Heart Disease: Cholesterol Doesn’t Cause Heart Disease (Proof Below)

Heart Disease is not caused by cholesterol and provably (see below) the root cause of heart disease is low HDL and too many free radicals. Heart disease is reversible by increasing HDL and decreasing free radicals. HDL removes oxidized LDL molecules from the blood and also removes plaque buildup from the lining of artery walls.

There are many forms of heart disease. On this site “heart disease” refers to the most common form of heart disease in the U.S. and other countries called atherosclerosis. The main symptom of heart disease is a thickening buildup of plaque in the interior lining of arteries. Heart disease caused 25% (630,000) of all U.S. deaths in 2006, even though heart disease is preventable. Other terms for heart disease include Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), Coronary Heart Disease (CHD), Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD) and Arteriosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD).

Proof Heart Disease Is Not Caused By Cholesterol

Cholesterol passes through both arteries and veins – cholesterol is measured using blood taken from a vein in your arm. To fix a clogged artery, surgeons remove the clogged artery and put in a vein – therefore people with clogged arteries don’t have clogged veins. If high cholesterol is the root cause of clogged arteries (heart disease), why don’t veins become clogged like arteries? Because cholesterol is not a root cause of heart disease.

A very common root cause of heart disease is repeated injury. Free radicals (essentially molecular size sparks) zap (oxidize) LDL which in turn zaps (injures) interior of arteries. High blood pressure causes tiny cracks in arteries. Repeated injury causes repeated repair – plaque buildup.

Root Causes And Solutions For Heart Disease: Too Many Free Radicals, Low HDL, Low Nitric Oxide, High Blood Pressure, Homocysteine

Heart Disease: Free Radical Root Cause

The most common root cause of heart disease in the U.S. is a diet nutritionally insufficient to maintain a healthy HDL level and nutritionally insufficient to offset the numerous sources of free radicals, including the natural free radicals in fresh air, extra free radicals in air pollution, natural free radicals created during cellular processing of protein, fat, and carbohydrates, and extra free radicals created by excess protein, fat, carbohydrates (eating too much). In some cities, the free radicals in air pollution is the most common root cause of heart disease. The higher HDL level is, the less of a problem free radicals are because HDL is garbage pick up service for the body and can clean up free radicals without becoming oxidized because HDL contains an antioxidant. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals.

Oil and water don’t mix. Because cholesterol is a fat (form of oil) and blood is 70% water, molecules of cholesterol can only enter the bloodstream when inside molecules of LDL. When a molecule of LDL becomes oxidized by free radicals and when oxidized LDL comes in contact with the lining of an artery, the oxidized LDL damages the artery lining. The damage starts a series of reactions to repair the damage with plaque (made with cholesterol and other substances). Repeated damage from oxidized LDL results in repeated repairs, repeated repairs is plaque building in the lining of the artery wall. It doesn’t matter whether an oxidized LDL molecule contains cholesterol or jelly beans, when a molecule of LDL becomes oxidized by free radicals and comes in contact with the lining of an artery, the oxidized LDL damages the artery.

The more free radicals the more LDL that will become oxidized. LDL carries cholesterol to cells to make hormones, vitamin D, bile, cell membranes, brain tissue. Reducing LDL with statins leaves the same number of free radicals to oxidize fewer LDL, increasing each cell’s chance of receiving and being damaged by an oxidized LDL molecule.

Another term for damage caused by free radicals is “oxidative stress”. From the U.S. Department of Agriculture, “…Oxidative stress has been associated with the development of many chronic and degenerative diseases, including cancer, heart disease…. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) can damage biological molecules such as proteins, lipids, and DNA.”

Stress On Immune System Raises LDL

I read an article about the immune system and cholesterol (link below). In January 2009 my LDL was 171. Also in January, I realized that a few of the supplements I was taking contained an allergen of mine, corn, but the company disguised corn on the label as “magnesium stearate”. In March 2009 I found a hypoallergenic source of nutritional supplements. I predicted that when I finished replacing the nutritional supplements I take with the hypoallergenic supplements, my LDL would go down. With no changes in my diet, in May 2010 my LDL measured 139 – a 19% drop. (Blood test for LDL below.)

Root Causes And Solutions Continued