Niacin (nicotinic acid), also known as vitamin B3, is one of eight known B vitamins. It has been used for decades to lower cholesterol and reduce cardiovascular risk. However, today its use is somewhat debated. Meat and fish are the richest sources of nicotinic acid followed by fortified enriched grain, vegetables, and yeast. Tuna, salmon, chicken, turkey, […]
Why LDL-Cholesterol May Be Overestimated on a Low-Carb, High-Fat (LCHF) Diet
Elevated LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) is common among people who adopt a low-carb, high-fat (LCHF) lifestyle. That’s why many physicians and nutritionists remain doubtful when it comes to LCHF, despite overwhelming evidence that such a dietary approach improves several other lipid parameters, usually leads to weight loss and positively affects glucose metabolism. Several studies have shown that LDL-C constitutes a major risk factor for the […]
Adiposity, Adipokines, and Adiposopathy – Sick Fat Explained
By now, all of us should know that we are in the throes of an obesity epidemic. Worldwide, over 500 million people are believed to be affected (1). Obesity in children and adolescents is on the rise and so is type 2 diabetes. And, according to the media and the experts, this will have horrible consequences that ultimately will […]
Angina Pectoris – What Is Angina and How Do We Deal With It?
The term angina pectoris or angina is used to describe chest pain or discomfort, often felt like pressure or a squeezing sensation in the chest. The pain may radiate to the shoulders, arms, neck, jaw or the back region between the shoulder blades. Angina is not a disease. It is a symptom, usually caused by inadequate […]
Using Coronary Calcium Score to Target Statin Treatment in Primary Prevention – The Biolmage Study
Cholesterol-lowering medications are being prescribed to almost 30% of US adults aged 40 and over, most of these are statins drugs (1). The number increases with age, and approximately 48% of adults older than 75 are receiving such treatment. It has been suggested that treating more older individuals with statins may prevent a substantial number of cardiovascular events, and that, […]
GLAGOV – The Lipid Hypothesis Gains Ground
The results from the recent GLAGOV trial suggest that aggressive lowering of LDL-cholesterol with a PCSK9-inhibitor on top of statin therapy in patients with coronary artery disease may reduce atherosclerotic plaque burden. Although these results provide support for the lipid hypothesis and may have significant implications for the future of cardiovascular medicine, our eyes are still on safety and […]
Weight Management – The Role of Exercise Revisited
In the midst of the obesity epidemic, one of our most important concerns is the association between body mass index (BMI) and the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, body weight itself may not be what matters most. Evidence suggests that obesity measures such as BMI, waist circumference, or waist-to-hip ratio, assessed singly or in combination, […]
Swollen Feet and Swollen Ankles – Leg Edema Explained
Swollen feet and swollen ankles are common reasons why people seek medical advice. I’m not talking about inflammation due to injury or infection, but a medical condition commonly called leg edema. Leg edema is not only undesirable due to cosmetic reasons but may lead to thinning of the skin, discoloration or staining (pigmentation) and skin sores (ulcers). Healing may be […]
Apolipoprotein E – ApoE explained
Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) is one of the proteins the body uses to transport fats (lipids) in the bloodstream from one tissue or cell type to another. It is essential for healthy metabolism of cholesterol and triglycerides, two important types of fats the body has to deal with regularly. The relationship between ApoE and heart disease has been studied quite intensively in recent […]
High Carbohydrate Intake Worse than High Fat for Blood Lipids
Data presented at the World Heart Federation’s World Congress of Cardiology & Cardiovascular Health 2016 (WCC 2016) in Mexico City may radically change our perspective on how carbohydrates and different types of fats affect blood cholesterol and other lipid biomarkers. The presentation was based on data from the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiological (PURE) study. The data have not been […]
Fructose Restriction – An Effective Lipid Intervention?
The association between lipid disorders and heart disease is well known. Medical checkups usually involve measurements of cholesterol and other lipid parameters, and most doctors advise their patients on how to improve their lipid pattern. Dietary interventions to lower the risk of heart disease commonly aim at reducing blood levels of cholesterol, LDL cholesterol in particular. This is […]
Do Lipid Biomarkers Like Cholesterol Predict Cancer Risk?
Lipid biomarkers are frequently used to assess the risk of heart disease. A simple blood test provides information about LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) (1), commonly nicknamed the bad cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) (2), often called the good cholesterol. Triglycerides are usually measured as well (3). For many different reasons, lowering LDL-C has become a primary target for the prevention of heart disease. Evidence […]
Ferritin – High and Low Ferritin Explained
Ferritin is a protein found in the cells of most living organisms. It binds to iron and plays a major role in storing iron in the human body. Iron a is an important part of hemoglobin, a protein molecule that carries oxygen in red blood cells and delivers it to the cells of the body. The body […]
Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) is Not Detected by Measuring Cholesterol
Elevated blood cholesterol is a common reason why people see their doctor. Most of us have been told that high cholesterol increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, and we are usually urged to lower it by any means available. But, the problem is that high cholesterol is often harmless, and heart disease can occur in the absence of […]
Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Age: Is it all about the cholesterol?
For decades, scientists have been trying to find out what causes heart disease. Although we have gained some knowledge along the way, many questions remain unanswered. Instead of providing clear answers, scientific research often raises a set of new issues that have to be addressed. The American physicist, Thomas S. Kuhn wrote that “to be scientific is among […]
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