Recent Study Proves Brain Controls Cholesterol Levels
Countering assumptions that cholesterol levels are solely controlled by what one eats, a study at the University of Cincinnati found that instead, cholesterol levels are regulated by signals transmitted by the brain to the liver.
The study, using mice, found that the hunger hormone ghrelin acted as the “remote control” for cholesterol travelling through the body, and caused the mice to develop higher blood levels of cholesterol. The study also revealed blood levels rise because signals from the brain cause the liver to store less cholesterol.
Much more research is needed to understand the mechanisms and develop cholesterol treatment for humans. However, this study is impacting the research of new forms of treatment to control cholesterol levels, improving the outlook particularly for patients with heart and circulation problems due to increased cholesterol levels.
High cholesterol levels are dangerous because of the involved high risk of heart disease. In order to keep cholesterol at a normal level, doctors advise people to eat a heart healthy diet, particularly reducing their saturated fat intake and take part in regular physical activity.
