SPRINGER: Fitness: Monitor cholesterol levels

In 1990, a groundbreaking research study was launched to study cholesterol. More than 6,000 troops and civilians at a Texas Air Force base volunteered for the study; most had either "desirable" or "borderline" levels of cholesterol and were apparently heart-healthy.

One group was given a placebo drug while the study group was administered a cholesterol-lowering drug known as statins. Intended to span 10 years, the study was stopped in 1997. The reason: the group receiving the statins was enjoying a 40 percent lower incidence of heart attacks. It would be unfair to share this drug with the control group and the world.

This study is one of many that will challenge the old methods of treating high cholesterol. Previously, if you were diagnosed with high cholesterol, your doctor recommended less fat and more exercise.

Today, the word cholesterol has become almost meaningless. Today, "cardiologists want to know not only how much harmful LDL and protective HDL you have, but also your levels or ever-expanding subfraction of a subfraction" writes author Jim Thornton.

Subfractions refers to the other variables that are measured when looking at a persons cholesterol.

Fibrinogen is a protein that fosters clots. People with high levels also tend to have too much of a particularly harmful type of LDL. Ipoprotein (HDL) is commonly called "good cholesterol" and helps clean out the arteries by driving cholesterol back to the liver, where it can be allocated for a productive use.

Homocysteine is an amino acid thought to degrade the inner lining of arteries. Finally, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP) in elevated levels is often a sign of the low-grade inflammation associated with heart disease.

Although there are many groundbreaking drugs available for those with high cholesterol, exercise and diet should also play a part in health management.

Those that start an exercise program often experience significant increases in protective HDL and drops in two important lipid subcategories: very low-density lipoproteins (VLDLs) and triglycerides.

In years past, aerobic exercise was seen as the method to promote lowering cholesterol but research shows that strength training can also provide significant benefits.

Nutrition researchers agree: it's a lot more difficult to eliminate favorite items from your diet than to add foods that are good for you. Soluble fiber -- plentiful in oat bran, melons, and supplements -- is an easy LDL reducer to swallow. It works by binding with bile in your intestines and ushering it out of your body. Since bile is made from cholesterol, the more bile you expel, the more cholesterol you need to siphon out of your bloodstream to replace it.

Other cholesterol-lowering food choices include: nuts, cold-water fish, soy protein and chocolate. Chocolate? Food scientists continue to uncover new evidence of "miracle cures" that lurk in ordinary grocery-store choices. Flavonoid antioxidants, found in dark chocolate may help retard the buildup of plaque on artery walls. Of course, eat this treat in moderation.


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