Cholesterol Questions.

[Frank.S]

I got it tested 2 weeks ago and my cholesterol is excellent. Just curious.

I eat more eggs then anyone I know. People tell me that its going to hurt my cholesterol.. Ive read many things debunking this mith (dietary != actual levels).

But, what causes high cholesterol? Is it just bad lifestyle and bad diet over time? Ive heard the blame on dietary cholestorol, saturated fat, even overheard someone blaming high glycemic carbs..

And also,
Would people with high cholestorol benifit from not eating things such as eggs? Does having high cholesterol open you up to having negitive effects of eating cholesterol? The whole thing confuses me greatly.

[ParanoidAndroid]

a lot of cholesterol is genetics, since your body also produces cholesterol.

My dad is lean, eats pretty healthy, doesn't eat a lot of saturated fats/cholesterols/trans fats and he has borderline/high cholesterol like everyone in his family. I've tired to convince him to take fish oil, but he refuses.

I eat a lot of saturated fat/eggs, but I'm sure my levels are way lower, due to genetics and other factors.

[tasinquefield]

I am thinking genetics play more of a role than your diet. It runs in my family and my cholesterol is high - but that is also partly because I ate like crap for so long. I get it checked here in a couple weeks so I'll no more then if my diet has made a difference.

If it is already high, you would probably want to avoid high cholesterol foods, at least foods that are high in bad cholesterol (remember, there are two kinds). I don't know if eggs are high in bad or good cholesterol, or both. I just know that one egg yolk has nearly enough cholesterol for a day, according to the FDA. Yet, it is coming from the FDA, and we all know about their standards.

[RobLL]

Frank - for the most part blood cholesterol and dietary cholesterol are not particularly connected. The amount of cholesterol in your blood stream is largely controlled by your liver. The low carb people have shown, that for the most part and for most people, fat consumption has little effect on blood cholesterol. Note: there is also some evidence that high carbs increases blood chol., and that high fat and high carb are particularly bad.

[LisaS]

it also depends on what fraction of cholesterol you are speaking of - and what subtypes you have - and what your ratios are rather than your absolute numbers. different things may effect TRIs as compared to LDL - and interpreting LDL depends on the subtypes you have. HDL is increased with exercise and sat fat and wine - so there you go.

and - as RobLL alluded to in his blood glucose thread - the "acceptable values" before treating on cholesterol are even more suspect than those for BG

[Frank.S]

Seems to make sense..

I know my dads is actually a bit better then mine (pretty damn close though) but his is ideal.I didnt realise that genetics played such a large role in this.

[tasinquefield]

Genetics plays a role in many things - more that what people thought to begin with. BP, cholesterol, many diseases are all genetically linked.

[Frank.S]

Originally Posted by tasinquefield

Genetics plays a role in many things - more that what people thought to begin with. BP, cholesterol, many diseases are all genetically linked.

Makes sense.

Well, odds are im pretty safe from high cholesterol, diabeties and heart desease.. But cancer and liver issues are gonna get me!

[ryan10230]

I would just worry about things you can control. Odds are that if you get cancer it is because of lifestyle choices.

[tasinquefield]

Just found this article online about eggs and cholesterol. I have no idea who this guy is or how reputable he is, however.

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/4/T041100.asp