFAs. They are called essential fatty acids because your body doesn’t produce them naturally so it is essential that you get them from your food or supplements. EFAs are an important addition to MRPs because they promote optimal hormone production, muscle tissue repair and recovery, insulin metabolism, and fat burning potential! Support Ingredients

It’s funny when you see everyone comparing MRPs because all they do is compare protein and carbohydrate content. There’s no doubt that those are the two most important factors, but what makes an MRP stand out from the pack isn’t that it has more protein or fewer carbs… it’s the support ingredients! Think about race cars for instance. I don’t pretend to be Mario Andretti’s mechanic or anything but I know that just because a car has more horsepower and wider tiers, doesn’t mean it’s faster around the track. What about the shocks? Gear ratios? Aerodynamics? The driver? These are the “support ingredients” that make champion racecar teams champions! And the same goes for MRPs! The support ingredients are what separate the men from the boys!

Branch Chain Amino Acids are the main building blocks for muscle production. Whey protein is considered “DA BOM” because it has the highest concentration of BCAA at about 25% of its total content. So if you are taking whey protein, do you need BCAA? No… if you are taking over 150 grams of pure whey protein per day you probably don’t. But if you are, then you are probably taking a pure whey protein supplement… not an MRP. A good high quality MRP will be fortified with extra BCAA because it will not contain only whey protein.

L-Glutamine is a key addition to MRPs that some companies keep out so they can sell you another individual supplement. The coolest thing about glutamine is that it is both anabolic and anti-catabolic… in other words, not only does it promote muscle production; it will help prevent muscle tissue breakdown! This makes it a great supplement for bulking up or cutting down.

Every MRP using bodybuilder will tell you the benefits of taking fiber. Or you could just go ask your grandma! Think Metamucil. Fiber plays a key role in keeping you regular. And when you are taking over 150 grams of protein a day this is something that will not go unnoticed… trust me! High protein diets are notorious for this so be sure your MRP has some fiber in it.

Potassium is another thing to look for in the support ingredients. Most all MRPs contain enough potassium but I wanted to throw this in because I think it’s very important. Potassium helps prevent dehydration and cramping in your muscles and believe it or not, most people don’t get enough potassium in their regular diet. It’s one of those supplements that seems to just get overlooked. If you are a bodybuilder, the last thing you want is to get dehydrated and start cramping up!

A good vitamin/mineral array is something you’d think would never go unnoticed when a company makes an MRP, but it does! It’s like its almost too obvious that no one thinks of it! All the top-notch companies will have at least a 30% array. They figure you’ll be taking the MRP three times a day… so that would give you 90% of the US RDA. Good enough because you’ll be getting the rest from your other 3 meals right?

And finally, the last support ingredient that is a sign of a quality MRP is the addition of Aminogen® enzymes. Aminogen® enzymes are a patented ratio of enzymes that are designed to help your body digest dietary protein. The importance of digesting all the protein you take in is obvious. If you don’t digest it, there’s no reason to even take it!

So which one is it?

I’ve talked a lot about what to look for in a good high quality MRP. But before I reveal which ones are “tops” in the industry, you should really know what not to look for in an MRP. You should not get an MRP that has weightloss products in it. An MRP is something you’re going to take all year around – three times a day… no matter what your goal is. You don’t want to be taking 3 doses of an ECA or something like that during your bulking stages! Another thing to steer clear of is pro-hormones in your MRP. Again, these are something you should cycle, not take year round. Creatine is taken in loading and maintenance phases; it shouldn’t be added to your MRP. Oh… and aspartame and high fructose corn syrup is something to avoid too.

When you consider that there are literally hundreds of MRPs on the market, each with its own good and bad points, it is really hard to find the one that meets all my criteria and tastes good too. You would think that the top names would come through as the best, but you may be surprised! Most companies try so hard to get the formula right, they forget about the most important part… the taste!

