Cholesterol - Myth

Since, I was quite busy at work and personal commitments, couldn’t post for the past two weeks. Thanks for your WhatsApp messages, asking about my well-being. Coming back to the business……….

In the past two posts (post1 & post 2) we have seen, how cholesterol is important for life and the erroneousness in the present lipid profile calculations. In this post, let’s see how to reduce the Triglyceride and Increase the HDL. Also, the relation between lipids and heart diseases.

Though Hypertriglyceridemia (high triglyceride level) is not only associated with Coronary Heart Diseases (CHD) Also, correlate more closely with waist circumference (abdominal obesity) Type II diabetes, pancreatitis (inflammation in Pancreas) non-alcoholic fatty liver, obesity, conditions like, low HDL and small, dense LDL particle formation. 

Definitely, hypertriglyceridemia is not a good sign for our health. As per the present standards, between 101-150 mg/dl is considered as Normal. (Less than 100 mg/dl is Optimal) before knowing the way to reduce the triglyceride level less than 70, let’s understand what it is.

Triglycerides are the main constituents of vegetable oils or animal fats. Triglycerides less dense than water (floats on water), and at normal room temperatures may be solid or liquid. When solid, they are called "fats" or "butters" and when liquid they are called "oils". Hence, they are known as neutral fat(s)

Our body uses the triglycerides as an energy reservoir and later uses for energy (to support starvation periods) also account for the vast majority of fat stored in the human body. Triglycerides are the mechanism for storing and transporting the fatty acids as a fuel also, help to maintain the blood sugar level. (refer: Human vs Food)

We get triglycerides directly from the food (like animal fat and Oils) or the Liver synthesis from the excess carbohydrate we eat. (that’s the reason in HFLC, we restrict the carb’s to 50 grams / day)  Triglycerides are released into the blood stream, in the form of VLDL where it is delivered to fat cells for long-term storage. (Adipose tissue) High triglycerides levels are the major causes of Obesity and Insulin resistance (diabetic) 

As their name suggests, the triglycerides are composed of one molecule of glycerol and joined via ester bonds with three molecules of (free) fatty acids. 

Glycerol (commonly known as glycerin, is a simple polyol compound, colorless, odorless, viscous liquid that is sweet-tasting liquid belonging to the alcohol family) is the backbone for triglycerides. In short, if there is no Glycerol, there is no triglycerides.

In HFLC, we consume triglycerides directly from the food source (not allowing or pretty much limiting the liver to produce) and during the digestive process, the triglycerides in our food are broken down into glycerol and fatty acids. Glycerol used to maintain the blood sugar level and the fatty acids are used as energy. There is no storage (no weight gain, no blood sugar surge) 

HFLC allows the body to start breaking the stored triglycerides, for energy and blood sugar maintenance. Which leads to lose weight. Specially the waist size, where the triglycerides stored as adipose tissue.

So, by eating fat, you actually burring the fat. By eating carb, you store the fat.  If you want to reduce the triglycerides level, the one and only possible way is to cut down (all forms of) the carbohydrate to less than or around 50g per day and consume (good, old) saturated and mono-saturated fats without any guilt. 

In my case, when I quit, all grains, cereals, sugar, fruits, legumes, lentils and start eating meat, animal fat and butter, my triglycerides levels come down about 56%. i.e. from 121 mg/dl to 53 mg/dl. (I have many evidences of such drastic change in triglycerides level, those who follow HFLC)

Mar 2015

Feb 2017

According to the Basic Medical Biochemistry—A Clinical Approach, pages 476, 510-12  “Adipose tissue (fat) is stored only when eating carbohydrates. Excess energy from dietary carbohydrate is stored away as triglyceride in adipose tissue”     

HFLC is not only decreasing the triglycerides level, also it increases the HDL. In my case 40 to 56 mg/dl, which is about 40% increase.

Dietary cholesterol, has very less impact on serum LDL. A study in Metabolism (Ref: Metabolism 2001 May;50(5):594-597.) showed that “With even a 30% fat diet, increasing dietary cholesterol from 319 mg to 941 mg per day (about 300% increase), the blood LDL only increased a mere 6% (18 points)!” 

