|
|
|
|
Featured Book
"NH&WL may be the best non-technical book on diet ever written"
Joel Kauffman, PhD, Professor Emeritus, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA |
Low cholesterol increases stroke riskPart 1: Introduction
Stroke is defined as the sudden rupture or blockage by clotting of a blood vessel to or within the brain. Symptoms of stroke can range from minor dizziness or momentary temporary loss of function that is barely perceptible to paralysis or death. Strokes were generally confined to the very elderly, but recently strokes are being increasingly seen in younger people. Stroke trialsBecause medical trials are expensive, they tend to involve only a relatively small number of people. But there are exceptions. One such arose after World War II, when Japan’s eating habits, influenced by American dietary habits, changed dramatically: from 1958 to 1995 fat consumption increased four-fold and animal protein intake in the form of meat, eggs and dairy products increased by 22%. At the same time, they ate less rice.Not unexpectedly, cholesterol levels rose – by an average 0.57 mmol/L (22 mg/dL) in men and 0.75 mmol/L (29 mg/dL) in women. This change of circumstances after the war was a perfect opportunity for scientists to witness any changes in disease patterns that this change of diet would bring. They found that it brought dramatic benefits. During the period, cholesterol levels rose from averages of 3.9 mmol/l to 5.0 mmol/l,[1] and the numbers of strokes of both types fell by 85 % from 1344 to 205 per 100,000 per year.[2] Deaths from cerebral haemorrhage also declined by 65% in men and 94% in women aged 40-69.[3] And, even though blood cholesterol went up, there was no increase in heart disease deaths in either sex. The authors conclude that the benefits to health in Japan were a result of blood pressure fall and a rise in total cholesterol. References1. Adachi H, Hino A. Trends in nutritional intake and serum cholesterol levels over 40 years in Tanushimaru, Japanese men. J Epidemiol 2005; 15: 85-9.2. Liu L, Ikeda K, Yukio Yamori Y. Changes in Stroke Mortality Rates for 1950 to 1997. A Great Slowdown of Decline Trend in Japan. Stroke 2001; 32: 1745 3. Shimamoto T, et al. Trends for Coronary Heart Disease and Stroke and Their Risk Factors in Japan. Circulation. 1989; 3: 503-15. |
MENU
Home page BLOG NEWS Contact us Cholesterol What is cholesterol? LDL and HDL explained The dangers of low cholesterol The benefits of high cholesterol Other sterols Cholesterol-lowering drugs Statins Other drugs Causes of Heart Disease High cholesterol Oxidised LDL Dietary saturated fat Inflammation Infections 'Healthy' diet Insulin Other possible causes Links |
