In Praise of Cholesterol

Can we all get over our fixation on cholesterol? I mean, now that it's clear that cholesterol isn't what's causing heart disease?

But, but, but, if cholesterol is building up in my arteries, doesn't that mean cholesterol's the problem?

Actually, no. Your cholesterol is simply trying to patch up raw spots in your arteries that were caused by inflammation-which is the problem. Cholesterol is the overworked, under appreciated good guy in the scenario.

Get rid of inflammation, and you get rid of a lot of problems-including cardiovascular "events." But that's another article for another day.

While the medical community makes its slow transition from cholesterol to inflammation as the villain of the piece, here are some facts you should know.

The brain needs plenty of cholesterol to function. A brain is a terrible thing to waste, especially for a mistake.

The endocrine system-the thyroid, adrenals, pancreas, gonads, etc-needs cholesterol to keep us awake, alert and ready to make life happen.

Consider the thyroid: Most doctors prescribe Synthroid, or an equivalent T4 medication, to patients with an underactive thyroid. The fact is, however, that T4 doesn't do much; our bodies have to convert the T4 to T3 to get thyroid function off the mat. The conversion can't be done without cholesterol, so hypothyroid patients can faithfully take their meds and still feel like death struck by a brick. The conversion isn't guaranteed in any case (and don't get me started about why that makes T4 medications inadequate and basically not worth spit), but it absolutely can't happen without enough cholesterol.

The adrenals, which provide general energy and the ability to cope with stress, also need cholesterol to avoid dragging bottom. And it's not a case of a little dab'll do ya, either.

And low cholesterol means low libido, too.

I could go on, but why? Millions upon millions of people have thyroid problems. Most of them also have adrenal problems. These people need cholesterol. A good healthy level of 200, maybe more.

People with any sort of endocrine problem shouldn't take drugs to lower cholesterol. Or eat low-fat diets. Or take a pass on the salt shaker. Wrong, wrong and wrong.

People who think a working brain is a good idea also should look askance at cholesterol-lowering drugs. A functioning liver and muscle strength are good reasons to avoid these drugs, too.

We need to get over this cholesterol obsession before it kills any more of us.

Bette Dowdell is not a doctor, nor does she purport to be one. She's a patient who's been studying the endocrine system and successfully handling her own endocrine problems for more than 30 years. Through her e-zine, teleseminars and an in-depth subscription program, Bette explains how the endocrine system works-or doesn't, discusses things that damage the endocrine system, and talks about what we can do to make things better. Subscribe to Bette's free e-zine at TooPoopedToParticipate.com TooPoopedToParticipate.com and get a list of the kind of symptoms she's talking about.