Richard asks about lowering cholesterol without statin drugs: Do you know much about how to lower cholesterol without drugs? My doc says that I need to lower mine. Since I am ALREADY a vegetarian, she says that my diet is fine, “genetics” is the problem. The only animal products I eat are butter, yogurt and ice cream, oh and salmon too. My sister says that both my father and mother have taken high cholesterol medication for some time. My doc recommended 20mg of a statin drug called Zocor. From what I’ve read, it doesn’t appeal to me much. Besides, I’d hate to lose my medication virginity : ) I don’t really take any drugs for anything. Thanks for your advice,
-Ric
Lowering High Cholesterol: Truth and Myth
Your question is excellent. The problem is the way that most medical doctors still view the issue. The information your doctor gave you is about 30 years outdated by now. The standard blood test we use is over 50 years old! I learned a newer concept at the “Preventative Cardiology 2003 Symposium.” It was in October, 2003 at St. John’s Cardiovascular Research Center, Los Angeles.
The newer concept is that cholesterol is only a problem if a part of it is small and dense. There’s an LDL (low density lipoprotein) sub-fraction called “small, dense, LDL particles.” These SD-LDLs were supposed to be the “baddest of the bad.” If not present, the risk for cardiovascular disease was considerably less. In one study, the risk for cardiovascular problems was 3.6 fold more if they were present. So, even if you have moderately elevated LDL levels, the bottom line: no SD-LDLs, no big worry.
50% of people who have a heart attack or stroke don’t have high cholesterol. (American Journal of Critical Care, May 1998 Vol. 7, No. 3)
Advanced Cholesterol Tests
Advanced tests for this sub-fraction of LDL are called: NMR Lipo Profile (LabCorp), Lipoprotein Particle Profile (LPP), and LipoprintTM. We can easily order advanced cholesterol tests in Beverly Hills.
But there’s more! I learned the concept of oxidized cholesterol at the”Keys To Cardiovascular Health” seminar in October 2006. The key point was this: unless your cholesterol is oxidized, there is no dire concern to lower it! In other words, a high number is virtually meaningless without knowing if you have oxidized LDL or not.
According to research in Nature Medicine published January 26, 2014: Apolipoprotein A1 (apoA1) is the primary protein present in HDL, that allows it to transfer cholesterol out of the artery wall and deliver it to the liver. From there, your body removes the cholesterol. The apoA1 normally gives HDL its cardio-protective qualities, but it can do the opposite when it is oxidized. Dr. J.E. Hazen and colleagues at the Cleveland Clinic discovered that with atherosclerosis, a large proportion of apoA1 becomes oxidized. So it stops contributing to cardiovascular health. Instead, it contributes to the development of coronary artery disease.
You want more Apo A1 vs. Apo B, but if Apo A1 is oxidized it loses it’s protective value! I can order the the Apo B to Apo A1 ratio test (CPT 82172) when you become my patient. For this ratio, lower is better. The ApoB/Apo A1 ratio is better at predicting your cardiovascular risk than a standard cholesterol test.
Oxidized cholesterol
Do you have oxidized cholesterol? We can do a simple urine test, here in Beverly Hills. The Oxidata test can detect if your cholesterol is oxidized or not. If the Oxidata test is negative, lowering elevated cholesterol would NOT be urgent. Additionally, we can special order a blood test called “oxidized LDL.” Other doctors rarely order that test.
There’s more. The National Centers for Biological Information (ncbi) website contains plenty of research regarding lowering cholesterol. One study on rats showed that dietary acetic acid reduced serum total cholesterol. This is analogous to having a strong enough stomach acid capability when you eat. But is there a common “remedy” that would disturb your stomach environment more than anything else? Yes. The class of drugs are the antacids. That’s right, taking antacids could be a reason why cholesterol goes up in the first place.