From the above study is in line with my case. With HFLC, my fat consumption increased around 300% but my LDL percent increased only about 84% (my fat consumption increased from 30g to 120g) Instead of small and dense LDL, it’s become large and fluffy ones.

As far as LDL is concern, high level or count doesn’t matter. It’s a mere number. It doesn’t revel anything about the CHD. But, the LDL pattern is very crucial. The small sized, high dense LDL are the one stuck (rancid and became a plaque) in the artery. The large and fluffy LDL’s are totally harmless and can’t stuck or block the artery.

Again, please bear in mind, the LDL is there in, the artery only to cure/heal the inflammation that caused by high carb food, elevated blood sugar and insulin levels. (will write the separate post on this)  In HFLC, your liver start to produce large and fluffy LDL. Also, doesn’t cause an inflammation. HFLC address the root cause rather than just to treat the symptom.

Finally the total cholesterol level, as per the present standard above 200mg/dl considered abnormal level and you may be advised to take cholesterol drug to reduce. But, the truth is above 200mg/dl (with low TG and Large LDL) is a good sign that your liver is in healthy condition. In my case, the total cholesterol level increased from 190mg/dl to 300mg/dl. Which is about 58% (But, my fat consumption increased around 300%) 

According to the Framingham Study (largest study ever done on cholesterol) up to 340 mg/dl is perfectly normal. In fact, it’s Healthy! (refer: here  Also, will write in detail in the next post)

So next time, if you doctor ask to reduce the total cholesterol to less than 200mg/dl, ask him two simple questions, 1) who fixed the total cholesterol level up to 200 as a healthy level?  2) On what basis they arrived to this magical number 200.

If he can’t answer, don’t worry. I will tell you in the next post about big cholesterol scam.

Human vs Food

As you may know our body can run on three different fuel, namely Carbs (glucose), Protein (amino acids) and Fat (fatty acids). The body decides its fuel based on the food we eat. However, let’s see which is the most preferred fuel for the humans.

Until the agriculture era, humans (hunter-gatherers community) do not know to store or preserve food and mostly depended on the meat by hunting (fat and protein) for their energy needs. Also limited amount of carb’s thru roots, nuts and berries.  

Hunter-gatherers community were constantly in search of food, (the only reason they were spread all over the globe, by crossing the continent’s) they were not having the privilege like us to have 3 times food plus 2 tea break! They were lived in a condition where, always uncertainty of the food existed. (they were celebrated their hunt, by singing and dancing. because, they weren’t sure about the next food). Therefore, they were habituated to feast following the fast. They fulfilled their (majority) calorie needs from fat, NOT from carb’s.

Since the Hunter-gatherers society occupying at least 95% of the human history, where their genes were fully evolved, developed and adopted to the feast / fast cycle with high fat and low carb life style.  We also have the same genes of hunter-gatherers! (note: a small change in gene structure may take several millions of years. mosquito gene may takes around 1000 years to adopt to something. Human gene is “much more” complex than mosquito)

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If we plot the entire human history in 24 hours scale for the sake of convenience, we (according to our genes) stared eating grains and cereals (high carb’s) just 10 min ago!  Our gene may need at least a day (in time scale) to evolve further to the present high carb environment. (again, it’s not mandatory)

Click on the image to enlarge

Click on the image to enlarge

Since Hunter-gatherers community don’t have knowledge, to store or preserve food, their body evolved or equipped to store the fuel inside the body in the form of glycogen (for short term) and triglyceride (for long term) to support in times of starvation. Thanks to the hormones Insulin (to trigger the storage or support the feast) and Glucagon (to support the starvation / fast)

Bear in mind, though they consumed roots, nuts and berries, they were seasonal (not available, throughout the year or in large quantities) whereas meat being available (by hunting) irrespective of season. In other words, their carb’s consumption is naturally restricted.

