High cholesterol
From The Nutritional Health Bible by Linda Lazarides (1997). This free database is provided for interest only. Linda's later writings refer to more up-to-date research.
Some causative factors- Deficiencies of vitamins C, B6, B12 or folic acid
- Dietary fibre deficiency
- Essential fatty acid deficiency
- Excessive dietary saturated fat.
According to 30 years of research studies, dietary cholesterol consumption has little effect on blood cholesterol levels in humans. In comparison a 1% decrease in saturated fat consumption decreases plasma cholesterol. McNamara DJ: Dietary cholesterol and the optimal diet for reducing risk of atherosclerosis. Can J Cardiol 11 Suppl G:123G-126G, 1995..
Promising nutritional researchWhen the normal diet of 16 male volunteers with normal cholesterol levels were given a diet supplemented with nuts, the men's total and LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels dropped by 7% and 10% respectively after supplementation with almonds, and by 5% and 9% respectively after supplementation with walnuts. Abbey M et al: Partial replacement of saturated fatty acids with almonds or walnuts lowers total plasma cholesterol and low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol. Am J Clin Nutr 59(5):995, 1994.
In a meta-analysis of 16 randomized trials examining the effects of garlic on
serum lipids and lipoproteins, total cholesterol in garlic-treated subjects was
12% lower than in controls after one month of therapy, with the effect
persisting for 6 months
Silagy C et al: Garlic as a lipid-lowering agent - a meta-analysis. J R Coll
Physicians Lond 28(1):39-45, 1994.
54 volunteers were found to have serum cholesterol levels reduced by 5-10% after 1 week of supplementation with yoghurt. The intake of other foods did not significantly change. Hepner G et al: Hypocholesterolemic effect of yoghurt and milk. Am J Clin Nutr 32(1):19-24, 1979.
Of 158 subjects with high cholesterol given 1,500 and 2,000 mg per day of niacin, there was an improvement in total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and total-to-HDL cholesterol ratio compared with baseline and controls. Older subjects improved more than younger ones. Keenan JM et al: Treatment of hypercholesterolemia: comparison of younger versus older patients using wax-matrix sustained-release niacin. J Am Geriatr Soc 40(1):12-18, 1992.