Debatable topics

Cholesterol Does it really cause heart disease or no?

Cholesterol is a type of lipid or fat found throughout the body. The liver makes 80% of the cholesterol the body needs and gets the remaining 20% from food. Animal products are the primary source of dietary cholesterol.

Cholesterol plays a very important role in the body. It is a critical component of cell membranes because it acts as a buffer preventing changes in temperature from affecting cell membrane fluidity and keeps cells functioning properly.

About 25% of the body’s cholesterol is found in the brain. Cholesterol helps the brain perform its main functions and is involved in learning, memory, and mood regulation.

Cholesterol can also be turned into bile in the liver. Bile is a substance that helps the body digest fats and helps the body absorb fat-soluble vitamins, such as Vitamins A, D, E, and K. It is also involved in the synthesis of different hormones such as testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone., It also helps our skin cells make vitamin D from sunlight.

What Do Different Health Experts Think of Cholesterol and Heart Disease?

Opinion 1: Cholesterol is Bad for Health and Causes Heart Disease

Cholesterol has long been perceived as the body’s enemy because it is associated with atherosclerosis. Elevated levels of cholesterol stick to the arteries, causing them to narrow and harden. The buildup of cholesterol forms plaque which blocks blood flow to the heart. This leads to atherosclerosis, which can cause a heart attack or stroke.

Since the 1970s, research consistently points to the fact that high cholesterol levels lead to atherosclerosis. For instance, the study, “Increased Remnant Cholesterol Explains Part of Residual Risk of All-Cause Mortality in 5414 Patients with Ischemic Heart Disease,” indicates that remnant cholesterol increased the risk of mortality in patients with heart disease. Thus, increased levels of blood cholesterol negatively affect people’s heart health.

Opinion 2: Cholesterol is good for health and is not Linked to Heart Disease

In the past few years, different research emerged suggesting that inflammation, not high cholesterol, is the main cause of atherosclerosis. Some experts believe that chronic inflammation in the body damages arterial walls, causing them to become thinner.

This allows lipids and inflammatory cells to enter the artery and facilitate the buildup of plaque that blocks the arteries. If the inflammation becomes severe, the plaque may rupture, causing the formation of blood clots which may lead to a heart attack or stroke.

Multiple studies focus on the role that inflammation plays in the development of heart disease. According to the 2018 review, “Inflammation, not Cholesterol, Is a Cause of Chronic Disease,” suggests that controlling the body’s inflammation levels, instead of focusing on lowering blood cholesterol levels, can prevent cardiovascular disease more effectively.

Another study called “Reducing inflammation without lowering cholesterol cuts risk of cardiovascular events,” shows that people who took anti-inflammatory drugs reduced their risk of cardiovascular disease by 15%, which is a higher percentage than those who only took statins or cholesterol-lowering drugs. The results of the study are promising and are encouraging scientists to look at alternative ways of treating atherosclerosis.