Cholesterol – is it good or bad? Or both? What is the most effective way to lower cholesterol if it becomes necessary?
We’ll break down this complex topic into parts and try to explain everything as simply as possible.
Note: If you are only interested in the cholesterol-lowering effect of fibre, feel free to skip to the end of the article where you will find all the necessary information.
What is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that is found in all the cells of your body and has many vital functions.
Cholesterol:
- Is a component of cell walls, without which cells could not exist or function;
- Participates in the assembly of the body’s steroid molecule receptors, genes, and other factors that are required for the functioning of every cell in the body;
- Participates in the formation of vitamin D;
- Participates in the formation of the sex hormones oestrogen and testosterone and making them available to the body;
- Is present in the composition of bile acids and participates in their function.
Where do you get cholesterol from?
Your body gets all the cholesterol it needs in two ways:
- 70% of cholesterol is produced by your liver (700–800 mg per day);
- You get 30% from foods of animal origin (ideally 150 mg, maximum 300 mg per day).
The following foods contain the most cholesterol:
- Egg (especially egg yolk);
- Meat and organs;
- Dairy products (especially butter and cream);
- Shrimp and crab products;
- Over-processed food (steaks, fish fingers, etc.).
Cholesterol level – what should you know?
As you just read, cholesterol is a vital substance which is essential for your body to function.
However, if there is too much of a certain type of cholesterol in your blood, life-threatening cardiovascular diseases develop over time.
Two cholesterol indicators are measured in blood serum:
- Total cholesterol;
- HDL and LDL cholesterol levels.
Total cholesterol
The following indicators apply to total cholesterol:
- Normal: below 5.0 mmol/l;
- Borderline: 5.0–6.5 mmol/l;
- Significantly elevated: 6.5–7.8 mmol/l;
- Very high: over 7.8 mmol/l.
The risk of developing cardiovascular diseases increases significantly if the total cholesterol is over 6.0 mmol/l.
Note: If your total cholesterol level has exceeded this limit, alarms should be going off in your mind and you should take action to lower it!
In addition to total cholesterol, it is also important to look at the levels of cholesterol subtypes and their proportions.
HDL and LDL cholesterol
The first subtype is HDL (high-density lipoproteins) cholesterol, or so-called good cholesterol.
The function of HDL cholesterol is to collect excess cholesterol from the blood and transport it to the liver, where it is broken down. It could be said that HDL has a “cleansing” role in the body.
The recommended HDL level is above 1 mmol/l.
The second subtype is LDL (low-density lipoproteins) cholesterol, or bad cholesterol.
What makes it “bad”?
The important task of LDL cholesterol is to transport cholesterol and fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, E, D, K, Q, F) into the cells, but due to its low density, it is sticky, and under certain conditions it starts to stick to the inner walls of blood vessels.
Due to the adhesion, fat starts to accumulate (atherosclerosis) and at some point the blood vessel becomes blocked, leading to an attack in that area.
The recommended LDL level is below 3 mmol/l.
The ratio between HDL and LDL in the blood should remain below 2.5 mmol/l.
Simply put, the higher your good cholesterol and the lower your bad cholesterol level, the better.
What causes high levels of bad cholesterol?
We can highlight 7 different reasons, but the top three are definitely lifestyle choices (these are within your control).
1. unhealthy diet
An unhealthy diet mainly involves eating too much saturated fat.
The following foods are high in saturated fats:
- Fatty meats (pork);
- High-fat dairy products (butter, cheese, whole milk);
- Milk chocolate, cookies, deep-fried foods;
- Highly processed foods (wieners, fish fingers, etc.)
In addition, the infamous trans fats found in heavily fried, deep-fried, and processed foods also contribute to this.
Studies have shown that eating saturated fats with fast carbohydrates contributes particularly effectively to increased levels of bad cholesterol. Perhaps it is a good idea to wean yourself off those irresistible donuts, cakes, candies, and other sweets over time.
How to do it?
In this post, we wrote a step-by-step guide to making better choices in nutrition.
2. low physical activity
A lot of sitting and little movement lowers the level of good or HDL cholesterol.
And vice versa, researchers have shown that exercise increases the level of good cholesterol.
