The good HDL cholesterol, already known to help protect against heart disease, might also reduce your risk of cancer. A new metaanalysis of 24 randomized controlled trials finds that cancer risk dropped 36% for every 10 mg/dl higher increment of HDL cholesterol.Richard H. Karas, MD, PhD, of Tufts Medical Centers Molecular Cardiology Research Institute, and colleagues examined data on studies totaling 76,265 intervention-group patients and 69,478 controls over an average period of five years. The relationship between higher HDL and lower cancer incidence not only persisted but became even stronger after adjusting for demographics and other risk factors.Its not clear how HDL cholesterol might combat cancer. Dr. Karas suggested that HDL might have antiinflammatory and antioxidant effects that could reduce cancer risk. Or HDL could help the bodys immune system search out and destroy abnormal cells with the potential of growing into tumors.
| Eating to Boost Cholesterol- the Good Kind Its all too easy to raise your LDL (bad) cholesterol levels by unhealthy dietary choices, especially by picking foods high in saturated fat and trans fat. But can the right food choices help increase healthy HDL cholesterol levels?Results from an Australian study recently published in the Journal of Nutrition showed that increased consumption of omega-3 fatty acids and fish was associated with moderate increases in HDL. For every 1% increase in omega-3 intake, HDL levels rose by about 2.5 mg/dL.Non-fish sources of omega-3s include flaxseed, walnuts, soy foods and green leafy vegetables. Keep in mind, though, that the body must convert these shorter omega-3s into the complex forms found in fish. Since the efficiency of conversion is very low, the best approach is to consume fish (also a healthy replacement for foods high in saturated fat).Drinking alcoholic beverages has been associated with modestly higher HDL levels, but only in moderation. |
But Dr. Karas and colleagues, writing in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, were quick to caution that their research cant prove cause and effect. It could be that low HDL may simply be a marker for lesshealthy lifestyles linked to cancer risk.In an accompanying editorial, Jennifer G. Robinson, MD, MPH, of the University of Iowa noted that some evidence does suggest HDL cholesterol prevents cancer. But she argued that its likely low HDL levels are actually an indicator of higher risk of chronic diseases that increase inflammation and insulin resistance, which in turn encourage tumor formation. In any case, Dr. Robinson added, healthy lifestyle changes designed to raise HDL levels can also reduce the risk of chronic conditions associated with aging and the risk of cancer.In addition to eating right (see box, previous page), you can boost HDL cholesterol levels by exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight and not smoking. The most effective drug for HDL is highdose niacin, but Dr. Karas cautioned that its premature to interpret the study as a recommendation to prescribe niacin for cancer prevention, although the idea is worthy of further research.
| High-density lipoprotein, or HDL, gets labeled good cholesterol because it carries cholesterol from tissues to the liver, which removes it from the body. The bad cholesterol is low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, which carries cholesterol to tissues. |
The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) says that optimum HDL cholesterol levels for heart health are at least 60 mg/dL. Really, Dr. Karas said, the higher, the better.TO LEARN MORE: Journal of the American College of Cardiology, June 22, 2010; abstract at content.onlinejacc. org/cgi/content/abstract/55/25/2846