Cholesterol improves memory and learning
Well, here’s something new to me: The idea that cholesterol is important in brain function. I’m reluctant to follow the many current dietary trends, from low carb to high carb to palaeolithic, because I don’t think all the results are in.
Does low cholesterol cause cognitive impairment? Part I is an in-depth article by Peter Attia that gives some insight into why obliterating cholesterol from your body may not be the most well-thought-out plan.
If you want the summary, the main teaching point is that the blood-brain barrier ensures that the brain regulates its cholesterol separately from the rest of the body. Cholesterol performs many critical functions, and its regulation is controlled by the body, not by consuming cholesterol through the diet.
It’s biology 101 that cholesterol is part of the basic cell wall and thus is a key structural element of the body. The concept that it’s involved in more than just structure is no surprise.
It’s interesting to me to note the implications of this study. As I said at the start, I’m not convinced by the claims of any dietary approach because I feel no approach is without its side effects. I feel that well-adapted lifestyles find ways to deal with the side effects to ensure the whole functions properly and is free from disease. If cholesterol is required to support brain function and repair. Then, it seems logical that when a lot of brain repair is required, there would be a lot in the blood; thus, the person would show high cholesterol levels. Yet, this may not indicate a cause of the problem; rather, it may represent the solution.
Cholesterol levels would be raised even higher if other areas of the body also required cholesterol to help their daily functioning. This seems plausible given the role it plays in various parts of the body http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cholesterol#Synthesis_and_intake.
Overall, I’ve come to the view that many of the diseases of Westernisation may be caused by the mind and body not being given sufficient resources or time to recover from daily stresses and that many of the indicators we currently use for disease reflect the body’s response to this stressed situation, where repair and recuperation are desperately needed.
I don’t know how long that view will survive, but it’s fascinating that it seems to fit like a glove everywhere I look.
Edit 6th June 2024
The original referenced articles on cholesterol were replaced because they no longer existed. The article was slightly reworded to reflect the main focus on the need to understand cholesterol and its role in our bodies before arbitrarily changing our diets.
I always told that there are two types of cholesterol, LDL (bad) and HDL (good). It is said that LDL is linked to the various heart diseases and the HDL helps to remove excess cholesterol from circulation. To me they both have a purpose, and the LDL is only "bad" when they are at a high level. Could the HDL have more benefits than just removing excess LDL?
Good question. What I've found is that cholesterol has far more roles in the body than just clearing up fat. And that LDLs and HDL aren't actually cholesterol. I was always taught that they were but http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cholesterol implies it's not. LDLs and HDL carry cholesterol instead.
Since cholesterol is involved in healing the body, for example it's a part of every cell wall. I also wonder whether its link to heart disease reflects its attempt to fix blood vessels. Much like saying ambulances are the cause of accidents because they're always found later on at the scene.