Can We Talk About Cholesterol A Numbers?

[thegiantess]

I have been consistently confused about ideal cholesterol numbers. I accept that lower is not better, but Peat is never very specific about ideal numbers and why and Haidut has said things like too low cholesterol is bad, but so is too high and he too is guilty of omitting actual numbers . Can someone define parameters? A friend of mine did some lab tests and her tc was 118 and the doctor raved at how good it is. I told her I didn't think that was accurate, but then couldn't support that with any hard facts. Can anyone give me some insight into ideal levels and what very low cholesterol like hers could mean?

 

[thegiantess]

I should also mention this person is on tamoxifen. I have a sense that tamoxifen probably lowers cholesterol given cholesterol's intimate relationship with hormone production.

 

[zooma]

The reason that numbers are rarely mentioned is because an 'ideal' range simply hasn't been established. If you find where Ray has talked about cholesterol, he mentions this. Though he did say that high cholesterol has clearly been shown to be protective in old age.

Cholesterol is among the most protective substances around, is part of the structure of all cells, and is the raw material for all steroids and bile acids. You can see the issue with having low cholesterol.

High cholesterol isn't a problem directly, but Ray has said it generally indicates hypothyroidism.

I think it adds another layer of complexity to talk about the different types of cholesterol, but I have seen Ray mention somewhere that high HDL is probably indicative of some kind of immune problem.

 

[HDD]

Some notes I saved without the references-

D2: The current laboratories and doctors recommend that it should be under 200.

RP: There was a Framingham study, I think it was about 20 years ago, which looked at the cholesterol level of people as they passed the age of 50, in ordinary life situations. And they saw that those who did not have above a 200 mg/dl cholesterol level were more likely to become demented. It's been known for 80 or 90 years that cholesterol is an antitoxin, anti-inflammatory, basic protective substance. It's like a protective hormone in the cell. In experiments with animals, the learning ability, and the measurable ability of the animal improves, just by increasing the amount of cholesterol. And cell division involves cholesterol right in the apparatus that allows the cell to divide normally. It stabilizes red blood cells. Every level of physiology is protected by adequate cholesterol.

From a post by(?)-
"For future reference if you do get high HDL - it is not really a good thing by itself. Ray has said that toxins and stress raise HDL. So, people drinking a lot or running a lot tend to have quite high HDL. I used to have HDL of 88 back in my days of heavy running. if your total cholesterol is 187, you may want to up it so it gets in the range 200-230. According to Peat it's the most protective range against cancer."

 

[thegiantess]

Some notes I saved without the references-

D2: The current laboratories and doctors recommend that it should be under 200.

RP: There was a Framingham study, I think it was about 20 years ago, which looked at the cholesterol level of people as they passed the age of 50, in ordinary life situations. And they saw that those who did not have above a 200 mg/dl cholesterol level were more likely to become demented. It's been known for 80 or 90 years that cholesterol is an antitoxin, anti-inflammatory, basic protective substance. It's like a protective hormone in the cell. In experiments with animals, the learning ability, and the measurable ability of the animal improves, just by increasing the amount of cholesterol. And cell division involves cholesterol right in the apparatus that allows the cell to divide normally. It stabilizes red blood cells. Every level of physiology is protected by adequate cholesterol.

From a post by(?)-
"For future reference if you do get high HDL - it is not really a good thing by itself. Ray has said that toxins and stress raise HDL. So, people drinking a lot or running a lot tend to have quite high HDL. I used to have HDL of 88 back in my days of heavy running. if your total cholesterol is 187, you may want to up it so it gets in the range 200-230. According to Peat it's the most protective range against cancer."

Great quotes, thanks. I do recall Paul Jaminet of Perfect Health Diet mentioning that around 220 was ideal, but he never says what causes cholesterol to be low. As it is such a protective substance it just makes good sense for it to be higher, but then I wonder where that benefit begins to decrease.

 

[thegiantess]

The reason that numbers are rarely mentioned is because an 'ideal' range simply hasn't been established. If you find where Ray has talked about cholesterol, he mentions this. Though he did say that high cholesterol has clearly been shown to be protective in old age.

Cholesterol is among the most protective substances around, is part of the structure of all cells, and is the raw material for all steroids and bile acids. You can see the issue with having low cholesterol.

High cholesterol isn't a problem directly, but Ray has said it generally indicates hypothyroidism.

I think it adds another layer of complexity to talk about the different types of cholesterol, but I have seen Ray mention somewhere that high HDL is probably indicative of some kind of immune problem.

That's the thing... High cholesterol is technically anything about 200. I have to wonder what peat defines as high.

 

[zooma]

I think it can vary. I'd imagine like in HDD's post, something like 200-230 is probably fine for most people. Its fair to say that 118 is definitely too low, and should be increased. In the higher ranges I guess testing temperature, pulse etc. Would be best, and could help determine if you are hypothyroid.

 

[HDD]

Here's some more and I found the interview it was from-

RP: There was a study a few years ago of women in nursing homes, or rest homes, or convalescent hospital situations, and they followed them from the time they entered until they died and watched how the level of cholesterol corresponded to their longevity and ability to function. The optimal cholesterol level for that purpose, living a long time and keeping their mentality sound, was 270 mg/dl.


Cholesterol Is An Important Molecule, KMUD, 2008


HD: Getting back to cholesterol, given that you would consider a value of 270mg/dl to be acceptable, is this more for elderly people, or would this apply to younger people?

RP: That's for old people. It's the same as the blood pressure thing. The cholesterol rises as there is a problem to be soothed; and when the tissues are less efficient, they need more blood supply. So the blood pressure and the cholesterol tend to rise with aging as the tissues need more care and attention.