Refined carbohydrates and sugar increase levels of small dense LDL
If you have a high LDL-C level, your provider is likely to tell you to eat a low-fat diet. Similar to statins, while your LDL will go down, itās only affecting the large buoyant LDL and not the small dense LDL, which is the actual problem. In fact, small dense LDL rises because they are responsive to dietary refined carbohydrate (i.e., fiberless food) and especially sugar consumption, which is what is substituted in lieu of the dietary fat.
One of the most compelling arguments against LDL-C as the primary target of heart disease prevention or treatment is the Lyon Diet Heart Study. The adoption of a Mediterranean diet for secondary prevention (after youāve already had a heart attack) reduced the risk for recurrence. Itās clear that eating a diet devoid of processed food delivered far more impressive results when compared with statinsāwithout the side effects and at a much lower cost. And this diet is decidedly not low-fat.
References
- Lustig, Robert. (2021). Metabolical Chapter 2. āModern Medicineā Treats Symptoms, Not Disease (p. 50). New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers.
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Type:š“ Tags: Biology / Medicine / Nutrition Status:āļø