"Good" Cholesterol May Reduce Alzheimer's Risk
There's good news about good cholesterol: A new study in the Archives of Neurology by Columbia University reveals that having high levels of "good" HDL cholesterol may reduce your risk for Alzheimer's disease by 60 percent.
Special Section: Dr. Jennifer Ashton
Video Series: Dr. Ashton's Health and Wellness
What is HDL cholesterol?
CBS News Medical Correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton said, "So many people hear the word cholesterol and they think it's got to be bad. The fact of the matter is like most things in medicine, we need it in moderation. It's very important to the function of our cells. When you talk about the difference between good and bad cholesterol, good way to remember, H-cholesterol, HDL is the healthy or good cholesterol. LDL is the lousy or bad."
Ashton added, "There are two numbers you need to know. You want your LDL or bad cholesterol below 100. And your HDL or good cholesterol over 60."
As for the study, Ashton said the findings are based on research conducted on 1,130 people, age 65 and over.
"(They) divided them into groups based on their HDL or healthy cholesterol number and found that those with an HDL above 65 were at a 60 percent lower risk of having Alzheimer's disease. This is what we call an associated finding. They didn't explain cause and effect, but we know very clearly that what's good for the heart is also good for the brain and vice versa, so that's one theory."
So how can you boost your good cholesterol?
Ashton suggests behavioral changes.
She said, "We have to remember 75 percent of your cholesterol comes from our body, 25 percent of it comes from our food intake. So when you talk about elevating the HDL or the good cholesterol, if you smoke, stop. That can increase your HDL numbers by 10 percent. Exercise can boost your HDL. Very important. And eating a diet low in cash high carbohydrates also can raise that money."
"Early Show" co-anchor Betty Nguyen said, "I imagine diet is something a lot of people will be trying to fix or moderate."
Ashton said, "Absolutely."
To help lower your bad cholesterol, Ashton suggests substituting vegetable oils or nuts for saturated fats.
"So if you're cooking with butter now," she said, "switch over to a vegetable oil whenever possible -- or olive oil."
For breakfast, Ashton said oatmeal can be a great in lowering your LDL numbers.
She added, "And if you like your eggs, you don't have to give them up, but just substitute egg whites for a whole egg, and you will dramatically reduce your LDL cholesterol intake."
"Now, some people might still need medication," she said, "but these are important things they can do."
Copyright 2010 CBS. All rights reserved. Special Section: Dr. Jennifer Ashton
Video Series: Dr. Ashton's Health and Wellness
What is HDL cholesterol?
CBS News Medical Correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton said, "So many people hear the word cholesterol and they think it's got to be bad. The fact of the matter is like most things in medicine, we need it in moderation. It's very important to the function of our cells. When you talk about the difference between good and bad cholesterol, good way to remember, H-cholesterol, HDL is the healthy or good cholesterol. LDL is the lousy or bad."
Ashton added, "There are two numbers you need to know. You want your LDL or bad cholesterol below 100. And your HDL or good cholesterol over 60."
As for the study, Ashton said the findings are based on research conducted on 1,130 people, age 65 and over.
"(They) divided them into groups based on their HDL or healthy cholesterol number and found that those with an HDL above 65 were at a 60 percent lower risk of having Alzheimer's disease. This is what we call an associated finding. They didn't explain cause and effect, but we know very clearly that what's good for the heart is also good for the brain and vice versa, so that's one theory."
So how can you boost your good cholesterol?
Ashton suggests behavioral changes.
She said, "We have to remember 75 percent of your cholesterol comes from our body, 25 percent of it comes from our food intake. So when you talk about elevating the HDL or the good cholesterol, if you smoke, stop. That can increase your HDL numbers by 10 percent. Exercise can boost your HDL. Very important. And eating a diet low in cash high carbohydrates also can raise that money."
"Early Show" co-anchor Betty Nguyen said, "I imagine diet is something a lot of people will be trying to fix or moderate."
Ashton said, "Absolutely."
To help lower your bad cholesterol, Ashton suggests substituting vegetable oils or nuts for saturated fats.
"So if you're cooking with butter now," she said, "switch over to a vegetable oil whenever possible -- or olive oil."
For breakfast, Ashton said oatmeal can be a great in lowering your LDL numbers.
She added, "And if you like your eggs, you don't have to give them up, but just substitute egg whites for a whole egg, and you will dramatically reduce your LDL cholesterol intake."
"Now, some people might still need medication," she said, "but these are important things they can do."
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Candadai Tirumalai
recent studies have concluded that saturated fat raises both HDL and LDL, thus it can be said that the 'good' cholesterol more or less cancels out the 'bad'. the two studies were conducted on more than 200,000 participants, over 25 years in duration. The study actually had been done to gauge the impact of saturated fat on heart disease. result of the study showed that saturated fat had no effect on the risk of heart disease.
by the same argument that Dr. Ashton pointed out in her conclusion on 'associated finding', then saturated fat can't be at fault for the degenerative disease of the brain mentioned as saturated fat actually does nothing to the heart.
I am sure many Americans who are used to the 'food pyramid' as recommended by the US Dietary Guidelines had sworn off saturated fat by now but bear in mind that the last USDG had not the benefit of the recent studies on saturated fat, which were only published this year. Perhaps the next USDG will paint a different picture about saturated fat.
here's hoping that the truth will prevail, for the health benefit of the millions of Americans.
Here is a little tip no one ever tells you about. Almond Oil.
It is good for you and tastes better than Olive Oil (my opinion).
The timing of this report is good because it is just in time to allow many people to eat normally over the holidays without feeling guilty.
Enjoy it while you can since I am sure Duke or some other lame college will come up with some reason to move you back to an abnormal diet and statins as soon as they can find someone who can write.