Check out the variety of MRP’s and protein powders at Zupplements.com

Ok… there you have it. When it comes to choosing your MRP, you have to consider everything in it… take my word for it! Actually, strike that… Don’t take my word for it. I implore you to research the information yourself. Be an educated consumer and make the best choice for you – that’s how all your decisions should be made!

LIPOPROTEINS

Once lipids are disassembled in the intestinal lumen and mucosal cell (enterocyte) they are reassembled in the mucosal cell as chylomicrons (CM’s) and very low density lipoproteins (VLDL’s). These vehicles contain primarily nonpolar cholesterol esters and triglycerides in the core and polar cholesterol, protein, and phospholipids in their membranes. (Fig. 20)

[ Lipoproteins Image ]

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They are transported via the lymph and blood circulation to the liver, fat depots, and muscles. There the endothelial enzyme lipoprotein lipase removes the lipid contents.

Lipid carrying vehicles are also made by the liver primarily as very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) and these function to move lipids made by the body itself into tissues. On the other hand, high density lipoproteins (HDL), which are made in the intestines and liver, function primarily to reverse this process and transport lipids from tissue to liver hepatocytes.1 HDL’s are of two types: HDL3 and HDL2. HDL3 is an empty package composed of a bilayer lipid membrane plus proteins. Lysolecithin cholesterol acyl transferase (LCAT) and apoprotein A associated with HDL3 remove free cholesterol from the blood, esterify it and fill the HDL3 package.

The LCAT enzyme uses the fatty acid in the number two position of lecithin to esterify to cholesterol. If this fatty acid is saturated, the process is inhibited: if it is unsaturated, the process is enhanced. Thus, cholesterol blood clearing by HDL3 is linked to dietary intake of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. High saturated triglycerides are often clinically associated with high blood cholesterol levels.

As HDL3 swells with cholesterol ester, it becomes HDL2, which in the liver releases its cholesterol through the action of hepatic lipase. Released cholesterol is conjugated with the amino acids glycine (predominantly in most species) and taurine (predominantly in cats) to form bile salts which are then excreted in the bile into the small intestine.2,3 Some cholesterol is then reabsorbed via the enterohepatic circulation and some passes with the feces. The less reabsorbed, the lower the blood levels of cholesterol. A variety of complex factors influences the reuptake of bile cholesterol. For example, some of the beneficial effects of fiber and certain bowel microorganisms can be related to decreasing cholesterol uptake.4,5

Characterization of lipid transport vehicles is based on physical density, size and ratios of constituents. Chylomicrons are the largest particles, the very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) is the next largest, the intermediate density lipoprotein (IDL) is the next largest, the low density lipoprotein (IDL) is the next largest, and then high density lipoproteins (HDL) are the smallest. In terms of their constituents, as the particle becomes smaller as it is hydrolyzed by lipoprotein lipase on capillary endothelial cells, its protein and cholesterol content becomes greater, triglyceride content becomes smaller and its density increases.6 Thus chylomicrons are laden with lipid but lean of protein, whereas high density lipoproteins contain smaller amounts of lipid and larger measures of protein. (Fig. 21)

[ Lipid Transport Vehicles Image ]

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Diagnostically the measure of these lipid carriers in the blood is important as indicators of risk particularly to cardiovascular disease. If there are high levels of LDL’s, this would be unfavorable whereas high levels of HDL’s would be favorable. High levels of LDL’s mean that there is a large amount of circulating cholesterol which may have atherogenic potential. On the other hand, a high level of HDL’s would mean that lipid stores are being mobilized from tissue and metabolized in the liver to be excreted in the bile.7

APOPROTEINS

The proteins associated with lipid carriers help solubilize the lipids, and identify them for enzymatic action. There are a host of these apoproteins. Some of those believed to be most important diagnostically are B, found on LDL’s and VLDL’s, E, found on IDL’s, and A. found on HDL’s. Apoprotein B on LDL’s and VLDL’s tags lipids for uptake by liver cells or scavenger cells in blood vessel walls. Apoprotein A tags HDL’s for liver uptake. Another apoprotein, C-2, serves as a cofactor for lipoprotein lipase which hydrolyzes the contents of low density lipid carriers on the endothelial wall. (Fig 22)

