Amino acids cholesterol: How do they support cholesterol levels?

Are you also worried about your cholesterol levels? You are not alone in this. Many people, especially older people, are diagnosed by their doctor with high cholesterol levels and prescribed cholesterol-lowering drugs. Synthetic drug-based cholesterol-lowering drugs - so-called statins - have recently made some negative headlines. Many people are therefore looking for natural alternatives to these medicines, which are full of side effects. Support may come from the area of ​​proteins. Various studies have focused particular attention on the amino acid arginine. We have put together everything you need to know about arginine and cholesterol levels .

Everything you should know about cholesterol

The fat-like natural substance cholesterol fulfills many important tasks in our organism. Among other things, it is involved in the construction of cell membranes and fuels many metabolic processes in the brain. Cholesterol is also a starting material for the production of bile acids, which are used to digest fat. Cholesterol works on the formation of vitamin D and various hormones such as

• estrogen ,
• testosterone
• and cortisol with.

Just by looking at this list, you probably understand that cholesterol is essential for us. This is why the human organism is able to produce around 90% of the substance itself. Of all the cholesterol contained in the body, our body produces around a quarter itself. The formation takes place primarily in the liver. We absorb the remaining 75 % of total cholesterol through food. A cholesterol-conscious diet can therefore have an influence on cholesterol levels. How do elevated cholesterol levels come about and what do we mean by that?

Good and bad representatives of the fat-like substance

The water-insoluble cholesterol cannot be easily transported in the blood. It must form bonds with water-soluble proteins. This creates so-called lipoproteins - compounds of fat and protein. Depending on which part predominates in this combination - the lipid (fat) part or the protein part - the compounds have different names. What are now known are:

• LDL cholesterol (LDL stands for “ low-density ”)
• HDL cholesterol (HDL referred to as “ high-density ”)

There is also a VLDL, which is a precursor to LDL. While LDL has a higher lipid content, HDL has a higher protein content. Roughly speaking, LDL is called “ bad ” cholesterol because of its high fat content, and HDL is called “ good ”. The starting point for this assessment is the assessment that the lipid content is crucial for the density of the substance and thus determines the possible harmfulness of the compound. On average, LDL has a fat content of around 75%, while HDL has only 50% fat. The higher the fat content in the compound, the easier it is for hardened crystals and deposits to form on the vessel walls. You can think of these as plugs that stick to walls and end up clogging your vessels. The result is so-called hardening of the arteries. Increased cholesterol levels are often equated with increased blood fat levels. This equation of cholesterol with blood fat in general is only partially correct. Blood lipid levels are determined not only by cholesterol, but also by the so-called triglycerides . These are fat-like substances that can contribute to hardening of the arteries. Partial congenital metabolic disorders can cause a predisposition to the deposits of fats on the vessel walls via triglycerides. Natural alternatives to statins and other drugs to lower blood lipids ideally have a positive effect on overall blood lipids.

Normal and elevated values ​​- what risks can arise?

Elevated cholesterol levels usually indicate high total cholesterol and elevated LDL levels. So when we talk about cholesterol levels, we are also talking about the relationship between the different types of cholesterol. Higher cholesterol levels are not automatically an indication of poor blood vessel condition and therefore an increased risk of heart attack or stroke. It is now assumed that every person has a so-called individual cardiovascular risk. The risk is made up of various factors such as:

• Overweight
• congenital disorders of lipid metabolism
• Metabolic diseases such as diabetes
• high blood pressure
• Status quo of vascular health (deposits already present or not)

These individual connections have led many doctors to look at the topic of cholesterol with slightly different eyes. The more individual risk factors a person has, the more important it can be to effectively lower cholesterol levels. Anyone who has some of the factors mentioned can be prone to increased hardening of the arteries even with moderately elevated cholesterol levels. On the other hand, other people, even with higher cholesterol levels and no other risk factors, are no more at risk than people with normal levels.

