Fructose Intake = Higher Cholesterol Levels?

[tikitavi]

I've always had quite high cholesterol levels, in the "borderline" range or even higher, despite having low blood pressure, doing plenty of exercise, and maintaining a low weight and bodyfat. I even had high cholesterol levels the whole time I was vegan, which confused me, since I was intaking zero dietary cholesterol and saturated fats.

But, I'm starting to have a theory!

Is fructose intake tied to higher blood cholesterol levels? Especially for those of us who shouldn't have fructose?

I came across this article today which quotes a study that said exactly that: fructose intake DOES increase blood cholesterol levels:

high-fat-nutrition.blogspot.com/2009/03/fructose-glucose-and-cholesterol.html

A fructose intake of 12% of your calories makes your metabolism unhappy enough that it has evolved a technique to increase cholesterol levels under these rather rare (until recent times) conditions. It probably has knock on effects through hepatic insulin resistance resulting in hyperglycaemia and all of the damage that this leads to....

Under highly defined conditions, fructose raises your total cholesterol level.

I am curious enough that I've decided to order a home cholesterol test so I can see if my normally high levels might be lower now that I'm avoiding all fructose and sucrose. I'll share my findings when I get them!

[tikitavi]

Here's another study saying the same thing:

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110728082558.htm
"They found that within two weeks, study participants consuming fructose or high fructose corn syrup, but not glucose, exhibited increased concentrations of LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and apolipoprotein-B (a protein which can lead to plaques that cause vascular disease)."

And another seems to say that fructose intake is tied to the more risky, "small dense" lipid particle size:
www.ajcn.org/content/86/4/1174.short
"After control for adiposity, the only dietary factor that was a significant predictor of LDL particle size was total fructose intake (P = 0.024). "

[esmee]

Hi tikitavi--

YES! too much fructose DOES cause high LDL and low HDL in genetically suceptible people. It also causes high blood pressure, high triglycerides, insulin resistence, obesity, and gout. It is THE primary reason 1/3 of our society is now obese, and another 1/3 are overweight.

According to Dr. Frank Lyons and Dr. Richard Johnson, most people can only handle about 15-30 gms of fructose on a daily basis without over taxing the liver and initiating metabolic disarray even for people who metabolise fructose normally. See their books:

Fructose Exposed
www.amazon.com/FRUCTOSE-EXPOSED-M-D-Frank-Lyons/dp/161215025X

The Sugar Fix
www.amazon.com/Sugar-Fix-High-Fructose-Fallout-Making/dp/B0068EOT7C/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1327172553&sr=1-1

Both of these book are excellent in their own way and should both be read by everyone in my opinion.

I have discussed this in more detail here:
docs.google.com/document/d/1yxI9yxYEpDolB1X9JVxOObb_FCRfmj-u1SCiZ7O01j4/edit?hl=en_US#

I also posted the above link in this same "Links" section of this forum here:
docs.google.com/document/d/1yxI9yxYEpDolB1X9JVxOObb_FCRfmj-u1SCiZ7O01j4/edit?hl=en_US#

After my mother had been on a raw fruit-based diet for a year, she had her blood chemistries done, and the results were truly frightening. Her HDL was only 14, LDL 145, total cholesterol 189, triglycerides 179, and all three of her liver enzymes were elevated with GGT 210, ASAT 91, and ALAT 106.

gretchen and laurak, who are both members of this forum, had very similar experiences on a raw fruit-based diet.

[gretchen]

I saw my TG and LDL go up significantly from eating a high-fruit diet compared to eating a starch-based diet. My TG had always been fairly low, and eating fruit they went up to 125 (still considered normal since they were under 150, but high for me.)

I do tend towards high cholesterol. I think it runs in my family. My brother's was almost 400 until his doctor put him on the maximum dose of lipitor. My total cholesterol was 300 eating a diet rich in animal products, 250 eating a fruit-based diet, and 174 eating a starch-based diet, and my LDL followed a similar path to the TC.

[ukbill]

I eat what Nutritionists would consider a "suicidal" diet of high animal fats, Red meat, Cheese, Butter, Milk and fried food, with NO vegetables or Fruit at all.

My Cholesterol levels are just on the edge of high.

I have tried eating "Statins" which are supposed to lower Cholesterol but all they did was make me feel very "odd" weak and feeling on the edge of Hypoglycaemia and not at all well for a few days after eating them.

Despite my cholesterol level my Blood pressure is correct (for a 25 year old) and generally my health is very good I hardly ever have a cold or illness of any kind.

My father had very high cholesterol levels and died of heart failure aged 56. The only difference between us is he ate a "healthy" diet but did smoke and like a pint of beer or two a night (with a cigarette).

Dr Lustigs video shows how HDL is created in volume from the breakdown of Fructose.

I think that's what is causing the major problem with the worlds obesity and Hypertension problems, not animal fats or fat in general.

[tikitavi]

Very interesting! Thanks for all of your input, everyone! I agree, UKBill, I don't think good, ethically raised animal fats are a problem in moderation.

I will be curious what my cholesterol results will be!

[esmee]

Wow, ukbill, I did not realize you were so young! I had imagined you already in middle age, lol...you have a lot of wisdom ( from hard experience I am sure) for your age. How old were you when you found out you had HFI?

So, you eat mushrooms, but no spinach or celery or other very low fructose vegetables, is that correct? I really cannot imagine living without anything green...but obviously it is possible.

