#421: Cholesterol News

Dr. Cooper and Todd Whitthorne discuss the latest data on cholesterol. The discussion includes a brief review of how the body uses LDL cholesterol, and an explanation of why it's a bit of a misnomer that LDL cholesterol is the "bad? cholesterol. Raising HDL cholesterol, the "good? cholesterol through aerobic/cardiovascular conditioning is suggested. The question of whether lowering the LDL cholesterol with statin medications is an effective way to reduce death from cardiovascular disease is raised. Dr. Cooper recommends steps to reduce cholesterol naturally first, with statin medication as an option if natural methods don"t move the score enough. The cost and side effects of taking a statin are discussed. In a large study, 3 percent of the subjects taking the placebo (sugar pill) had heart attacks, while 2 percent had heart attacks while taking the statin. In terms of real numbers, the difference between the two groups was very small. Dr. Cooper talks about an article published in the September issue of The New England Journal of Medicine, "HDL Cholesterol, Very Low Levels of LDL Cholesterol, and Cardiovascular Events.? There is disagreement in the medical community about whether statin medications are beneficial. "Do Cholesterol Drugs Do Any Good?? BusinessWeek cover story, Jan. 17, 2008, is discussed. Dr. Cooper's book Controlling Cholesterol the Natural Way  is a resource for people who want to control their cholesterol without drugs. The SPARCL (Stroke Prevention by Aggressive Reduction in Cholesterol Levels) findings are reviewed. Dr. Beatrice A. Golomb's statin effects study is reviewed .  Dr. Golomb has been actively researching statin medications and their risk-benefit balance, including possible side effects.