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There is a considerable amount of controversy surrounding the issue of saturated fat, cholesterol, and heart disease these days. Certainly, it seems that cholesterol on its own is a lousy predictor of heart disease.
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And, just to add to this confusing mix, a new study published in the journal Annals of Neurology suggests that cholesterol has little or no causative role to play in the development of ischaemic stroke.
Conventional advice states that one of the risk factors for ischemic stroke (when blood supply to the brain is blocked by the build-up of fatty deposits in blood vessels), is high cholesterol levels.
Study Details
14,000 men and women were followed for more than 30 years. Researchers looked at the relationship between cholesterol levels and risk of ischaemic stroke. They found no relationship at all in women, and no increased risk of stroke in men, unless cholesterol levels were raised 9.0 mmol/l (348 mg/dl), or more.
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Triglycerides Levels and Stroke Risk
The researchers also examined the relationship between triglyceride levels and stroke risk, and they discovered that when triglyceride levels were higher the risk of stroke was higher, too.
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So, it seems stroke is more closely associated with triglyceride than cholesterol, but whether higher levels actually cause stroke is unknown yet.
Interestingly, previous evidence has linked triglycerides with increased risk of heart disease and stroke. Researchers concluded that,
Lowering both lipids provides more benefit than reducing LDL-C alone. Source
So, how can you lower your triglyceride levels?
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Be more active.
- Avoid a high carbohydrate intake, especially simple sugars.
- Limit your alcohol intake.
- Quit smoking.
Government guidelines recommend a diet lower in fat and higher in carbohydrates, but if avoiding a high carbohydrate intake is beneficial for triglycerides levels, perhaps conventional nutrition advice needs a revamp -- what do you think?