3. smoking
Smoking lowers the level of good cholesterol and increases the level of bad cholesterol in the body.
In addition, smoking makes LDL cholesterol particles even stickier, increasing their blood vessel clogging effect.
4. obesity
Overweight and obesity increase the body’s cholesterol level.
5. age
As we get older, cholesterol levels tend to rise, which is caused by reduced physical activity and the use of various medications.
6. genetics
Genetic background can also play a role. Hereditary hypercholesterolemia causes high cholesterol.
Different medicines can also affect genes that contribute to an increase in cholesterol levels.
7. race
Different races have different predispositions to high cholesterol.
For example, dark-skinned people typically have higher levels of HDL and LDL cholesterol compared to Caucasians.
Scientists aren’t exactly sure about the reasons for this, but it is likely to be a combination of genetics, environment, and opportunities in society.
How can you lower high cholesterol?
Since the main factors of high cholesterol are related to lifestyle, the following activities will definitely help:
- A balanced and fibre-rich diet;
- Increased daily exercise;
- Quitting smoking.
If the doctor deems it necessary, he or she can also prescribe cholesterol-lowering drugs. However, it is important not to rely solely on them but also change your entire lifestyle, as this is the only way to achieve a permanent result.
If your high cholesterol level is caused by genes and lifestyle changes and medicines do not help, excess cholesterol must be filtered out of the blood with a special device.
How does fibre help lower cholesterol?
Soluble fibres help lower the level of bad or LDL cholesterol.
If you consistently eat 5–10 g of soluble fibre each day, your cholesterol level will drop by 5–11 measurement points.
There are also studies which show that eating 30 g of soluble fibre per day can lower cholesterol levels by as much as 18%.
How does fibre work?
Fibre lowers cholesterol in three ways:
- Soluble fibres form a gel-like layer on the walls of the intestines, which slows down digestion. This layer traps cholesterol in your intestines and prevents it from being absorbed into the bloodstream.
Cholesterol is then bound to fibre and excreted from the body with faeces. - Fibre reduces the amount of bile salts absorbed from the intestine. Because the body uses cholesterol to form bile salts, cholesterol levels decrease as bile salts are formed.
- High blood sugar level causes the formation of triglycerides, which in turn are used to form cholesterol.
However, since fibre slows down digestion, the rise in blood sugar levels after eating is slower, which is why less triglycerides are formed in your body and, as a result, less cholesterol.
How can you start consuming more fibre right away?
We definitely encourage you to switch to a more plant-based diet, because you can only get fibre from plants.
Soluble fibre is abundant in the following foods:
- Peas;
- Beans;
- Brussels sprouts;
- Avocado;
- Apples;
- Citrus fruits;
- Carrots;
- Oats;
- Barley;
- Psyllium.
Start, for example, with this inspiring challenge.
However, if you feel that making major changes right now is difficult, you can start using the Elsavie fibre supplement as soon as the package arrives at your home.
You don’t have to worry about changing your diet, just add a small amount of fibre to your favourite food or drink every day and you’re good to go!
The “Calm your rumbly tummy” and “Feel good inside” supplements contain the most soluble fibres.
For example, our client Margus wrote:
“Taking the fibre supplements has had a positive effect on my well-being. I have lost 8–10 kg, I feel better, my digestion has become smoother and faster, and my cholesterol level is now under control, within the normal range.”
Sources used:
“Effects of exercise on HDL functionality”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6492243/
“Trans fatty acids – A risk factor for cardiovascular disease”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3955571/
“Fried Food Consumption and Cardiovascular Health: A Review of Current Evidence”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4632424/
“Fast Food Pattern and Cardiometabolic Disorders: A Review of Current Studies”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4772793/
“Relationship between Added Sugars Consumption and Chronic Disease Risk Factors: Current Understanding”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5133084/
“A whole-body mathematical model of cholesterol metabolism and its age-associated dysregulation”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3574035/
“Lowering LDL-cholesterol through diet: potential role in the statin era”
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21233620/
“Cholesterol-lowering effects of dietary fiber: a meta-analysis”
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9925120/
“Fiber-full eating for better health and lower cholesterol”
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/fiber-full-eating-for-better-health-and-lower-cholesterol-2019062416819