Cholesterol and You: The Good (HDL), the Bad (LDL) and the Ugly (Plaque) Part 3

Part 3: Lowering Cholesterol Naturally

Vitamin C can help regulate cholesterol synthesis in the liver. This means that by keeping your vitamin C levels up, your body can more efficiently carry LDL (bad cholesterol) from the arteries to the liver for processing. This can greatly reduce your blood cholesterol levels without changing the chemistry of your body.

We talked about how statins lowered cholesterol by replacing the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase in part 2 of this series. This replacement, which causes the production of the protein that causes LDL to increase, is also what contributes to the depletion of CoQ10. Vitamin C reduces the action of the enzyme HMG-CoA, but does not replace it. It does not cause the chemical chain reaction that depletes the body of necessary enzymes, such as CoQ10. In fact, adequate vitamin C levels promote the natural production of CoQ10 and other enzymes in the body.

Our veins and arteries need vitamin C and CoQ10 to produce the collagen and elastin that they need to keep from breaking down. Inadequate production can lead to chronic instability of the vessel walls. As a result of this instability, deposits can develop over time and lead to cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, if we are deficient, then the body produces more and more cholesterol and plaque to strengthen the arterial walls.

It is interesting to note that unlike most animals, we do not make our own vitamin C. In fact, most other animals (besides higher order primates) make hundreds of times more vitamin C daily than we get through our diet. There is evidence that suggests that this may be why heart disease in animals is virtually non-existent.

Many new studies have shown that supplementing with vitamin C, vitamin E and lysine can prevent plaque from building up in the heart and even remove plaque that has already built up. Vitamin C inhibits the LDL proteins from oxidizing, which causes platelets and fatty plaques to adhere to arterial walls.

Niacin helps to raise good cholesterol (HDL) and lower your LDL (bad cholesterol) levels. Niacin also helps vitamin C navigate through glucose, increasing its effectiveness. This makes niacin and vitamin C a powerful combination for lowering cholesterol in diabetics.

Additionally, fish oil supplementation has been shown to greatly reduce triglycerides. Triglycerides come from the fats that we eat, or they are produced by the body when we eat more carbohydrates than are necessary. Your body should store triglycerides for energy between meals. But, too many carbohydrates and too much fat can cause triglyceride levels to remain high and contribute to plaque build-up and heart disease.

Essential fatty acids, like Omega-3 fatty acids, specifically DHA and EPA, help to reduce triglyceride levels. You may see a slight increase in LDL levels if you are supplementing with fish oils, but don’t worry. The calculated value of LDL is more accurate once triglyceride levels are under control. Also, triglycerides are converted into LDL, and are less harmful in this form.

Soluble fiber also helps to lower LDL levels. Taken or obtained through diet daily, they can lower your LDL levels by as much as 20%. The product “Eurofiber” contains the best forms of soluble fiber, combined with a high dose of vitamin C for lowering cholesterol.

Talk with your doctor before you start supplementing to lower your cholesterol, especially if you are taking statins or other medications. To get an adequate dosage of vitamin C, you may want to take vitamin C powder. If you have high cholesterol, it is important to continue treating it once you start and work closely with your physician.

Cholesterol and You: The Good (HDL), the Bad (LDL) and the Ugly (Plaque) Part 1

Supplements & Vitamins

Supplements & Vitamins