[ Lipoprotein Metabolism Image ]

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This is a very brief overview of some increasingly complex biochemistry coming to light.8-l0 Diagnostically, identifying apoproteins may be most revealing since they are more specific than simply measuring cholesterol or lipoproteins. High apoprotein A, for example, indicates high levels of HDL’s whereas high levels of B indicate high levels of LDL’s.

Lipoprotein (a) (different than A) may be one of the best independent markers for both cardiovascular risk and severity of existing disease. It is comprised of LDL and apoproteins B-100 and (a). Lp(a) is genetically controlled and due to the homology between apo (a) and plasminogen, a blood clot lysing factor, it interferes with clot lysis and adheres LDL to the endothelial surface where it can initiate atherosclerosis. Lp(a) levels greater than 50 mg/ell, plus high LDL levels can increase cardiovascular disease risk six fold. 11-14

TARGET BLOOD LEVELS

Blood cholesterol is increasingly used as a screening tool for cardiovascular risk. One third of all adults in the U.S. now know their blood cholesterol level. How much is the right amount? Looking at just LDL cholesterol, it is argued that since newborns have levels of approximately 30 mg/dl and that 25 mg/dl is sufficient to nourish the body’s tissue with cholesterol, and that species which do not experience cholesterol-related cardiovascular disease consistently have LDL cholesterol levels of less than 80 mg/dl, a recommended level of 25-80 mg/dl is considered to be in the healthy range. This is 1/5 the level normally seen in Western societies.15 Other tests measuring HDL, total cholesterol, triglycerides, apoproteins and cholesterol/HDL and Apo A/Apo B ratios are also used to determine cardiovascular risk.

[ Blood Lipid Levels Image ]

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By measuring various lipid factors it is possible to compile a composite lipid risk score.16 Diagnostic values, however, are subject to error both in testing and interpretation. We are far from being able to accurately quantitate health. A false “positive” risk could create anxiety and disease (convert a normal person to a patient) where none was present, and a false “negative” risk could lead to complacency and exacerbation of existing disease. Therefore, laboratory results and “normal” values should always be viewed with suspicion and used only as leads for further diagnostic evaluation.17-20

CHOLESTEROL

The level of various lipids in the blood, including cholesterol, is dependent upon cholesterol ingested and the amount of cholesterol being synthesized within the body. Cholesterol is an extremely important compound that makes up part of cellular membranes, is a substrate for the synthesis of a variety of hormones and vitamin D, and also is a component of bile acids which permit the digestion of lipids.

If cholesterol is a normal and healthy physiological compound, why such an uncomplimentary reputation? Government, through the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) seeks to decrease the nation’s blood cholesterol levels. This is the largest medical intervention in the history of the U.S.A. It has not been done without cause. Heart disease takes the life of one of every two in this country. Cholesterol is an integral part of the atherosclerotic plaque and major studies such as the federally supported Framingham (Mass.) Heart Study following thousands of subjects since 1948 show significant correlations between cholesterol and heart disease.

Simply lowering blood cholesterol is not a panacea, however. If the diet were totally depleted of cholesterol, the body would be forced to produce that which is necessary to sustain life. If blood cholesterol is unusually low (less than 160 mg/dl) the risk of stroke increases three fold and the risk of cancer increases two fold.21, 22 Thus dietary cholesterol, although perhaps a contributing factor to disease, is not likely a “poison” in its natural food form. The body has elaborate biochemical systems designed to synthesize approximately 80% of the cholesterol found within normal tissue. The body evidently thinks cholesterol is important. Cholesterol synthesis uses foods such as sugar, alcohol and starch to form the precursor acetate. A host of enzymes specifically designed to assure cholesterol availability then builds the complex molecule from acetate.

