Alzheimer's and Oxidized Cholesterol

I have mentioned many times that oxidized cholesterol is 500 times more atherogenic or promotional of blocked arteries than non-oxidized cholesterol. Recently, researchers have begun to note that oxidation of cholesterol and other fats in the brain is associated with the development of Alzheimer's disease. A study by Testa concludes, "these results strongly support the association between changes in oxysterol levels and AD progression." Research by Marwarha suggests that oxidized cholesterol also plays a role in the development of Parkinson's disease. Measuring oxidation products in the spinal fluid can ever serve as a marker for the development of Alzheimer's and impairment of brain function.

Non oxidized cholesterol does not appear to cross the blood-brain barrier, but oxidized cholesterol can. It then can promote inflammation of the nerves and brain cells that leads to brain deterioration. Oxidized fats are hard on the brain and can lead to death of brain cells.

Oxidized cholesterol can enter the body through a diet high in oxidized fats. The cholesterol within the body can also oxidize, particularly if the diet is deficient in fat and water soluble antioxidants. Key fat soluble antioxidants include carotenoids, CoQ10, and vitamin E. Research on the NeoLife Carotenoid Complex suggested that it significantly reduced fat oxidation in the blood when levels were high due to poor diet. Water soluble antioxidants like vitamin C, tea, and berries can also reduce the risk of auto-oxidation of fats in the brain.

Sources of oxidized fats in the diet include highly heated fats in fast food, powdered eggs and aged cheeses.

References:

Testa G, et al. Changes in brain oxysterols at different stages of Alzheimer's disease: Their involvement in neuroinflammation. Redox Biol. 2016 Dec;10:24-33. doi: 10.1016/j.redox.2016.09.001. Epub 2016 Sep 16. PMID: 27687218; PMCID: PMC5040635.

Marwarha G, Ghribi O. Does the oxysterol 27-hydroxycholesterol underlie Alzheimer's disease-Parkinson's disease overlap? Exp Gerontol. 2015 Aug;68:13-8. doi: 10.1016/j.exger.2014.09.013. Epub 2014 Sep 28. PMID: 25261765; PMCID: PMC4377123.

Wang HL, et al. Cholesterol, 24-Hydroxycholesterol, and 27-Hydroxycholesterol as Surrogate Biomarkers in Cerebrospinal Fluid in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer's Disease: A Meta-Analysis. J Alzheimers Dis. 2016;51(1):45-55. doi: 10.3233/JAD-150734. PMID: 26836015; PMCID: PMC6110663.

Gamba P, et al. Oxidized cholesterol as the driving force behind the development of Alzheimer's disease. Front Aging Neurosci. 2015 Jun 19;7:119. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2015.00119. PMID: 26150787; PMCID: PMC4473000.

Thoughts on Cholesterol

 One of the most frequent questions I am asked is about cholesterol. Those on a healthy diet rarely have elevated cholesterol--but there is the rub. Healthy diets are rare in the United States. An illustration is the problem of the chicken. One hundred years ago a serving of chicken provided less than 2 grams or 16 calories of fat. Today a single serving of chicken provides 23 grams or 200 calories of fat. Chickens today are giants compared to what they were 100 years ago. They are obese giants. They are so fat they can hardly move even if they wanted to.

Cholesterol is only found in animals. The plant comparison is phytosterols or plant fats which actually inhibit the absorption of animal fats and help to reduce cholesterol levels. These plant fats have been shown in some instances to be as effective or more effective than statin drugs at lowering cholesterol even though physicians rarely recommend a plant based diet to lower cholesterol. Doctors assume patients simply won't switch to a plant based diet.

If cholesterol is elevated reducing intake of animal fat will almost always reduce cholesterol levels. If cholesterol levels are too low the body has a very efficient mechanism for synthesizing cholesterol to preserve healthy cells and brain function. This natural regulation is far better than relying on a high intake of obese animal fats to obtain cholesterol. If animal products are being consumed one should look for the lowest fat possible.

A high fiber, plant based low fat diet is the most effective way of keeping cholesterol within reasonable bounds and preventing heart disease and other diseases associated with overloading the body with animal fats.

Cholesterol becomes particularly harmful when it is oxidized in either the food we eat or in the body. In 1976 a study was conducted feeding rabbits oxidized cholesterol or unoxidized cholesterol. Lesions of the arteries of the rabbits were found after only 7 weeks of exposure to oxidized cholesterol while none were found in the animals given cholesterol that had not been oxidized.In 1979 researchers evaluating cholesterol research suggested that "oxidized cholesterol is 500 times more damaging than pure cholesterol.

Oxidized cholesterol can come from foods (aged meats, powdered eggs, processed dairy products, Ghee, fried foods, etc) or the cholesterol can be oxidized within the body spontaneously. Plant foods are high in antioxidants and can help prevent spontaneous oxidation of fats within the body. The study of NeoLife Carotenoid Complex found that these fat soluble antioxidants dramatically reduced the oxidation of cholesterol in the blood.

References:

Smith, Ronald S., Nutrition, Hypertension & Cardiovascular Disease, Second Edition, Portland, Or: Lyncean Press, 1989, pp14-15.

https://juliecoffey.com/does-chicken-make-you-fat/

Pictures of how chickens have gotten fatter!