Increased cholesterol levels and arteriosclerosis

It is no longer just a matter of reducing everyone's cholesterol to a standard value using medication without any further indications. What also contributed to this new perspective is that statins, which are often prescribed as standard, can have severe side effects . Consequences such as heart attack and stroke could even be associated with them. However, research in this area is not yet complete. In the end, the actual risk of stroke and heart attack is the hardening of the arteries itself. This depends not only on cholesterol levels, but also on other individual conditions in each person and other substances circulating in the blood. However, if you are more prone to hardening of the arteries, lowering your cholesterol levels could be necessary and useful. For those who have an increased individual cardiovascular risk , reducing LDL values ​​to below 70 mg/dl has proven to be the standard. When it comes to the ratio of LDL to HDL, it should also be noted that HDL particles are able to dissolve existing deposits in the vessel walls and transport them back to the liver. There these particles are processed into other substances in various conversion processes. As a result, HDL reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases and can have a positive effect on increased LDL levels. LDL values ​​should therefore not fall below 40 mg/dl.

Amino acids against cholesterol : small building blocks with a big effect and many functions

Whether you take statins or not, you may want a supplementary natural option to lower your high cholesterol in the future. Scientists regularly study the effects of amino acids in this context. Amino acids or amino acids are the small building materials from which the body's own proteins are formed in the human organism. This applies at least to around 20 of these substances , which are referred to as proteinogenic amino acids . Eight of them are essential amino acids . This means that they must be supplied to the body through nutrition because we cannot produce them. Amino acid list of essential representatives:

• Leucine
• Valine
• Isoleucine
• Lysine
• Phenylalanine
• Threonine
• Methionine
• Tryptophan

Aminos are not only the basis for proteins, but also fulfill other functions in the human body. In addition, there are non-essential amino acids and an intermediate group, semi-essential amino acids . They are essential in certain phases of life, but not in others. The amino acid arginine is also found in the group of semi-essential amino acids .

This is what arginine can do for you if your LDL levels are elevated

The amino acid arginine is probably known to many high blood pressure patients because it can naturally reduce elevated blood pressure values ​​to a certain extent by reducing vascular tension. This amino acid has also proven itself in the fight against increased LDL levels . For example , a study showed that the LDL value could be reduced by around 10% with the targeted addition of arginine. The value for HDL remained stable. Another study that consumed arginine-rich almonds showed that LDL was reduced by 7%.

Arginine - what else can it do?

Since arginine can also have a lowering effect on high blood pressure, as already described, this amino acid is associated with positive effects in the context of the so-called “ metabolic syndrome ”. Come with metabolic syndrome

• Obesity,
• increased blood pressure and blood lipid levels
• and high sugar levels

together. Scientific research into the amino acid in this broad field is not yet complete. However, isolated studies have already shown that arginine could have a positive effect on at least two areas of the metabolic syndrome, namely increased blood fat and blood pressure values .

Arginine and its dosage

There are no sufficiently sound scientific recommendations for the dosage of arginine as a dietary supplement. Many products contain between 500-700 mg of arginine, whereby the values ​​should refer to arginine hydrochloride. What is important for the use of arginine is that it competes with the amino acid lysine when it comes to binding to certain receptor sites in the human organism. While lysine can help prevent the outbreak of various forms of herpes infections, arginine can promote the outbreak of cold sores on the lips or shingles.

Taurine and carnitine as natural cholesterol lowerers

Other natural helpers for lowering elevated LDL levels are:

• the amino acid taurine and
• the vitamin-like substance carnitine.

