Ganoderma reduces  cholesterol

Facts: high cholesterol, CHOL

Worldwide

Globally, around 39% of adults aged 25 and over had raised cholesterol in 2008 #1

Singapore

19.0% adult has high CHOL in year 2010 #2

Cholesterol 

Overview

• Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in your blood. 

  • Your body needs cholesterol to build healthy cells, 

  • but high levels of cholesterol can increase your risk of heart disease.

• With high cholesterol, fatty deposits developed in blood vessels. 

  • When these deposits grow, not enough blood to flow through arteries. 

  • Sometimes, those deposits can break suddenly and form a clot that causes a heart attack or stroke.

• High cholesterol can be inherited, but it's often the result of unhealthy lifestyle choices, 

  • which make it preventable and treatable. 

  • A healthy diet, regular exercise and sometimes medication can help reduce high cholesterol.

High cholesterol/Hyperlipidemia

High Cholesterol is excess cholesterol  & triglycerides accumulate in the blood

Source of cholesterol

• Liver produces (about overall 75% cholesterol in the body) the above for cell membranes (cell signalling) , Vit D & essential function of Body Sys

(i) Endocrine Sys –hormones produced glands to make estrogen, testosterone & cortisol (source of energy- e.g. counter stress)

(ii) Nervous Sys –protection of nerve cells (20% of body CHOL), enable brain communication

(iii) Digestive Sys –production of biles

• Food Intake (about overall 25% cholesterol in the body)

Two Types : LDL (Bad CHOL) and HDL (Good CHOL)

• Low-density lipoprotein, LDL – transport CHOL throughout your body, builds up in the walls of your arteries

• High-density lipoprotein, HDL – pick up excess cholesterol & takes it back to your liver

Symptoms, Complications & Causes

Symptoms

• High CHOL doesn’t cause any symptoms

Complications

• Atherosclerosis (or buildup of plaque on the walls of the arteries)– Chest pain, heart attack, stroke & Peripheral arterial disease (PAD)

• Loss of memory & mental function – formation of beta-amyloid plaques

• Gallstones – excess biles that forms into crystals

Causes

• Inactivity, obesity and unhealthy diet

• Body cells not removing LDL from blood efficiently ; Liver produce too much cholesterol (e.g. due to stress)

• Genetic : Familial hypercholesterolemia. cholesterol levels of 300 mg/dL or higher

Blood test on cholesterol

Blood test called lipid profile, fast 9 to 10 hours before test

Total cholesterol: 

• Desirable : less than 200mg/dL 

• Bordeline High : 200-239 mg/dL

• High : more than 240 mg/dL

HDL

• Low : less than 40mg/dL 

• Desirable : 40-59 mg/dL

• Optimum : more than 60 mg/dL

LDL: 

• Optimum : less than 100mg/dL 

• Desirable : 100-129 mg/dL

• Bordeline High : 130-159 mg/dL

• High : 160-189 mg/dL

• Very High : more than 190 mg/dL

Triglycerides: 

• Optimum : less than 150mg/dL 

• Desirable : 150-199 mg/dL

• High : 200-399 mg/dL

• Very High : more than 400 mg/dL

Treatment

Oral Medication

1. Statins e.g. Lipitor – Block substance your liver to make CHOL 

• Possible Side effect: Muscle pain and weakness ; Increased liver enzymes; Risk of T2 diabetes; Memory Loss

2.Bile-acid-binding resins, e.g. Prevalite – Bind bile acids to CHOL 

• Possible Side effect : Body still need biles, abdominal discomfort

3. CHOL absorption inhibitors, e.g. Zetia – Limit intestine the absorption of dietary CHOL

• Possible Side effect : Abdominal discomfort & diarrhea

4. Fibrates, e.g. TriCor 

• Reduce TG by reducing liver’s production of VLDL (TG) and remove TG

5. Niacin – Reduce TG by limit liver’s production of LDL & VLDL 

• Possible Side effect : flushing reaction

Rise and Fall of Statins

Live Saving but Weaken Muscle

1. Year 1974, Statins, group of medicine introduced to block the synthesis of cholesterol in the liver.

• Large-scale clinical trials showed that heart attacks were prevented and lives were saved by statins in patients with and without heart diseases.

