Just Ask Terry

Terry is happy to provide his opinion on diet and nutrition, supplements and lifestyle choices. This information is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to replace the advice of your physician and is not to be considered medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Should you have any concerns please contact your physician directly.

Q. Dear Terry, “My doctor diagnosed me with high cholesterol and has prescribed Lipitor, but every time I take it, I get aches and pains and I feel terrible. Is there anything I can pick up at my local health food store that might help me lower my cholesterol naturally?” Jack S., Sarasota FL A. Dear Jack: After doing very extensive research on cholesterol and its effects on the human body, I don’t believe there is such a thing as high cholesterol. There is a genetic defect that can cause cholesterol to go as high as 1,000, which is treatable with medication. Today, many doctors cannot even tell you what high or low cholesterol is. A number of years ago, a level of 300 was well-accepted as “normal cholesterol.” Today, they have lowered this artificial threshold so that more people are included in the category of high cholesterol, which therefore can justify more prescription medication use. Cholesterol on its own does not cause damage. It’s actually found in the arteries as a repair mechanism for damaged and inflamed arteries. Our bodies produce 80 to 100% of the cholesterol in our bodies (depending on diet). Since it’s created based on our own body’s needs, I think it has a crucial role in health and should not be the target of indiscriminate lowering. As a matter of fact, all our hormones, sexual and adrenal, are created using cholesterol as a starting material. Low cholesterol can be more damaging than high cholesterol. 63% of people who die from heart attacks have, as judged by current standards, a “normal” cholesterol level. More people die from having too little cholesterol and people with high cholesterol (especially high HDL cholesterol) usually live much longer than those with low cholesterol. Low cholesterol has been reported to initiate depression, irritability, anger, suicidal tendencies, and for women, one trial published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine showed a 1200% increase in breast cancer in the statin group vs placebo [Sacks FM, Pfeffer MA, Moye LA, et al. The effect of pravastatin on coronary events after myocardial infarction in patients with average cholesterol levels. Cholesterol and Recurrent Events Trial investigators. N Engl J Med. 1996 Oct 3;335(14):1001-9.] It may also be associated with an increased risk for Parkinson’s disease. For example, compared to men with LDL cholesterol levels higher than 135, those with levels between 91 and 135 were 6 times more likely to have Parkinson’s Disease. I am not a physician Jack, so I encourage you to discuss this further with your doctor before you decide whether to take a drug, but personally, I would not do so. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t make efforts to improve your heart health and reduce cardiovascular risk. I would encourage you to lose weight if you are overweight. I would also exercise several times a week, 15-30 minutes each time, and I would look into three natural supplements that have superior cholesterol balancing (which includes increasing HDL “good” cholesterol) effects than statin drugs. Perhaps the single most important biomarker of reducing cardiovascular risk is to RAISE your HDL cholesterol. Very high HDL is associated with an amazing absence of heart disease. Exercise, red wine in moderation, and clinically proven supplements are the three most effective ways to raise HDL “good” cholesterol. First, niacin (be aware of the flush that niacin can cause—not dangerous, but sometimes uncomfortable) is the most studied natural substance to balance cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol, which actually can extend the life of the individual. If you choose niacin, do not select the time-released form. For some odd reason, time-released has been known to cause liver damage, and the time-released niacin that doctors occasionally prescribe can cost between $80 and $100 a month. You get the same thing in your health food store for about $20. I would also recommend CholestCaps, which is a clinically studied Indian gooseberry (natural fruit extract) for maintaining cholesterol levels when already in a healthy range. CholestCaps have also been shown to INCREASE those important HDL levels. Another option is a supplement called CardioGLA. This is a unique and very well-studied blackcurrant seed oil extract. The berries are grown in the Arctic Circle, and due to the harsh environment, they develop some very rare compounds compared to those grown in warm climates. CardioGLA supports all cardiovascular biomarkers.