Cholesterol level

[Saints Lad]

Just checked mine today it is 3.9
anybody else check there's regularly?

[ghost]

Don't worry about cholesterol levels SL - contrary to popular belief it doesn't cause heart disease

[CL]

Don't worry about cholesterol levels SL - contrary to popular belief it doesn't cause heart disease

Ghost do you have an opinion as to what does cause heart disease?

[daz h]

Just checked mine today it is 3.9
anybody else check there's regularly?

never checked it

[Saints Lad]

never checked it

think you should mate

[ghost]

Unfortunately, genetic factors are the most important -then smoking of course. The other main risk factors of diabetes, high blood pressure, lack of exercise etc all independently cause higher cholesterol levels so it is just a surrogate marker really.
Stress is much more important than given credit for. An interesting study looking at Japanese immigrants in America showed that the Japanese who maintained the Japanese culture and way of life but ate a high fat Western diet had lower levels of heart disease than did the Japanese who ate a traditional low fat Japanese diet but led a 'high stress' western lifestyle.

[CL]

Unfortunately, genetic factors are the most important -then smoking of course. The other main risk factors of diabetes, high blood pressure, lack of exercise etc all independently cause higher cholesterol levels so it is just a surrogate marker really.
Stress is much more important than given credit for. An interesting study looking at Japanese immigrants in America showed that the Japanese who maintained the Japanese culture and way of life but ate a high fat Western diet had lower levels of heart disease than did the Japanese who ate a traditional low fat Japanese diet but led a 'high stress' western lifestyle.

I had a conversation with a heart specialist a few years ago. He told me that consistently high cholesterol levels, indicated a flaw in the cholesterol lowering mechanisms. In a similar way to a diabetic not producing enough/any Insulin, to lower blood sugar levels.

Like in diabetes if the body doesn't produce sufficient chemicals to lower cholesterol levels into the normal range, over time this high level can damage the blood vessel walls.

Don't know about smoking. The philosopher and mathematician Bertrand Russell was once asked if he had any vices. He said "yes I smoke a pipe all day long except when I'm eating and sleeping." He started when he was 17 and died when he was 98.

If smoking caused heart disease then he would have developed it. I think part of the problem in the sciences today, is rather than looking at cause and effect, they focus on statistical analysis, and end up getting nowhere.

When scientists start talking about risk and genetic factors, without specifying exactly what, then you know they don't know what the cause/s are.

[ghost]

The philosopher and mathematician Bertrand Russell was once asked if he had any vices. He said "yes I smoke a pipe all day long except when I'm eating and sleeping." He started when he was 17 and died when he was 98.

If smoking caused heart disease then he would have developed it.

Maybe he died from heart disease!

[CL]

Maybe he died from heart disease!

No he didn't.

[ghost]

I agree that the wrong cause is often attributed to a certain effect and this is what has happened with cholesterol and heart disease. For 'scientific community' in this regard read 'the pharmaceutical industry' which sponsors all the major trials in this area. Also , as you say, statistics can be used to torture any set of results to make them say what you want.