Your Brain Needs Cholesterol
Cholesterol is vitally important for brain function. While your brain represents about 2-3 percent of your total body weight, 25 percent of the cholesterol in your body is found in your brain.
It plays important roles in such things as membrane function, acts as an antioxidant, and serves as the raw material from which we are able to make things like progesterone, estrogen, cortisol, testosterone and even vitamin D.
In fact, in a recent study available on the NIH Public Access site, researchers showed that in the elderly, the best memory function was observed in those with the highest levels of cholesterol.
Low cholesterol is associated with an increased risk for depression and even death.
This understanding of the important role of cholesterol in brain function raises concern as we now see changes in recommendations for prescribing statin medication.
Some estimates indicate that moving forward, the number of individuals taking statins to lower cholesterol in America may actually double!
This presents a worrisome proposition for brain health.
See more here: drperlmutter.com
Header image: Sunrise Hospital
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Tom O
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Interesting reading. I wasn’t aware that the production of vitamin D in the body could be affected by cholesterol levels, but I have always wondered why the mad push towards lower cholesterol levels. Yes, it certainly can plate over the surface of blood vessels as the body calls for it to heal surface damage. I knew it was used in the brain and for rebuilding muscle damage and have often wondered why cholesterol was reduced form 240 to 180 since it was used in the body and produced by the liver. This reduction, along with “don’t go out in the Sun or you’ll get skin cancer” certainly has set us up well for a “low vitamin D pandemic,” which probably is a good part of the cause behind our mysterious friend called “covid.”
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Andrew Pilkington
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Many thanks.
They have me on Fenofibrate and Ezetimibe, to control Cholesterol levels. Permanently, it seems?
A Specialist NHS Doctor explained to me that I don’t need a new blood test, because my last, many years ago, tells him that I have High Cholesterol and that, there would be little or no difference despite, at that time, just being on Ezetimibe. So he put me on Fenofibrate, too.
He said that the Cholesterol problem is a result of my “SPG31”, but I have doubts?
I am on Tizanidine, for my “SPG31” and I am supposed to have a Liver Function test every 6 months. Over the years I’ve maybe had 2 tests? But, the Liver produces Cholesterol, does it not and I have a Cholesterol problem, so it seems to me that, without the Tizanidine, I shouldn’t need the other 2?
Don’t panic, I’m not daft enough to go crazy and Cold Turkey on anything 🙂
Great article.
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Doug Harrison
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Andrew; In my opinion (for what it’s worth) you would be far from daft to drop all of the medicines mentioned. I did and keep pretty well for an 86 yr old.
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Howdy
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The article mentions Estrogen. from what I’ve seen, this is also of a concern, particularly in aging men.
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Tom
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There is no contesting that big pharma wants every person on the planet taking numerous drugs from the age of 6 months until death. The cholesterol causes heartattacks
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