8 out of 10 common side effects of cholesterol-lowering drugs are related to gastrointestinal health. Examples are: stomach pain, stomach upset, gas, bloating, cramping, nausea, diarrhea and constipation. Antacids can make these symptoms worse. Taking apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice with your meals could potentially help your stomach enough to lower cholesterol naturally. The most common whole food supplement we use to support a normal stomach environment is called Zypan. Don’t let TV ads fool you. Enough stomach acid is necessary. A lack of stomach acid gives you heartburn.
Another research study showed that pea protein stimulates formation and excretion of bile acids, which leads to a reduced hepatic cholesterol concentration. This means you get less cholesterol in the liver, The liver is what makes cholesterol, normally. So, there’s more than one way you can start forming more bile. Take a supplement containing organic pea protein, or take a supplement like A-F Betafood, which supports bile production.
Are drugs needed to lower cholesterol?
As a matter of fact, cholesterol has important functions in the body. It is a precursor to your hormones. It preserves brain function, prevents memory loss, and transports essential fats to the places you need them, like your brain! Cholesterol is also used to repair vascular abrasions. What a concept! This was part of the discussion at the “Keys to Cardiovascular Health” seminar.
If “high” cholesterol is part of a “protective” mechanism by your body, then why would you need to lower yours? In effect, you would be defeating your body’s innate intelligence. What you really need to do is discuss this with your doctor. Eventually your doctor should investigate the possible causes of your body’s need to produce the extra cholesterol.
The cause of higher cholesterol is generally NOT “genetics.” It is rare for a condition to be truly genetic. Very few chronic diseases are proven as truly genetic in nature. Research demonstrates that our genes are responsive to their environment (see my article about preventing disease). Blaming high cholesterol on genetics shows that you will get little effort to investigate the true causes of your condition. Standard care has no long-term solutions to lower cholesterol without drugs. Drugs are a short term solution; they are not a good 1st choice as a long-term solution.
Our bodies need cholesterol
Fats in the diet, and dietary cholesterol are not the major factors that influence your cholesterol levels. In 2015 the the US Dept. of Health’s Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee finally admitted that cholesterol overconsumption is no concern. So, what is something in the diet that will drive cholesterol up? Sugar and high carbo foods! It’s no problem to eat 3 eggs for breakfast, but including a donut, bread, or potatoes would hike your cholesterol!
Our bodies need cholesterol to produce bile, which emulsifies essential dietary fats. Suppose a person doesn’t emulsify their essential dietary fats due to not producing enough bile acids. Now, they avoid eating fatty foods because eating fatty foods causes distress. The excess junk fats they used to eat have also compromised the function of the gall bladder. To compensate, the body produces more cholesterol. Why? In order to produce more bile acids. It is a back-up mechanism to get all the nutrition you need from the essential fats. What good is lowering cholesterol in this case? NONE! Instead it would be better to support essential fat digestion with the correct digestive enzymes such as Multizyme, or a month’s supply of Cholacol before switching to Multizyme for the long term. Then, in that case, there would be no more NEED for increased production, by your liver.
“The adverse effects suffered by people taking statins are more common than reported in the media and at medical conferences… Increased rates of cancer, cataracts, diabetes, cognitive impairments and musculoskeletal disorders more than offset the modest cardiovascular benefits of statin treatment.”Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology, March 2015, Vol. 8, No. 2, Pages 201-210
How to lower high cholesterol without drugs
Cut out high carbohydrate foods like pasta, bread, and potatoes, and eat much less sugar (you might lose weight too). Wait a few months before taking your next blood test, and use advanced tests like the ones mentioned above.
Now you can see the difference between conventional care and the integrative chiropractor’s approach. One is by masking your symptoms with statin drugs like Lipitor, simvastatin, lovastatin, or Crestor. Our approach is different. We use diet and functional medicine. When you need support against oxidative stress (not just vitamin C, or ascorbic acid), we determine what you need. We also determine which digestive enzymes, clinical nutrition, and numerous other possible supplementation needs you may have.
I have developed a simple, clinical nutrition program to help you with this issue. Additionally I have found a potential neurological connection that is very exciting. By addressing one patient’s concussion neurology, her high cholesterol which was over 300 for 2 years, came down by 65 points! Make an appointment and we can start right away.
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