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Essay on Lipid Hypothesis

Lipid Hypothesis

Lipid refers to a genetic expression for fats and hypothesis means an assumption. Lipid hypothesis in this case means an assumption that suggests that dietary facts can directly enhance body fats (Cholesterol). Additionally, cholesterol passes through arterial walls leading to plaque expansion (obstructions). In healthcare terminology, the aforementioned an obstruction in the arteries is known as atherosclerosis and it could generate heart disease and stroke (Astrup et al. 644-648).

From the time that cardiovascular disease occurs as a great basis of death in the western countries, the lipid hypothesis drew a lot of concern. The buildup of evidence has additionally led to realization of the hypothesis as a genetic reality by the medic community.

The worldwide nutritional fondness has in the past years increased based on lipid hypothesis and unfortunately, the case is the same with chronic diseases. the hypothesis changed the way in which physicians and the people view patient’s health and settling on the treatment course which in most cases, completely pointless because it causes more destruction compared to good (Ginsberg et al. 1563-174).

A pathologist from Germany Dr. Rudolph planted primary lipid hypothesis seeds in the 19th century and later carried out evaluations on arterial obstructions from dead bodies. He realized that corpses had a lot of cholesterol levels. His evaluations even so did not generate a good reason behind cholesterol being available in huge amounts in corpses.

Some scientists later on in 1925, realized that bodies from humans generate ninety percent of own cholesterol and that nutrition is essential. The resulting tension nonetheless following the Second World War suppressed the importance of this kind of revelation and the artillery of the event muted this crucial revelation.

Dr. Keys, a US epidemiologist following the war in 1950 reactivated lipid hypothesis. The research that he carried out in six countries clearly demonstrated that the amount of fat in the nationwide diet of the six states was proportionally interrelated with death prevalence from the Coronary Heart Disease (CHD), with his graph of the findings clearly indicating that there is a very close connection between the two.

Later on sometimes, it was realized that the data of Dr. Keys was from twenty two countries in the real sense and that he has cunningly chosen the six based to his theory thus, leaving out the sixteen that did not support it. This was practically a casebook case of deception in research. Dr. Keys later on wrote an article affirming that dietary cholesterol does not affect blood cholesterol and that this has always been well known. Lipid hypothesis steamroller nonetheless was not stoppable (Vergeer et al. 2058-2073).

Later on, popular supporter of low fat diet by the name Dr. Pritikin emerged. The doctor called for a total elimination of sugar as well as processed foodstuff from the diet just to give a few examples. He also proposed the use of fresh unprocessed foods, engaging in physical exercise and whole grains (Rothwell 938-948).

The idea of law fats by Dr. Pritikin’s rule also got the highest media attention. Supporters realized that they had lost significant amount of weight and that the amount of cholesterol in the level and blood pressure had reduced. After the death of Dr. Pritikin even so as a result of cancer, there were many doubts based on his dietary guideline sets.

The United States’ Senate Committee on Nutrition offered the last attempt on the hypothesis representing the first time in record for the state to formally inform citizens of the good to consume and the ones to avoid. He committee essentially proposed elimination of fats and sugars from diet but in some way, the sugars were eliminated from the plan because of links to the efforts from the sugar pressure group.

The United States Dietary Guidelines in this regard were generated and in relevance to the date where they achieved the same anti dietary fats advance was set (Owen 739-747). In the first meeting, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC), the issue of concern was on the non-natural rank on fat in the Dietary Guidelines.

It was further stated that there are many concerns on extra carbohydrates raising the amount of triglycerides because the ratio of triglycerides to high density lipoprotein is more attractive as a reliable risk feature for heart disease. In the following dietary guidelines, it was not only the residents of the US but also across the globe that deviated towards a diet that is more anchored in carbohydrates and low fats.

The number of chronic illnesses has increased despite adherence to the guidelines (Demer and Tintut 1482-1493). Heart diseases the major lipid hypothesis significance has also been on the rise. Despite the growth of science and technology, they have still failed to address the issue efficiently.

The level of obesity in real sense has increased six fold. Scientists have realized that there is a close connection between cholesterol, dietary fats and heart disease, the main point of concern is however not in the obstruction of cholesterol but the way in which it occurs and the explanation behind it.

In conclusion, the high level of blood increases triglycerides oxidate cholesterol level and they have been the real triggers. Cholesterol is considered a hapless victim of the selection of diet by the people.


Works Cited

Astrup, Arne, et al. “The role of reducing intakes of saturated fat in the prevention of cardiovascular disease: where does the evidence stand in 2010?.” The American journal of clinical nutrition 93.4 (2011): 684-688.

Demer, Linda, and Yin Tintut. “The roles of lipid oxidation products and receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB signaling in atherosclerotic calcification.” Circulation research 108.12 (2011): 1482-1493.

Ginsberg, Henry N., et al. “Effects of combination lipid therapy in type 2 diabetes mellitus.” The New England journal of medicine 362.17 (2010): 1563-1574.

Owen, Dylan M., et al. “The lipid raft hypothesis revisited–New insights on raft composition and function from super‐resolution fluorescence microscopy.” Bioessays 34.9 (2012): 739-747.

Rothwell, Peter M. “Limitations of the usual blood-pressure hypothesis and importance of variability, instability, and episodic hypertension.” The Lancet 375.9718 (2010): 938-948.

Vergeer, Menno, et al. “The HDL hypothesis: does high-density lipoprotein protect from atherosclerosis?.” Journal of lipid research 51.8 (2010): 2058-2073.


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