Everyone is going crazy with cholesterol these days. Health officials in the United States recommends that everybody over the age of twenty year’s old makes a cholesterol test once every five years (Mercola, " The Cholesterol Myth That Is Harming Your Health"). But, what is cholesterol and why is it so important? First of all, some concepts need to be explained. Cholesterol is often mistaken with triglycerides. Both are types of lipids (fats) (Matters). Both are transported in the body by lipoproteins. The first type of lipoprotein is HDL (High Density Lipoprotein). It brings cholesterol and triglycerides from blood vessels to the liver (“HDL”). The second type is LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein). It transports the molecules from the liver to
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The level of triglycerides is also tested. However, there are some differences between cholesterol and triglycerides. The liver synthesises 75% of the cholesterol, which is necessary for many processes in the body and is influenced by the amount of calories ingested. Triglycerides are used by the body to store energy. The total amount of calories ingested affects their level, not only the amount of fat ingested (Matters). The level of these different molecules in the body is tested because they are known to elevate the risk of cardiovascular diseases. However, the level of cholesterol in the body shouldn’t be lowered at all costs because it is not a good predictor of the risk of cardiovascular diseases and the drugs prescribed to lower its level are harmful for the …show more content…
The biggest consequence of consuming statins is that it increases the risks of developing diabetes. Like explained before, cholesterol is made by the liver when excessive amounts of sugars are ingested. Statins block the mechanism in which the liver transforms sugar in cholesterol (Diurez and Fruchart). This amount of sugar goes back in the blood and, after a certain time, this process can lead to diabetes (Mercola, “Do You Take Any of These 11 Dangerous Statins or Cholesterol Drugs?”). This is alarming because, while the drugs are promoted to treat a problem, they create another one. Moreover, a low level of cholesterol affects the metabolism of serotonin. Low serotonin levels can cause unstable mood, sleep dysfunction, troubled digestion and weakness of the immune system (“What are Neurotransmitters?”). Those are just a few of the numerous complications of the use of statins. Dr. Mercola is clear: the only group that can feel benefits from the use of statins is people suffering from a genetic trouble called hypercholesterolemia, which is really not the case of the majority of people who are taking these drugs (Mercola, “Do You Take Any of These 11 Dangerous Statins or Cholesterol
The level of triglycerides is also tested. However, there are some differences between cholesterol and triglycerides. The liver synthesises 75% of the cholesterol, which is necessary for many processes in the body and is influenced by the amount of calories ingested. Triglycerides are used by the body to store energy. The total amount of calories ingested affects their level, not only the amount of fat ingested (Matters). The level of these different molecules in the body is tested because they are known to elevate the risk of cardiovascular diseases. However, the level of cholesterol in the body shouldn’t be lowered at all costs because it is not a good predictor of the risk of cardiovascular diseases and the drugs prescribed to lower its level are harmful for the …show more content…
The biggest consequence of consuming statins is that it increases the risks of developing diabetes. Like explained before, cholesterol is made by the liver when excessive amounts of sugars are ingested. Statins block the mechanism in which the liver transforms sugar in cholesterol (Diurez and Fruchart). This amount of sugar goes back in the blood and, after a certain time, this process can lead to diabetes (Mercola, “Do You Take Any of These 11 Dangerous Statins or Cholesterol Drugs?”). This is alarming because, while the drugs are promoted to treat a problem, they create another one. Moreover, a low level of cholesterol affects the metabolism of serotonin. Low serotonin levels can cause unstable mood, sleep dysfunction, troubled digestion and weakness of the immune system (“What are Neurotransmitters?”). Those are just a few of the numerous complications of the use of statins. Dr. Mercola is clear: the only group that can feel benefits from the use of statins is people suffering from a genetic trouble called hypercholesterolemia, which is really not the case of the majority of people who are taking these drugs (Mercola, “Do You Take Any of These 11 Dangerous Statins or Cholesterol