An exploration of the complexity of the cholesterol issue is well beyond the scope of a single webinar. However, considering the important role that cholesterol plays in human physiology, as well as the controversial state of the medical literature, it is necessary to expand our therapeutic toolboxes to encompass a wide range of effective strategies for improving lipid profiles while simultaneously enhancing the overall health and vitality of our patients.

This on-demand webinar reviews some of the most well-studied and scientifically-validated botanical and nutritional agents for modulating cholesterol metabolism. In addition, it focuses on evaluating and targeting a host of additional physiological factors that influence cholesterol metabolism and have profound effects on all-cause mortality, overall survival, and longevity: inflammation, oxidative damage, free radical quenching networks, detoxification, and hypercoagulation.

Introduction

Cholesterol is a lipophilic molecule that is essential for human life. It is an important part of our cell membranes, contributing to both their structural makeup, as well as their fluidity. It is a precursor to the formation of steroid hormones, including Vitamin D, cortisol, aldosterone, and the adrenal androgens (DHEA, androstenedione, etc.). It is a precursor for the formation of our reproductive hormones (testosterone, estrogens, progesterone, etc.). It is also a constituent of the bile salts that our bodies use to facilitate the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (Vitamins A, D, E, and K).1

The measurement of serum cholesterol levels, along with their lipoprotein carriers, and the evaluation of the role that these compounds play in human health and longevity is one the most controversial subjects in medicine today. Conflicting data from around the world reveals that the cholesterol issue is complex, and although today’s “standard of care” guidelines are based on acceptance of the initial cholesterol hypothesis that “lower is better,” it is clear that the matter is far from settled.

Evaluating the Relationship Between Total Cholesterol and All-Cause Mortality

Contrary to popular belief, recent studies from around the world consistently show that the lowest levels of LDL-C concentration are strongly and independently associated with increased risk of cancer, CVD, and all-cause mortality.

In Japan, an inverse trend has been found between all-cause mortality and total LDL cholesterol levels: mortality is highest in the lowest cholesterol group – without exception. If limited to elderly people, this trend is universal – and elderly people with the highest cholesterol levels have the highest survival rates, irrespective of where they live in the world.2,3

As healthcare providers that care deeply about the health and well-being of our patients, we are called to look beyond the controversy and to delve more deeply into the complex physiological networks that are intimately connected to the ways we absorb, utilize, synthesize, metabolize, and store cholesterol in the body. Interpreting cholesterol levels outside of the context of this complex network of interwoven factors has the capacity to generate inaccurate assumptions, resulting in the application of therapeutic interventions that fail to achieve our fundamental goals: improving the vitality and enhancing the health-span of our patients.

Watch this webinar to look at the physiological factors that influence cholesterol metabolism and expand our therapeutic toolbox by exploring some of of the most well studied and scientifically validated botanical and nutritional agents for modulating it.

Key Botanical and Nutritional Agents for Modulating Cholesterol Metabolism

  • Red Yeast Rice
  • Guggul
  • CoQ10
  • Artichoke Leaf
  • Tocotrienols
  • Niacin
  • Pantethine
  • Policosanol
  • Omega 3 fatty acids

Additional Areas Considered

  • Inflammation
  • Oxidation
  • Hypercoagulation

Related Webinars (click link below):

In “Cardiovascular Disease – Addressing Symptoms and Underlying Causes with Botanical and Nutritional Medicine,” we looked at how the current “cholesterol-centric” approach to the prevention and treatment of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) fails to address important underlying factors associated with the body’s response to the vast array of insults that the cardiovascular system faces. We explored botanical and nutritional medicine approach to effectively manage symptoms, while simultaneously correcting underlying imbalances and harmonizing the patient’s constitution.

Metabolic syndrome consists of a group of interwoven ecological changes that manifest in the body as hypertension, insulin resistance, abnormal cholesterol, and an increased risk for thrombosis. In “Weaving the Threads: An Ecological Perspective on Metabolic Syndrome and Its Role in Health and Disease,” we explored this ecological perspective and the botanical/ nutritional medicine toolbox for effective solutions.

Related Research (click link below):

Research Review Paper: Red Yeast Rice with Botanical and Nutritional Compounds to Modulate Lipid Metabolism

Research Review Paper: Omega Fatty Acids Influence on Cardiovascular Health, Immune Response, Cognitive Function, and Skeletal Health

References:

1. Huff T, Boyd B, Jialal I. Physiology, Cholesterol. [Updated 2022 Mar 9]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470561/
2. Yi, SW., Yi, JJ. & Ohrr, H. Total cholesterol and all-cause mortality by sex and age: a prospective cohort study among 12.8 million adults. Sci Rep 9, 1596 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-38461-y
3. Cholesterol Treatment Trialists Collaboration, Baigent, C. et al. Efficacy and safety of more intensive lowering of LDL cholesterol: a meta-analysis of data from 170,000 participants in 26 randomised trials. Lancet 376, 1670–81 (2010).

Note: This webinar is intended for healthcare practitioners.