The truth about cholesterol

Cholesterol is made within every cell in our body, although the majority of cholesterol produced in our body is made by the liver.  It serves as the building block for healthy cell membranes.  The liver produces cholesterol as the body’s mechanism for healing internal tissue and will distribute the cholesterol to various cells via LDL as it delivers nutrients to various areas of the body.  There are two types of cholesterol, LDL and HDL... 

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 LDL plays three main roles: 1.)  to supply CoQ-10 to oxygenate cells (and brain), 2.) to supply Vitamin A to the immune system, and 3.) to supply Vitamin E to the cardio vascular system.  The LDL travels through the blood stream from the liver carrying these nutrients with the intention of reaching the target tissue.  At the every tissue membrane there is a receptor, a sort of gatekeeper to welcome the LDL into the cell. At the tissue level (the intima layer of the artery), the (Apo-B 100) receptor regulates the amount of LDL that is allowed into the cell and acts as the communication between the inside of the cell and the liver.  The Apo-B 100 receptor will signal back to the liver when it has received enough cholesterol and send any unused cholesterol back to the liver via HDL.  The HDL travels through the blood stream back to the liver.

Healthy lab tests for cholesterol levels will reveal (low or) normal levels of LDL and higher levels of HDL; which means unused HDL is circulating in the blood because there is not a need for it at the tissue level, meaning there is no tissue that requires repair – this is a good thing.  Desired cholesterol levels would have a 4:1 ratio between total cholesterol and HDL, indicating there is a healthy Apo-B 100 receptor at the tissue level and healthy tissue cells that do not require the use of LDL cholesterol.  Greater than a 5:1 ratio between total cholesterol and HDL is an indication of unhealthy tissue cells.   In analyzing cholesterol it is important to consider the ratio rather than just total cholesterol, just HDL or just LDL alone.

Statin pharmaceuticals (such as Lipitor and Pravachol) used to treat patients with high cholesterol actually destroy the area in the liver that produces cholesterol.  Thereafter, follow-up cholesterol measurements may indicate that cholesterol levels are normal.  However, the measurement is mimicry of health due to the fact that the liver is now unable to produce cholesterol, as its function has been destroyed by the artificial drugs.  Because the area of the liver that is producing the cholesterol is literally being attacked by the Statin pharmaceutical drugs, the liver needs to maintain its own tissue health so will hold back the little cholesterol it is able to produce.  So, consequently the LDL’s are not being released into the blood stream to be delivered to other injured cells.  In this instance where the liver is in need of all the cholesterol it can possibly gather to repair its own liver tissue, it asks for all the cholesterol from the other tissues to be sent back.  Cholesterol will be released from the other cells in the body and travel through the blood stream via HDL to assist the liver in its effort to fend against the attack of the Statin pharmaceutical drugs. If a test of blood cholesterol was performed when the liver is in this reparative condition, it would indicate low levels of LDL and high levels of HDL – a mimicry of the desired healthy conditions.  

To eliminate the risk of destroying the liver and it’s functions, it is recommended for patients taking Statins to speak with the medical doctor that prescribed the Statins; request assistance in guiding you towards tapering-off of the medication.  Removing Statins abruptly is very dangerous, and so being up front with your medical doctor about your concern and working together with them to eliminate the need for Statins is important. An additional recommendation for working with your medical doctor in this issue is to closely monitor cholesterol levels during the tapering process, as well as the levels of C-reactive Protein – a component in the arterial inflammatory process.  

Concurrently speak with your chiropractor about natural and long-lasting ways of reducing levels of harmful cholesterol in the body. There are several natural supplements your chiropractor might recommend to consider using during a process of tapering-off the use of drugs, including: CoQ-10 to assist with oxygen delivery to tissue, as well as anti-oxidants to reduce and eliminate free-radicals from circulation.  Chiropractors will also recommend eliminating artificial sweeteners entirely from the diet.  

To assist the liver in its natural functions of cleansing the body from harmful substance, it may also be helpful to perform a liver cleanse through specific nutritional intake or other modes of liver detoxifying.  Many chiropractors can assist you to identify which detoxification program is the best fit for you.  

For more information on this topic and other health related topics, contact Dr. Lizie Pilicy: 4maxhealth@gmail.com.