[Gizmo]

Scientists have discovered a new form of ‘ultra-bad’ cholesterol that increases the risk of heart disease. It was found to be present in the elderly and type 2 diabetes sufferers. Metformin might help.

 

[fgummett]

Well it looks like an interesting line of investigation for using Metformin but I'm afraid the news article lost me with their infantile explanation...

The fatty material is stickier than the common form of ‘bad’ cholesterol, making it more likely to attach to artery walls.

Seriously?!? LDL and HDL are not even cholesterol but "Lipoproteins" which transport cholesterol around the body. And they do not "stick to the artery walls" but rather the plaques are found INSIDE the layers of the artery walls.

If they want to play this game with us, try explaining the logic: if cholesterol "sticks to artery walls" why does it ONLY stick to arteries, where the blood is under high pressure and moving at high speed; as opposed to veins (in which atherosclerosis never forms) where the blood is at lower pressure and moving more slowly -- does a fast moving river silt up faster than a slow moving stream?

:hippie:

 

[Shalynne]

Checked out the site, and I'm not impressed. A pop-up for Oscar Meyer hot dogs (!) kept obscuring my view, so it was hard to read. Despite my blocker, I could not close the pop-up.

Was also not impressed with the quality of the other article thumbnails or ads on the page. The article itself, however, was not awful.

I'd wondered if this was a ploy to put all Type 2s on statins/niacin regardless of their numbers. But metformin is the only med mentioned as a possible treatment, and tentatively at that. So far, nobody's written a "treatment plan" on paper, much less stone.

The real news is in the sidebar. Seems the U.S. government study on niacin/Niaspan revealed that, while niacin does increase HDL, it does not reduce the risk of heart attacks and stroke, nor the need for angioplasties. Officials have halted the study, 18 months ahead of schedule.

 

[Gizmo]

Sorry about the pop-up. This might be easier to read, and more accurate reporting. It is from U.S.News & World Report.

 

[fgummett]

Here is the Abstract of the study: Glycation of LDL by Methylglyoxal Increases Arterial Atherogenicity

To my reading it seems like another indictment of the small dense LDL -- which we already read are 300% higher risk than the large/buoyant LDL particles -- AND another motivation to strive for improved BG control... and possibly even further justification for a ketogenic diet.

Here is Wiki on Methylglyoxal...

Notably...

In organisms, methylglyoxal is formed as a side-product of several metabolic pathways. It may form from 3-amino acetone, which is an intermediate of threonine catabolism, as well as through lipid peroxidation. However, the most important source is glycolysis.

 

[Guest]

The Cholesterol Conspiracy Podcast by Ladd McNamara, M.D.

There will perhaps be newer (_funded_by_vampires_) research to find some excuse to spread the "scare" thereby sell newer patented cousins of Statins. Greed can really be pathetic. Are we really living a better "quality life" as compared to our grand parents? I don't think so. The conspiracy will continue as drug patents expire and they become generic (which means lower profits).

Bottom line still remains same ... reduce oxidative damage to body and make sure that cell walls are not DuPont controlled/friendly. Diet/lifestyle plays a big role.