Health & Wellness News From Byron J. Richards

Circulating Fat Blobs Predict Cardiovascular Disease

Thursday, July 31, 2008 - Byron J. Richards, CCN

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One year ago JAMA published a major breakthrough article explaining that nonfasting levels of triglycerides (fat blobs) was an independent and highly predictive indicator of true cardiovascular disease risk. In the past year these finding have been widely agreed upon but no easy lab test has been developed because no standard test meal has been devised so as to determine the true relevance of a nonfasting triglyceride score taken at a blood draw. Thus the medical world drags its feet on one of its most important discoveries in decades, in the face of an obesity epidemic, and fails to inform the nation of the simple steps required to lower nonfasting triglycerides to prevent heart disease.

This is not rocket science. Triglycerides are a combination of three fatty acids and a sugar molecule packed into a nice fat blob. This is the type of fat stored in your white adipose tissue. It also circulates in your blood and is either going to be broken down to be used as fuel when energy is needed or it is going to storage if you don’t need the calories (as in overweight issues). Every time you eat insulin rises and triglycerides are formed. When you haven’t eaten for 3-4 hours then insulin drops and triglycerides are broken down to be used as fuel.

If you eat a meal that is too large, if you snack between meals, or if you eat after dinner at night you will elevate your nonfasting triglycerides. If you do this on a regular basis then you will significantly increase your risk for cardiovascular disease, regardless of any other risk factor. If you do this and you have a collection of other cardiovascular disease risk factors you are really asking for trouble.

One problem with elevated nonfasting triglycerides is that they elevate leptin and induce leptin resistance. This problem alone causes you to eat too much because you don’t get a proper full signal, in turn provoking insulin resistance, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.

Another problem is that too many fat blobs in your circulation is like having too many Mack trucks on a highway, everything goes slower and more “push” is needed to keep things moving. This is a pure mechanical issue that raises your blood pressure and makes you more tired.

Yet another issue is that cholesterol fragments are elevated in association with nonfasting triglycerides, and a new study concludes that the Apolipoprotein B (ApoB) fraction of cholesterol is a clear indicator of this problem. ApoB is needed in health because it is part of LDL cholesterol (there is one per LDL), and it unlocks the door on cells so that LDL can deliver its fat soluble nutrients to cells. However, high levels of ApoB are reflective of an overall traffic jam (reflected by the high nonfasting triglycerides). This increases the risk that LDL can be damaged or that LDL will be taken up by scavenger macrophages and made into foam cells – on their way to plaque in your arteries.

You don’t need to wait for the medical profession to get its act together. Fasting triglycerides on a typical blood test are still important, just not as important as nonfasting triglycerides. To see if you have a problem compare your fasting triglycerides to your HDL cholesterol. Optimal health is a 2 to 1 ratio of fasting triglycerides to HDL. This is more important than any other cholesterol score on a basic lab chemistry, as far as predicting heart disease risk. This is because HDL clears LDL cholesterol and too many triglycerides get in the way of the clearance of LDL. If you don’t have enough HDL and/or you have too many triglycerides you are really stressing your cardiovascular system.

If you want you can get a more detailed cholesterol profile done and have your Apolipoprotein B measured, which is highly predictive of the extent of risk caused by the nonfasting triglyceride problem. This test costs extra, is currently available, but typically not ordered due to the cost – so ask for it if you are interested.

Of course, following the Leptin Diet is the key to correcting any nonfasting triglyceride problem you may have and is also the key to not getting the problem in the first place. Various nutrients can enhance how your body utilizes triglycerides, builds HDL, and the rate at which Apolipoprotein B is formed. Such nutrients work best when you are closely following the Leptin Diet and consistently exercising.

Related Entries: Whey Protein Enhances Fat Metabolism

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