Cholesterol

Cholesterol: background and lifestyle

Elevated cholesterol levels are often associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease. Drug therapy can have side effects. Many people are therefore also interested in lifestyle and dietary measures. Whether drug treatment is necessary is decided by the treating physician.

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol belongs to the chemical class of lipids. It consists of a carbon ring system with 4 rings, three six-membered rings and one five-membered ring, also known as the steroid skeleton.Cholesterol is an important component of biological membranes, as it increases membrane fluidity. As a precursor of bile acids, vitamin D and the steroid hormones (e.g. estrogen and testosterone), cholesterol is also important for our body.About 20% of cholesterol is taken in with food and about 80% is synthesized by the body itself. Most of the biosynthesis takes place in the liver.Since cholesterol is poorly soluble in water, it has to be transported in the blood bound to lipoproteins. LDL (low-density lipoprotein) transports cholesterol from the liver to the periphery, while HDL (high-density lipoprotein) transports cholesterol from the peripheral tissues back to the liver.Many people have problems with elevated cholesterol levels because humans naturally have a limited ability to excrete cholesterol. The steroid skeleton (ring system) of cholesterol cannot be broken down further by the body. Excretion can only take place via the bile acids. The liver converts cholesterol into bile acids, which can then theoretically be excreted via the intestine with the stool. However, about 80% of the bile acids are reabsorbed in the small intestine and returned to the liver.

What does an excessively high cholesterol level do?

The number of studies on elevated cholesterol levels and cholesterol-lowering agents is almost unmanageable. This is also due to the fact that such medications are among the best-selling drugs and that many pharmaceutical companies generate a large part of their revenue from the sale of statins (cholesterol-lowering drugs).Many studies have shown that cholesterol levels can be lowered with medication. However, it is highly controversial whether this actually leads to a reduction in the risk of coronary heart disease. We therefore cannot answer whether and to what extent an elevated cholesterol level is a risk factor. In our view, an elevated cholesterol level cannot be considered independently of other symptoms.This is because elevated cholesterol levels usually do not occur alone, but are accompanied by pathological changes in blood sugar levels and blood pressure. A holistic approach must keep the person's overall health in view. Lowering cholesterol naturally should therefore not be the only goal; rather, sustainable therapeutic measures should promote the health of the entire cardiovascular system.

Lifestyle and cholesterol

Our organism consists of a vast number of important, interlocking metabolic processes. Medications intervene in this interplay and can have side effects. A holistic view therefore takes into account not only cholesterol levels but also the body's regulatory processes and the person's overall health.

The following aspects are frequently mentioned in connection with cholesterol levels and cardiovascular health:

• Don't smoke!

• Exercise (better 45 minutes 2-4 times a week than only 20 minutes every day)

• A healthy, balanced diet (no sugar, plenty of vegetables, high-quality fats, hardly any meat, no sausage, eggs only rarely, plenty of fiber)

• Intermittent fasting

• Relaxation (stress raises cholesterol levels)

• Sustainable weight loss

• Correcting nutrient deficiencies

• A good supply of antioxidants (e.g. curcuma, Q10)

• Enough sunlight (cholesterol is then converted into vitamin D)

• Gut health (e.g. topics such as intestinal rehabilitation and probiotics)

When "bad" habits have been cherished for years, it can be difficult to change them for good.We support you in doing so!

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