American cardiologists have called for to review approaches to the treatment of hypercholesterolemia - a disease in which cholesterol in patients is 2-4 times higher than normal. According to a new study, the culprit of a high level of "bad" cholesterol (LDL) in the body is not so much saturated fats, as it has been considered decades, but sugar.
Professor David Diamond, a cardiologist who investigated the impact of nutrition on patients with cardiovascular disease, obesity, hypertension and diabetes, stated this.
"In the last 80 years, patients have been advised to avoid saturated fats to reduce cholesterol. But we have found that sugar is a key risk factor. Hearts are much more harmful to foods that sharply increase blood sugar than, say, meat or butter," Diamond said.
According to scientists, patients at risk should reduce bread, potatoes, sweets, sweet drinks and high glycemic index products in their diet. At the same time, a low carbohydrate diet can help improve the condition of blood vessels and reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke.
Recall that hypercholesterolemia is one of the main factors in the development of atherosclerosis. Cholesterol deposition in the vessels affects the heart, brain and limbs, provoking dangerous complications. New recommendations can significantly change the approach to prevention of these conditions around the world.