Even after the Agriculture era, Farming done by the families using organic farming techniques without machinery's. Hence, the yield of carb’s (cereals, grains) were minimal and consumed without any further modification or refining process. 

But over the past 100 years, farming shifted from farmers to corporate's and it became an industry. Particular crop grown in hundreds and thousands of acres with modern techniques and machinery's to obtain the maximum yield, GMO seeds can ensure the yield throughout the year (no seasons) and further processed for its by-products to maximize the profit. (note: hunter gatherers community must haven’t seen groups of apple / banana trees together or acres of paddy or wheat grown)

We humans were evolved with our own internal storage to subdue starvation (don’t know to store the food) But today, we have a technology to store food externally and everywhere. Food available in our kitchen, super markets shelves, restaurants, food courts and joints, fast food chains etc. food even available on the go, mid-air !

Since from 19^th century on-wards we started to over consume the high carb’s food, more than our body need and continuously increase our internal storage limit. Now you must be having a clue as to why we gain weight and become obese.

Our body is designed to handle about 50g of carb per day. But we have been overloading with 250 – 300g more than its capacity and eventually become obese, diabetic, hypertensive....etc.

Let us see now, how high carb’s triggers the storage mechanism. When we eat high carb food, is broken down into glucose by carbohydrate metabolism and absorbed by blood stream. Immediately your blood sugar “spikes” beyond the normal range. (note: when there is a spike, “crash” can’t be avoided. will see in a detail later) 

High blood sugar is toxic and beta cells of the pancreases secrete the hormone insulin to bring down the blood sugar level to normal range, by “pushing” the glucose into cells to produce energy. (cell metabolism) and the excess sugar converted into glycogen to be stored in the liver (to support starvation)

Insulin triggers the conversion of fatty acids into triglyceride and stored in the fatty acid (to support starvation). Also prevent the fatty acids (fats) to use as fuel. (note: Insulin also have several other function, Will see in a detail later post)

During starvation, the blood sugar level hits the lower normal (no or minimal insulin levels) the hormone glucagon release by the alpha cells of the  pancreas and covert the stored glycogen back into glucose and brings the blood sugar into normal range. Note: In this process there is no blood sugar SPIKE or CRASH. Hence, there is to insulin need.

Also, glucagon trigger the breaking down process of triglyceride and use the fatty acids to meet the energy requirements. This is how the hunter gatherers were balancing their energy needs. By controlling the carb’s. they never spike/crash the blood sugar or over dose the insulin in the system.

Today, we are having by 3 high carb meal per day (about 300 – 350 g of carb’s/day) and creating the blood sugar spike / crash 3 times a day. Thus by forcing the insulin also to spike 3 times a day. This is the mere misuse of the pancreas / insulin. (note: Calories from carb cannot give satiety and we forced to eat 3 meal and between snacks. Whereas, calories from fat provides complete satiety. Hence, we don’t feel hunger)

Our pancreas is not designed or capable to produce “so much” of insulin per day. Over the period it will “give-up” and when that happen, you become diabetic (will discuss in detail later in diabetic post)

Since you keep spiking the insulin throughout the day, you keep storing fat (without spending) Over the period you become obese. Our body is not habituated (organs are not compatible) for high carb diet. Eating high carbohydrates is not physiological nature. Consuming high carb’s along with fat put us in even the worst situation.

Eating saturated fat like, butter, coconut oil, red meat, eggs, full fat cheese along with low carb’s is a healthy life style (which is close to our gene and more physiological in nature) But, our system will crash if you do the reverse. Cardio vascular and coronary artery disease are not because of fat or cholesterol, but of carbohydrates (will discuss in detail later in diabetic post)

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Though we claim to be a part of ultra-modern human society, but our genes are still remains as a hunter gatherers society.

Further readings on Human history:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0047248414001778

http://www.heritageinstitute.com/zoroastrianism/reference/ages.htm

http://www.essential-humanities.net/history-overview/stone-bronze-iron-ages/

https://www.bighistoryproject.com/chapters/4#intro

http://history-world.org/agriculture.htm

http://biochemical-pathways.com/#/map/1