The level of bad cholesterol progresses as the level of lead increases in the blood. A new, well-hidden cause for this common disease.
Watch out for heavy metals! Having too much lead in the blood increases blood cholesterol levels, or hypercholesterolemia, according to a new study presented at a congress of theAmerican Heart Association.
High levels of lead, and other heavy metals, detected in the blood have been associated with higher levels of LDL-cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and total cholesterol. The level of bad cholesterol progresses as the level of lead increases.
LDL-cholesterol and cardiovascular risk
LDL-cholesterol (Low Density Lipoprotein, or low density lipoproteins), better known as “bad cholesterol” corresponds to the excess cholesterol which is deposited in the walls of blood vessels to form atheroma plaques. It constitutes a major cardiovascular risk factor and opposes HDL-cholesterol (good cholesterol) which eliminates cholesterol from the arteries and carries it to the liver to destroy it.
In the study, the cohort of people followed was made up of American adults. Those with the most heavy metals in their blood had:
– 56% more risk of having a higher total cholesterol level (lead).
– 73% more risk of having cholesterol levels (mercury)
– 41% higher risk of high total cholesterol (cadmium)
– 22% more likely to have a higher bad cholesterol level if they had the highest lead levels.
Additionally, mercury levels increased the likelihood of higher bad cholesterol levels by 23% in people who were in the middle range due to their heavy metal content, compared to those with the highest levels. weak.
Screen for heavy metals
All these results indicate that it is necessary to screen for heavy metals in case of hypercholesterolemia and unexplained cardiovascular disease. Lead accumulation may also be a risk factor for drug-resistant hypertension, according to a study of 475 veterans with high blood pressure.
Heavy metals are naturally present in our environment and used massively in industry and agriculture. Generally emitted in the form of very fine particles, they are transported by the wind and disseminate in soils and aquatic environments, thus contaminating flora and fauna, and ending up in the food chain. In the United States, epidemics of lead poisoning by drinking water are increasingly frequent, both because of pollution and the aging of water distribution infrastructures, as in the city of Flint.
Source: Association Santé Environnement France.
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