(23-01-11) Higher levels of HDL cholesterol reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease

by Margie King, citizen journalistr


(NaturalNews) While pharmaceutical companies continue their campaign to lower
the nation's cholesterol levels with statin drugs, a new study finds that
higher levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), which is often called "good"
cholesterol, appear to be associated with a reduced risk for Alzheimer's
disease in older adults.

The report, published in the December issue of Archives of Neurology, noted
the frequency of both high total cholesterol and Alzheimer's disease in western
societies. Fifty percent of U.S. adults are considered to have high
cholesterol, and one percent of adults aged 65 to 69 develop Alzheimer's
disease, with that rate increasing with age to 60 percent of those older than
95 years.

Researchers at Columbia University's Taub Institute followed 1,130 Medicare
recipients 65 and older to study the association of cholesterol levels with
Alzheimer's disease.

The authors assigned a diagnosis of "probable" Alzheimer's disease to study
subjects developing dementia if the condition could not be otherwise explained.
They assigned a diagnosis of "possible" Alzheimer's disease if it was the most
likely cause of dementia but there were other disorders that could contribute
to the condition, such as stroke or Parkinson disease.

The Columbia study found that higher levels of HDL cholesterol, defined as 55
mg/dl or more, were associated with a decreased risk of both probable and
possible Alzheimer's disease. The American Heart Association recommends that
levels of total cholesterol in the blood be maintained at less than 200
milligram per deciliter, and it considers HDL cholesterol to be low if it is 40
mg/dl in men or 50 mg/dl in women.

Even more interesting, and bad news for the statin manufacturers, was the
finding that higher levels of total cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol and LDL
cholesterol, often called the "bad" cholesterol, were also associated with
lower Alzheimer risk, although they found that association to be non-
significant after adjusting for other factors.

The lead author of the study, Christiane Reitz, M.D., Ph.D., noted that there
is a class of drugs called fibrates, which are sometimes prescribed in
conjunction with statin drugs, that may raise HDL cholesterol. The common side
effects of fibrates, however, include headaches, skin rashes, nausea and
gastrointestinal problems, and in some cases can include fever, chest pain,
reduced libido, breathing difficulty, dizziness, irregular heartbeat and
swollen feet or legs.

Dr. Reitz also noted that niacin, or vitamin B3, is effective to raise HDL
cholesterol levels. Niacin is a water soluble B vitamin used by the body to
convert carbohydrates, fats and protein into energy. It is also instrumental in
keeping the nervous system, digestive system, skin, hair and eyes healthy.

For over 50 years, niacin has been used effectively to raise the levels of
good HDL cholesterol in the blood, and it is also known to help reduce bad LDL
cholesterol and triglycerides. In fact, in a 2009 study published in the New
England Journal of Medicine, niacin was found to be better for reducing
cholesterol and preventing heart disease than Merck's prescription medication
Zetia. Over the eight-month study period, niacin was found to be significantly
more effective than Zetia at reducing artery plaque and decreasing the number
of heart attacks.

Niacin is available in supplement form but it is also widely available in the
food supply. The principal food sources of niacin include:

1. Dairy products (Organic Raw Certified)
2. Meats, poultry and fish (Organic)
3. Nuts
4. Eggs (Organic)
5. Nutritional yeast
6. Wheat germ
7. Whole grains

Resources:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/release...
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/...
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010...

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