Low HDL cholesterol associated with poor memory

HDL cholesterol is the good cholesterol which protects against harmful buildup in the arteries. It is considered good to have high HDL since it can provide some protection against cardiovascular disease.

It is interesting that low levels of HDL have now been found to also be associated with poor memory (Sigh-Manoux A, et al, 2008.) The study referred to here included 3673 male and female participants with an average age between 55-61 years. When the memory was evaluated, it was documented that a decrease in HDL over the five year follow up period was associated with a decline in memory.

This is another good reason for keeping your HDL level high. You can increase your HDL cholesterol by incorporating low glycemic index meals, avoiding trans fat and including omega 3, fat like fish oil in your diet, and also by exercising regularly.

Singh-Manoux A, et al. Low HDL cholesterol is a risk factor for deficit and decline in memory in midlife: the Whitehall II study. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2008 Aug;28(8):1556-62. Epub 2008 Jun 30.

Losing fat may slow your thyroid.

It has been a belief for a long time that starving yourself would slow down the thyroid and not be productive in the long run if you want to lose weight, especially if you want to lose fat.

This was now confirmed in a recent study where the participants were randomly assigned to either a caloric restriction group, an exercise induced weight loss group, or a placebo group for 12 months (Weiss EP, et al, 2008).

The fat mass decreased significantly in both the caloric restricted group and the exercise group, but not in the placebo group. There were not a significant difference in fat loss between the caloric restriction group and the exercise group. What was interesting however was that the plasma concentration of the thyroid hormone T3 decreased in the caloric restricted group, but not in the exercise group even if both of the groups lost about the same amount of fat.

The lesson is that if you want to lose weight and stay healthy, exercise should be a part of the program in addition to a healthy diet.

References:

Weiss EP, et al. Caloric restriction but not exercise-induced reductions in fat mass decrease plasma triodothyronine concentrations: a randomized controlled trial. Rejuvenation Res. 2008 Jun;11(3):605-9.