Did You Know That Cholesterol is a Necessary Part of Human Existence?
Some important facts: Cholesterol from the diet and cholesterol manufactured in the liver originates from many of the major hormones that fuel the human endocrine system.
Cholesterol is essential for the body’s production of pregnenolone, progesterone, cortisol, DHEA, testosterone, estrone, estradiol and estriol.
Most people when asked about cholesterol simply equate it to heart disease yet they don’t realize that cholesterol is actually vital for human life.
If the body is stressed and the adrenals are not working properly from undernutrition or physical exhaustion, the cholesterol levels will physiologically increase to attempt to manufacture more DHEA and cortisol (both adrenal hormones).
If the thyroid is under performing, then the cholesterol levels increase to compensate by making more of the other hormones.
If a woman has polycystic ovaries with an imbalance of testosterone over estrogen, the cholesterol increases.
If a man is low in testosterone or becomes diabetic, his cholesterol increases.
The main point is that high cholesterol is a sign that the body’s hormones are not in balance.
To treat the symptom (the high blood cholesterol), most physicians will resort to statin drugs to actually poison the liver’s ability to produce cholesterol….not only can this worsen hormone imbalances, but it can greatly increase the person’s risk of developing other more serious diseases.
Total cholesterol levels up to 300 were not considered important until there were pharmaceutical drugs available to lower the levels.
In my practice I will first and foremost treat the cause of the cholesterol as a problem of nutrition and a problem of hormone imbalance.