The amino acid taurine is found in particularly high concentrations in the heart muscle. There it has significantly higher levels than other proteins. Potassium and calcium, among other things, are responsible for the heart rhythm and play a control role. They cause the heart muscle to tense and relax . Taurine regulates the supply of the two minerals to the heart muscle. It is believed that taurine can therefore help prevent cardiac arrhythmias and reduce high cholesterol levels. This effect is caused by the fact that taurine stimulates the flow of bile and can therefore also control fat metabolism. Carnitine can work together with the amino acids taurine and arginine. It has another interesting effect that supports the amino acid effect . The intensive solidification and crystallization of cholesterol - which, as described above, is deposited on the vessel walls and forms gallstones - can at least be partially prevented by carnitine. Blood lipids are normally fatty-liquid when circulating in the blood. Under certain circumstances, cholesterol crystallizes hard, causing the individual cholesterol particles to increase in volume by up to 45% . This increases the possibility that the crystals will combine with other substances and “ plaque ” will form on the vessel walls. If carnitine could influence hardening, the risk of vascular calcification would decrease.

Lower cholesterol with amino acids - 10 foods

When it comes to your diet, you should make sure to avoid saturated fatty acids. These increase LDL in the body. So focus on unsaturated fatty acids in your meals. You can find these fats in high-quality oils and nuts. The following foods lower cholesterol:

• Green tea
• herbal tea
• Ginger
• Lemons
• oatmeal
• Garlic
• Psyllium
• Avocados
• Wild garlic
• nuts

Amino acids cholesterol: Can they reduce the elevated level of blood fats?

Our liver plays a key role in the overall fat metabolism. The liver is also the main detoxification organ for the human body. The formation of bile acids takes place in their environment. Bile acids are essential for fat digestion and other metabolic functions. This also and especially applies to carbohydrate metabolism. If this does not work effectively enough, more sugar is stored in the liver. This is especially true if you consume excessive amounts of “ bad ” carbohydrates. Bad carbohydrates are those that lead to an intensive increase in insulin secretion and thus to sharp increases in blood sugar. Sugar is converted into fat. Obesity occurs. According to recent findings, the entire development, such as excessive alcohol consumption, can lead to the development of a “ fatty liver disease ”. In fatty liver disease, the liver tissue hardens and changes. The liver becomes larger. Fatty liver goes through different stages. The organ can ultimately be irreversibly damaged. Liver health is particularly important for other reasons related to amino acids . Various conversion processes between amino acids take place in the liver. The substance homocysteine ​​deserves close attention. If it is present in excess, it can also cause deposits in the vessels and increased vascular calcification. A healthy liver, in conjunction with other micronutrients such as vitamin B12 and B6, ensures that homocysteine ​​is converted into amino acids that are useful to our organism. Cholesterol crystallizes more often when we don't produce enough bile acid. It also has a function in the production of bile acid. The phenomenon of non-alcohol-related fatty liver disease has not yet been fully scientifically researched and the connection between fatty liver disease and cholesterol levels has not yet been clearly proven by studies. Further research is necessary here.

Amino acids cholesterol: conclusion

Especially in old age, we can benefit from amino acids when it comes to cholesterol levels and fat metabolism. Nowadays, as we get older, we usually have to deal with elevated cholesterol levels. Often, elevated cholesterol levels do not occur in isolation, but rather as part of the metabolic syndrome, for example. This results in an increase of

• blood pressure,
• blood sugar and blood fat levels,
• to overweight.

The metabolism of the liver plays a central role in cholesterol metabolism and also in overall fat metabolism. Various conversion processes take place here that render harmful LDL harmless and can also eliminate the dangerous homocysteine . In order for the liver to be able to fulfill its numerous tasks, it must be strengthened and, in particular, the development of fatty liver disease must be prevented. The supply of various amino acids could become very important in the future. Precisely to interrupt the oversupply of bad carbohydrates and to naturally strengthen the body's entire metabolism. Cholesterol levels are just one factor that deserves attention. Studies have already shown that an amino acid like arginine could successfully lower cholesterol levels. Taurine has also been able to demonstrate its potential in scientific studies. We therefore recommend that you pay attention to your intake of high-quality amino acids. High-quality nutritional supplements with valuable amino acids may also have a positive effect on existing lipid metabolism disorders and calcifications.