Cholesterol has been a part of the diet since the beginning of life yet cholesterol-linked disease is recent, reportedly being of significant consequence only since about the 1930’s. The Masai in Tanzania consume up to 2,000 mg of cholesterol per day yet their serum levels remain low, 115-145 mg/dl.23 A study of South African egg farm workers who consume large numbers of eggs resulting in a cholesterol intake of 1,200 mg per day have serum cholesterol levels of 180 mg/dl.

So why would cholesterol cause cardiovascular disease, the number one killer in many developed nations, when:

1. Cholesterol has been a part of the natural diet of humans and animals for millennia:

2. Cardiovascular disease is not significant in many so societies consuming high levels of cholesterol:

3. As cardiovascular disease increased, cholesterol and saturated fat levels have remained relatively constant: (Fig. 24) and,

4. As deaths from heart attacks decreased by 42% from 1963 to 1986, average cholesterol levels decreased only 3%.24

Some argue that the apparent paradox of increased cardiovascular disease is a result of increased life span creating an older population naturally more given to degenerative diseases. But contrary to popular belief, life span (the length of life one can expect to live, life potential) has not increased significantly since actuarial data has been reliably tabulated. Life expectancy (the average length of life of a population), on the other hand, has increased (47 years in 1900, 73 years today) due to decreased infant mortality resulting from better public hygiene and food distribution. Thus although at birth our chance of survival to a natural old-age death is increased, our age at the time of a natural death has not increased over that of our distant ancestors.25 Increased cardiovascular disease rates are therefore not simply a function of the increasing average age of our population.

The evidence is, however, quite convincing that cardiovascular disease is linked to diet in some way. Additionally, atherosclerotic plaques in vessel walls (particularly carotid and coronary) do indeed contain cholesterol although it may be difficult to prove that cholesterol’s presence is a cause rather than a result of atherosclerosis. The issue is not closed. There is evidence that cardiovascular disease is ancient and that genetics and the stresses of modern living. particularly. may be more important than diet.26

It is likely that atherosclerosis is a consequence of the influence of a variety of modern factors. These include but are not limited to sedentary living, stress, environmental pollution and diet. Looking only at diet, correlations between cardiovascular disease and increased consumption of proinflammatory omega-6 oils, processed (hydrogenated, oxidized) polyunsaturated fatty acids found in manufactured margarines and a wide range of other commercial processed products and oxidized cholesterol are far more logically convincing as etiologic factors than natural cholesterol or saturated fats.

[ The Cause Of Cardiovascular Disease Image ]

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The early 1900’s, marking a seemingly rapid rise in cardiovascular disease, also marked the rise in the consumption of the fabricated, fractionated processed diet.27-30 (Fig. 23) Cholesterol as a part of raw, whole, natural foods (natural here would also mean food animals in the wild, not factory farmed) has not been demonstrated to be linked to any disease conditions. The putative relationship between cholesterol and disease confuses definitions. The cholesterol referred to and shown through metanalysis, retrospective studies and prospective controlled clinical trials to be positively associated with atherosclerosis is not “natural” cholesterol. For example, in animal studies which induce atherosclerosis, an oxidized (”activated”) cholesterol is used.31,32 Additionally, human studies measure the effects of processed fats and oils as they occur in processed foods, not lipids as they occur in raw, natural, whole, fresh foods. Cholesterol in a homogenized, pasteurized butter, scrambled egg, fastfood burger or a grilled steak is a whole different creature than the cholesterol found in the living tissue of a wild antelope. (Fig.24)

Not only is the form of the cholesterol different (there are over 60 different cholesterol oxide species alone) but its context is totally different. The value of food is not only determined by its individual components, but by the company kept, the kind and relative amounts of neighbors — its synergonic nature. Processed foods are made from fractionated ingredients which are modified and then reassembled to create taste, shelf life and profit. Afresh, raw, natural food is entirely different, it is a complex milieu of interrelationships. It is a whole more than an assemblage of parts. A real food is no more X% protein, fat, minerals, vitamins and carbohydrates than a novel is X% ink, cellulose and glue.

