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A Few Good Words About Cholesterol

Three months ago, I shocked the free world with this ground-breaking post about the benefits of saturated fat. (Or, more accurately, I possibly amused a few hundred readers by linking to someone else's well-researched magazine article on that subject.)

Now here's a companion post -- the surprising benefits of high cholesterol:

Researchers at Texas A&M University have discovered that lower cholesterol levels can actually reduce muscle gain with exercising. ...

The team studied 55 men and women, ages 60-69, who were healthy non-smokers and were able to perform exercise testing and training.

Three days a week for 12 weeks, participants performed several exercises, including stretching, stationary bike riding and vigorous weight lifting. Those who had to miss one or more sessions all conducted make-up sessions so that by the study's end, the entire group had engaged in uniform activities. Also, all participants consumed similar meals.

At the conclusion of the study, the researchers found that there was a significant association of dietary cholesterol and change in strength. In general, those with higher cholesterol intake also had the highest muscle strength gain.

Cholesterol circulating in the blood also appeared to have contributed to greater muscle gain in the participants, Riechman said.

When I describe these results as "surprising," I don't mean surprising to me personally. Since cholesterol is the building block of testosterone and your other steroid hormones, and since cholesterol is found in the greatest concentrations in your muscles, liver, and brain, I've assumed it played an important role in building strength and muscle mass. (Not to mention its role in safeguarding your brain and preventing dementia.)

But this part did catch me by surprise:

"As you exercise, your muscles can become sore because they are rebuilding muscle mass. More cholesterol may result in a more robust inflammatory response. We know that inflammation in some areas, such as near the heart, is not good, but for building muscles it may be beneficial, and cholesterol appears to aid in this process."

Riechman said that subjects who were taking cholesterol-lowering drugs while participating in the study showed lower muscle gain totals than those who were not.

Have you had your eggs today?

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Cholesterol
Have borderline high cholesterol myself - have chosen not to take meds at this point and treat naturally. At 55, I can put on muscle quite easily - better than I was able to when younger - now I know why !

by edward730 on Jan 10, 2008 2:30 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

Are you saying...
that the medical profession not only may have gotten it wrong about the type of diet one should consume if one is heading toward type 2 diabetes, they may have it wrong about the role of cholesterol?

I wonder what big pharma  will have to say about this latest research.

by RobertRainey on Jan 10, 2008 5:57 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

Wel, for starters ...
... how about a cholesterol-RAISING drug marketed to bodybuilders?

by Lou Schuler on Jan 11, 2008 7:32 AM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Statin drugs actually increase muscle hypertrophy
Here is the primary source for this research. The same researcher also published an article about statin drugs and muscular hypertrophy:

Riechman SE. Dietary Cholesterol Alters Recovery from Eccentric Muscle Damage in Humans. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise: Volume 38(5) Supplement May 2006 p S386

Riechman SE. Dietary and blood cholesterol and statins increase hypertrophy with resistance training. FASEB J. 2005 19 A1571

One of my writers applied this research to the goals of bodybuilders:

http://www.mesomorphosis.com/articles/dharkam/cholesterol-and-muscle-growth.htm

by steroidmedia on Jan 15, 2008 8:15 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

cholesterol and health
But keep in mind, just because it is optimal for muscular hypertrophy or athletic performance doesn't mean it is optimal for health. In fact, I think an argument can be made that if it is optimal for performance it is NOT optimal for health.

by steroidmedia on Jan 15, 2008 8:19 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

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