@wondering 1450 wrote:

As mentioned in previous post, my mother has suffered from significant memory loss and cognitive decline since her last surgery. While I attribute this primarily to the anesthesia or something else from the surgery, I am intrigued by her latest CHOL numbers and her use of Lipitor as prescribed by her Dr.
This Dr. seems to think it is necessary due to diabetic or pre-diabetic condition. I question this as well.

She is also seeing a holistic Dr. of mine who has told her in the past that she doesn’t need to be on Lipitor. She will be seeing this Dr. soon and I noticed that this Dr. has included a fasting glucose test as well.

Anyways, here’s my mom’s latest CHOL numbers.. seems like it is being driven too low and I wonder if an increase would help mind function or at least stem some decline.

Total 127
HDL 51
Triglycerides 136
LDL 49

HbA1c 6.1
MA 14.7

Whenever someone prescribes a statin (such as Lipitor, Zocor, Crestor, etc.), it is highly important to consider brain function before and during treatment.

The Statins are useful medications.

• They potently reduce cholesterol – which with inflammation contributes to atheroclerosis – which leads to a stroke or heart attack.
• They help reduce triglycerides – which contribute to diabetes when in excess.
• They are potent antiinflammatory agents.
• They can help reverse atherosclerotic changes when used in high doses.

The biggest problem I see is that half of the brain is cholesterol (by dry weight). The brain has to make cholesterol to function. Cholesterol is needed for memory, attention, signal processing speed. It makes up most of the myelin sheaths that insulate nerves and give the brain its structure. I most commonly see normally low cholesterol levels in … mentally retarded patients. Thus, one can see what problems impairing cholesterol production can do to the brain.

Cholesterol is also the building block for the steroid hormones – cortisol, estradiol, testosterone, progesterone, DHEA, aldosterone, etc. One of the major roles of liver is as a signal processing device – for hormones, as opposed to neurotransmiiters. In this role, the liver monitors hormonal status and makes cholesterol from sugar when there is a deficit in steroid hormone production. Thus, high cholesterol (outside of inherited hypercholesterolemia) often indicates the presence of a hormonal deficit. When this liver function is interrupted by a statin significantly (e.g. often when cholesterol falls below 140), then steroid hormone production is impaired. Since these hormones are active in controlling mental functioning, behavioral problems can result in addition to problems with physical health.

There are other ways to reduce cholesterol, reduce triglycerides, reduce inflammation, reduce insulin resistance in order to improve health and mental function. I would consider these options in addition to statin treatment to see what is the best way to proceed.

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Interestingly, from a nutritional point of view, from large studies, people who have the most animal sources of saturated fat and cholesterol in their diet tend to have the lowest cholesterol and the lowest risk for heart attacks. This was called the “French Paradox”. It is food for thought.

Dr M could low cholesterol be a genetic expression of HMG COA reductase enyzme. I have had sub 140 cholesterol all my life even as a kid. NO matter how much cholesterol based foods i eat I never can budge my cholestterol. Actually my cholesterol was higher when my thyroid was basically non functoning. Should we worry about low cholesterol because I can supplement with sonic cholesterol which may help alot of my healing issues. My hormones are completely balance except e2 and may be its metabolites then I am good. I have eaten 8 whole organic eggs a day for 4 months straight with organic red meat, and tons od EVCCO and GHee or natural butter and it still did not budge. My diet is extremely low in processed sugar and moderate in good fats in the right ratios. Could my diet of low ot moderate carbs be an issue or could there be hidden inflammation with in the gut which could be depleting my cholesterol levels. I have read that low phosphodiatal choline can also cause these levels as well.