35 years
Do saturated fat and dietary cholesterol increase the volume of small dense LDL particles?
Apr 13, 2015
If we go by the reported findings in a recent study, which consist of the following (with modifications):
"LDL is structurally heterogeneous, based on its size and density. Patients with combined hyperlipidemia exhibit a lipid profile — the so-called atherogenic lipoprotein phenotype — that is associated with elevated triglyceride levels, low levels of high density lipoprotein and a preponderance of atherogenic (which can cause atherosclerosis or formation of cholesterol plaques on the walls of arteries), small, dense LDL particles. Such individuals are at an increased risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) events, regardless of their total LDL circulating mass. Evidence suggests that when plasma triglycerides exceed a critical threshold of approximately 133 mg/dl, this favors the formation of small, dense LDL from larger, less dense species.", then the answer is surely No, since saturated fat and dietary cholesterol actually increase triglycerides. Mind you, the health hazard associated with lipid-carrying molecules is not related to their large size, but their density. So when comparing LDL (the bad cholesterol) to HDL (the good cholesterol), LDL is less dense because it has a higher content of cholesterol that it can easily shed onto arterial walls, whereas HDL particles are more dense due to their higher content of proteins, and they shuttle cholesterol away from the blood into the liver. Now small dense LDL particles are a special category of LDL that have been found to increase the risk of developing CA. In other words, it's not only the level of total LDL that matters, but also the quality of LDL. Having small dense LDL may be inherited in some cases; a certain lifestyle increases the likelihood of having small dense LDL as well: a sedentary lifestyle with a diet rich in trans fats and high on carbs.
"LDL is structurally heterogeneous, based on its size and density. Patients with combined hyperlipidemia exhibit a lipid profile — the so-called atherogenic lipoprotein phenotype — that is associated with elevated triglyceride levels, low levels of high density lipoprotein and a preponderance of atherogenic (which can cause atherosclerosis or formation of cholesterol plaques on the walls of arteries), small, dense LDL particles. Such individuals are at an increased risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) events, regardless of their total LDL circulating mass. Evidence suggests that when plasma triglycerides exceed a critical threshold of approximately 133 mg/dl, this favors the formation of small, dense LDL from larger, less dense species.", then the answer is surely No, since saturated fat and dietary cholesterol actually increase triglycerides. Mind you, the health hazard associated with lipid-carrying molecules is not related to their large size, but their density. So when comparing LDL (the bad cholesterol) to HDL (the good cholesterol), LDL is less dense because it has a higher content of cholesterol that it can easily shed onto arterial walls, whereas HDL particles are more dense due to their higher content of proteins, and they shuttle cholesterol away from the blood into the liver. Now small dense LDL particles are a special category of LDL that have been found to increase the risk of developing CA. In other words, it's not only the level of total LDL that matters, but also the quality of LDL. Having small dense LDL may be inherited in some cases; a certain lifestyle increases the likelihood of having small dense LDL as well: a sedentary lifestyle with a diet rich in trans fats and high on carbs.
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