Low-fat, low-cholesterol diets increase the risk of heart disease

This study was published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation 1990 Jan;85(1):144-51

 

Study title and authors:

A low-fat diet decreases high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels by decreasing HDL apolipoprotein transport rates.

Brinton EA, Eisenberg S, Breslow JL.

Laboratory of Biochemical Genetics and Metabolism, Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10021.

 

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2104877

Scientific evidence suggests that high levels of high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and apolipoproteins A-I may offer protection from heart disease, see here, here and here. Other studies reveal that high triglyceride levels are associated with heart disease see here and here.

This study compared the effects of a high-fat diet and a low-fat diet on heart disease risk factors. The study included 13 subjects who were kept on either a high-fat or low-fat diet for four weeks each.

The fat and cholesterol content of the diets comprised of:
(i) 41.9% fat of which 23.6% was saturated fat + 215 mg of cholesterol per 100 calories (high-fat diet).
(ii) 8.6% fat of which 2.1% was saturated fat + 40 mg of cholesterol per 100 calories (low-fat diet).

The study found:
(a) Those on the low-fat diet had 29% lower levels of high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol compared to those on the high-fat diet.
(b) Those on the low-fat diet had 23% lower levels of apolipoproteins A-I compared to those on the high-fat diet.
(c) Those on the low-fat diet had 32% higher levels of triglycerides compared to those on the high-fat diet.

The results from this study reveal that a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet increases the risk factors associated with heart disease compared to a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet.

High cholesterol levels predict higher survival rates in patients with acute coronary syndromes

This study was published in Clinical Cardiology 2009 Sep;32(9):E22-8

 

Study title and authors:

Hypercholesterolemia paradox in relation to mortality in acute coronary syndrome.

Wang TY, Newby LK, Chen AY, Mulgund J, Roe MT, Sonel AF, Bhatt DL, DeLong ER, Ohman EM, Gibler WB, Peterson ED.

Division of Cardiology, Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27705, USA. wang0085@mc.duke.edu

 

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19645040

This study investigated the association of cholesterol levels with in-hospital death rates in patients with acute coronary syndromes. (Acute coronary syndromes is an umbrella term for situations where the blood supplied to the heart muscle is suddenly blocked). The study included 84,429 patients with acute coronary syndromes and examined data regarding patients with (i) a history of existing high cholesterol and (ii) newly in-hospital diagnosed high cholesterol.

Patients were defined as the following:
(i) A history of existing high cholesterol was defined as more than 200 mg/dL (5.2 mmol/L) or treatment with cholesterol lowering drugs.
(ii) Newly in-hospital diagnosed high cholesterol was defined as low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels more than 100 mg/dL (2.6 mmol/L).

The study found:
(a) Patients with a history of existing high cholesterol had a 29% reduced death death rate compared to patients with a history of existing low cholesterol.
(b) Patients with no history of existing high cholesterol, but with newly in-hospital diagnosed high LDL cholesterol had a 14% reduced death death rate compared to patients with normal LDL cholesterol.

The data from the study reveals that high cholesterol levels predict higher survival rates in patients with acute coronary syndromes.

Higher cholesterol levels predict survival in heart transplant patients

This study was published in Cardiology 1998 Mar;89(3):184-8

 

Study title and authors:

Low serum cholesterol levels predict high perioperative mortality in patients supported by a left-ventricular assist system.

Richartz BM, Radovancevic B, Frazier OH, Vaughn WK, Taegtmeyer H.

St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, Texas Heart Institute, and Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas-Houston Medical School, 77030, USA.

 

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9570432

The study investigated the association of cholesterol levels with survival rates in 45 heart transplant patients.

The study found that cholesterol levels were 62.5% higher in heart transplant patients that survived compared to those that died.

Low consumption of animal protein, fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and red meat is associated with higher rates of heart disease

This study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1999 Aug;70(2):221-7

 

Study title and authors:

Dietary protein and risk of ischemic heart disease in women.

Hu FB, Stampfer MJ, Manson JE, Rimm E, Colditz GA, Speizer FE, Hennekens CH, Willett WC.

Departments of Nutrition and Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA. frank.hu@channing.harvard.edu

 

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10426698

The study examined the association between dietary protein intake and incidence of heart disease. The study included 80,082 women, aged 34-59 years, who were without a previous diagnosis of heart disease, stroke, cancer, hypercholesterolemia, or diabetes.

The study found:
(a) Women who consumed the most protein had a 26% reduced rate of heart disease compared to the women who consumed the least protein.
(a:i) Women who consumed the most protein also ate 7.8% more fat than women who consumed the least protein.
(a:ii) Women who consumed the most protein also ate 12.8% more saturated fat than women who consumed the least protein.
(a:iii) Women who consumed the most protein also ate 64.0% more cholesterol than women who consumed the least protein.
(a:iv) Women who consumed the most protein also ate 16.1% more red meat than women who consumed the least protein.
(a:v) Women who consumed the most protein also ate 32.1% less carbohydrate than women who consumed the least protein.
(b) Women who consumed the most animal protein had a 16% reduced rate of heart disease compared to the women who consumed the least animal protein.

The data from the study shows that low consumption of protein, fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and red meat is associated with higher rates of heart disease in women.

This subject is expanded on in my book Cholesterol and Saturated Fat Prevent Heart Disease: Evidence From 101 Scientific Papers