Vitamins ´increase cholesterol´

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Vitamins ´increase cholesterol´

Vitamins ´increase cholesterol´

May 04 - Vitamins could actually increase levels of " bad cholesterol " ,

researchers have suggested.

It had been thought that vitamins could protect the heart. But New

YorkUniversity researchers found vitamins including E, C and beta carotenestop

the liver

breaking down an early form of bad cholesterol.

The researchers say their findings mean they cannot recommend thatpeople use

the vitamins. The vitamins are antioxidants, thought to bebeneficial because

they attack free radicals, produced when the bodyfights infection, which

inflict damage on the body´s tissues.

But studies carried out by the researchers at the university´sschool of

medicine found that antioxidants actually hampered the body´sfight against

damaging

cholesterol.

Normally, liver cells break down a key protein in harmfullipoproteins such as

VLDL (very low density lipoprotein) which meansthey cannot be converted into

a form of LDL that can enter thebloodstream.

However, in laboratory tests, the New York researchers foundvitamin E, C and

beta carotene prevented this process taking place inliver cells. Further tests

in mice and rat livers showed vitamin Eprevented this " breakdown " process

taking place, meaning the liverdestroyed fewer lipoproteins.

Dr Fisher, director of the Lipid Treatment & ResearchCenter at the NYU

Medical Center, said: " Our study is the first todocument this association

between antioxidant vitamins and VLDLcholesterol.

" It does appear that antioxidant vitamins may be potentiallyharmful for the

heart based on their ability to increase the secretionof VLDL in the liver

cells and in the mice that we studied. "

But he added: " More studies are needed to back up our findings.Until more

data becomes available, we can´t make any recommendationsabout whether people

should not use these vitamins. "

However he said there was evidence from other animal studies thatantioxidants

could have beneficial effects on other parts of the body,such as protecting

the arteries from atherosclerosis and the pancreasand other organs from damage

caused by diabetes.

Dr Krauss of Children´s Hospital Oakland Research Institutein

California, added that, although there was " considerable " evidencefor the

benefits of

antioxidants, " the potential for unintendedoutcomes of oxidant therapy should

serve as a warning againstproceeding with such treatment in the absence of

clinical-trialevidence of benefit and safety " .

Belinda Linden, head of Medical Information at the British HeartFoundation

(BHF), told: " Most research tends to suggest thatsupplementation with

antioxidant vitamins, although not beneficial,does not lead to undue harm.

" Before any clear conclusions can be drawn from this study we wouldawait the

results of larger randomized controlled clinical trials. "

http://www.sunnetwork.org/news/science/science.asp?id=5172

[Guest guest]

What a crock of shit! I guess we should all stop eating!

Suzanne

Ohio