Although experiments have yet to be devised to measure the effects of natural cholesterol by means of an all raw diet, the results are predictable. The grandest experiment of all, that of the development and sustenance of life on the planet prior to the roller mill, extruder, solvent extractor and hydrogenator, has already given the answer. Life owes its very existence to the presence of whole raw natural food. Such food is not the cause of disease, it is the cause of life.

[ Cholesterol Forms Image ]

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Natural food was the only food available until the technological era. The new food, the new cholesterol, hydrogenated and oxidized fatty acids and their new artificial combinations, were born out of technology. Also, it is argued, born at that time was the plaque of atherosclerosis. Thus the relationship of “cholesterol” and “saturated fats” to atherosclerosis is an indictment of food processing and not true food cholesterol as a part of whole, raw, natural foods.

REGULATING BLOOD LIPIDS

The level of cholesterol in the blood is regulated by a wide array of feedback mechanisms. If there is an excessive amount of LDL cholesterol in the bloodstream, receptors in the liver responsible for taking up these transport units will become saturated. When high blood levels of LDL are reached, the liver cells decrease the number of LDL receptors thus decreasing the liver’s ability to clear the blood of cholesterol. Thus when the liver is saturated with cholesterol and it needs no more, it simply shuts down the production of LDL receptors. At the same time, cholesterol excretion of bile acids would be increased to capacity. If the diet is low in fiber, or digestive tract microflora are out of balance, much of this cholesterol would be reabsorbed thus contributing to escalating blood levels of cholesterol. The cycle perpetuates itself continuing to build higher and higher blood levels of cholesterol. A familial hyperlipidemic condition whereby receptors for taking up LDL are defective can also contribute to exaggerated blood levels of cholesterol in some individuals.33 (Fig. 25)

High blood cholesterol and saturated fat levels and unfavorable lipoprotein ratios are a reality for many individuals and may place them at risk of life threatening disease. Improvements in lifestyle can decrease the absorption of cholesterol, increase its excretion, and change the ratio of LDL’s to HDL’s resulting in blood levels which are more conducive to

[ Cholesterol Metabolism Image ]

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the healthy state. Such improvements include: (1) increasing the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, and: (2) consuming a variety of high fiber foods containing various sterols which compete for uptake of cholesterol in the intestinal tract combined with: (3) a lower consumption level of processed cholesterol combined with: (4) increased exercise: (5) and perhaps increased consumption of omega-3 and omega-9 fatty acid containing foods. Omega-3’s are extremely effective in mixed hyperlipidemias, and omega-9’s are reported to have the ability to decrease LDL’s while increasing HDL’s.34-37 Decreasing saturated fat consumption also may help since saturated triglycerides are hydrophobic and encourage the formation of the higher fat and cholesterol carrying LDL’s and VLDL’s and retard cholesterol uptake by HDL’s.

Additionally, certain drugs (Probucol, Cholestyramine, Colestipol, Clofibrate, Gemfibrozil, Lovastatin and others) have been devised to decrease the hepatic synthesis of cholesterol and decrease the amount of cholesterol that is intestinally absorbed or reabsorbed from bile into the enterohepatic circulation which may be required if more natural modifications are not effective. (These are not without significant dangers, however.) 38-42

Diet modification and lifestyle changes are sensible tools to improve health and will offer the greatest chance of optimizing health and preventing disease. Careless hedonistic living based on the presumption that early diagnosis and heroic invasive procedures, such as transplants, angioplasty, bypasses, or drugs will provide forgiveness is a poor second to thoughtful preventive practices.

References available within book text, click the following link to view this article on wysong.net:

http://www.wysong.net/articles/lipid/07_article_lipid_chapter_seven_lipid_transport.shtml

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