Learn All About Lowering Cholesterol in a Safe and Healthy Way

First of all, you must know that not all cholesterol is bad. The manufactures of sex hormones and bile acids, and many other functions in the body are served by a certain type of cholesterol. Many body processes would not function properly without cholesterol. Lipoproteins help transport the transport of cholesterol in the blood. Often referred to as the "bad" cholesterol, LDL is cholesterol bound to low-density lipoprotein, while HDL (or the "good" cholesterol) is bound to high-density lipoprotein. HDL cholesterol generally protects against heart disease while the LDL cholesterol actually increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart diseases and even strokes.

Good cholesterol (or HDL) is transported to the liver for metabolism excretion, while LDL is transported to the tissues. Whether cholesterol is being broken down and excreted or is deposited into tissues depends on the HDL-to-LDL ratio. By simultaneously lowering the LDL cholesterol level and raising the HDL cholesterol levels, you can reduce dramatically, the risk for heart disease or stroke. The risk for a heart attack drops about 3 to 4 percent with only one percent increase in the HDL cholesterol levels.

Dietary cholesterol

Atherosclerosis is a very common development with the intake of dietary cholesterol; this is proven with substantial evidence. Most of the cholesterol in the body is manufactured in the liver, although the dietary cholesterol intake is a very important contributor to atherosclerosis. So, to lower blood cholesterol levels is not always sufficient to simply reduce dietary cholesterol.

Drugs

Many physicians are utilizing drugs as the primary treatment, ignoring the need to recommend dietary information - all of this is in the attempt to fast and heavily reduce blood cholesterol levels.

In terms of both cost and effectiveness, using drugs before diet is clearly not the best approach. It has been clearly stated by the Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Cholesterol in Adults that dietary therapy is the primary cholesterol-lowering treatment. Commonly used to lower blood cholesterol levels are the drugs simvastatin (Zocor), lovastatin (Mevacor), prevastin (Pravachol).

Liver damage is one of the first, and the main side effect of these drugs. In order to determine if the drugs are harming the liver, it is necessary to have periodic blood tests to determine if the drug is harming the liver. That is just to show the seriousness of possible adverse effects on the liver. Headache, flatus, skin rash, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, muscle breakdown and muscle pain are just some of the many side effects given by the intake of cholesterol lowering drugs.

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