I do not think, and never have thought, that animal foods are the main cause of our health problems. The real fproblem was pointed out by the English physician Dr. John Yudkin back in the first part of the last century.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Yudkin

He said it was SUGAR, SUGAR, and more SUGAR.

However, I also believe, based on what I have read, that the types of fats in the animal products we are eating today is vastly different than what is present in grass-fed animals. Too much saturated fat, too much omega 6 fat, and not enough omega 3 fat is a BIG problem. Hunter-gatherers do not die of heart disease or type II diabetes or any other chrionic illnesses for that matter, and they do eat quite a bit of animal foods.

Sugar plus the wrong kinds of fats is turning out to be quite lethal.

So, if you do include animal product in your diet, it is best to choose those that have been raised on grass and grass alone. Some are pasture fed for 80% of their lives and then fattened on corn for the last 4 months before slaughter, which defeats the whole purpose.

And make sure you include a source of omega 3 on a regular basis and take a multivitamin/mineral to make sure you get all your basics.

[ukbill]

Only Young on the inside.. the outside sorry to say is getting a little crusty around the edges.

I am not getting OLD just showing signs of extended living!

Take Sugar add Fat add Hydrogenated fat (to stop it melting) add Salt = chocolate

Result= High Cholesterol, High blood pressure etc..

All the masses of additives "normals" eat every day.. Preservatives, Hydrogenated Fats, Anti-fungicides, emulsifiers, colours, artificial flavourings etc etc etc..

I am really happy with my "alternatively" Healthy Diet thank you

In 25 years time I hope parents who feed their children sweets and chocolates, like they do today, will be treated like they would be if they let them smoke 10 cigarettes a day from the age of 10 (as they did 35 years ago!)

And still do in some of the more dysfunctional families.

To be honest the cigarettes might be less harmful!

However obesity and cigarettes = early death in anyone's book.

[esmee]

ukbill--

Did I miss understand your previous post. I thought you said you were 25? What is you age now, and how old were you when you were officially diagnosed with HFI?

[charlie]

Bill is dyslexic!!!!! I think if you reverse the numbers you get a more truthful answer. After I met Bill I did let on that I expected a beard and corderoy trousers!!!!!

[esmee]

Thanks, charlie. That is funny!

[ukbill]

no beard and corduroy trousers only for long hill walks.. honest!

I do have some Jesus sandals for going to Folk music festivals though they are far more practical and feet dry quicker without socks.. (spilt beer OK??? they are not that sort of festival)

My 1970's cheese cloth shirt, Pink Floyd concert tee shirt and flared bell bottom jeans have sadly have long since gone to the heaven of all old cloths.. my oily ragbag. (for working on my cars / motorbikes.)

To be honest, as I am always when not joking, My next birthday I will be 56..

I was diagnosed in 1981 and I am not going to do the maths as to how long ago that was..

Yes I think that was before most of you lot were born!

PS Before you ask.. No I have never owned a pipe nor a flat cap (a type of hat) and I don't intend ever owning them. I do however have slippers.. there the guilty secret is out!

Enjoy

[tikitavi]

Haha, you're funny, UKBilll!

I got my home cholesterol test yesterday and sent it off. I'll post my results when I get them! It was hard to take the test, my blood was really thick and didn't want to "drop" onto the sample card! I had to use three lancets!

[esmee]

tikitavi--

if your blood is that thick, you might want to consider adding some omega 3 to your diet. nordic naturals has great products that have been molecularly distilled (to remove PCBs). most of their producs use essence of lemon, orange, etc. but they do make a plain one but the store might have to special order it for you. you could also include canned sardines or salmon if you like fish.

[tikitavi]

I think it was just thick because it was first thing in the morning and I was dehydrated from sleeping. Cronometer shows that I get very good amounts of omega 3, from pastured eggs and 100% grassfed dairy.

[tikitavi]

Well, unfortunately they had no results for me...it just said "Improper co". Oh well!

[ukbill]

Thick blood is a problem if your diet is not fully controlled..

Both Fred and I have suffered the same thing.

I now take 75mg Asprin every day to help this and also apparently it reduces the risk of Cancer by some 60% after taking it for two years (as yet reason unknown).. I like a double benefit

I must point out my diet is now more controlled than ever before since I came to understand that "tolerated" dose not mean safe!

[esmee]

The reason asprin works to prevent cancer is because it lowers the production of bad eicosanoids. however, it also lowers the production of good eicosanoids.

omega 3 fatty acids are a better choice because they also thin the blood and lowere the bad eicosanoids, but actually increase the production of good eicosanoids. see Dr. Barry Sears books The Zone and The Omega 3 Rx Zone.

[ukbill]

I eat fish 2 or 3 times a week so my omega 3 and eicosanoids should be fine.

I have taken Omega 3 fish oil before and all I got ( besides bad breath) was more spots (zits) and greasy hair. Tried the vegetarian option too. Just got more spots (zits) and greasy hair but less bad breath.

Not much hair left to get greasy now

Sticking to Asprin.

[tikitavi]

Yes, also 100% grassfed meats and free-range chicken eggs are good sources of omega 3's! Much safer than fish too, which always seems to be injected with "brines" or "natural flavors" which aren't necessarily on the label.

I found that my local pharmacy will be doing low-cost cholesterol tests this week! So I signed up for this Thursday. Hopefully it works this time! I'll be sure to drink plenty of water after waking. I'll share my results, if and when I get them!