• Even suggested putting low-dose statin in drinking water

2. A decade later, by 2001, of the 700,000 users, 31 dead from rhabdomyolysis, a condition in which the muscles break down, which could lead to kidney failure

• Another 385 patients survived the potentially lethal episode

• Eventually, 1,900 cases reported to US FDA and more than 7% of them died

3. Certainly, muscle ache and weakness are more common side-effect of statins

Guard my Heart and Loss my Mind

1. Several Statin users also reported their experience of forgetfulness and clouding of the mind

• Sudden and complete loss of memory, e.g. close relatives and familiar friends become total strangers

• When the patient forgot to refill his statins, the memory recovered – realised the relationship of statin and cognitive impairment

2. But, some scientists believed that statins might even have the potential of preventing vascular dementia.

3. FDA also required warnings to be placed on the medicine label that warning of diabetes mellitus

4. A new drug worked as PCSK9 inhibitor seems to be more effective and safer than statins

How to Prevent high cholesterol?

1. Heart-healthy diet 

• Healthier fats, avoid trans fat, limit dietary CHOL 

• Whole grains, 

• Fruits & vegetables 

• Heart-healthy fish (Omega-3 fatty acids)

2. Maintain normal body weight – BMI<25

3. Be physically active

4. Maintain healthy lifestyle  

• Reduce smoking & alcohol; 

• Stress management ; 

• Have sufficient rest

5. TCM : Related to kidney & Eat more Black Food

Ganoderma/Lingzhi

Shuang Hor Ganoderma/ Lingzhi

Double Crane/Shuang Hor 

• ~35 year in Ganoderma Research & Development, farming, production and distribution

• Ganoderma product with rich Triterpenoid and Macro-molecular Polysaccharides content

Shuang Hor website : www.doublecrane.com.tw/en/ 

Ganoderma on complementing treatment to High cholesterol

Functions and Benefits

1. Regulate Immune System 

• Stimulate activity of immune cells, macrophages engulf and LDL in blood.

2. Improve blood circulation

• Remove blood fat, e.g. cholesterol & triglyceride, thereby increasing vascular elasticity 

• Lower blood pressure

3. Enhance liver function (detoxification)

• Regulate the production of cholesterol (balance)

• Reduce side effect of western drugs

4. Remove free radicals & anti-oxidation

• Protecting wall of artery from damaging by LDL

Ganoderma on High cholesterol Prevention & Complementary Treatment - relevant research

A. Reduce the blood fat level of fatty liver and effectively inhibit oxidant stress, showing the effect on preventing and treating hyperlipidemic fatty liver   - 

1. Nantong University, China (2012)

   • Animal testing – Effect of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides on oxidative stress of  hyperlipidemic fatty liver in rats 

• Summary : Ganoderma reduce hyperlipidemic fatty liver

B. Reduce LDL cholesterol

1. Nestle Research Centre (2004)

• Animal testing – G. lucidum has potential to reduce LDL cholesterol in vivo through various mechanisms in hamsters and minipigs

Summary : Ganoderma reduce LDL CHOL

C. Inhibit the formation and synthesis of cholesterols in hepatic cells 

1. Japanese Reseachers (1989)

• Animal testing - Ganoderic Acid B & C inhibit the formation and synthesis of cholesterols in hepatic cells in rats

Summary : Ganoderma inhibit formation and synthesis of CHOL in liver cells

D. Reduce total cholesterol by 20% and levels of bad cholesterol by up to 27%

1. Swiss Team (2004/2005)

• Animal testing – The hyperlipidemic minipigs underwent decreases in blood viscosity after being fed with gonoderma, which is the result of Ganoderma Triterpenoids

Summary : Ganoderma reduce total cholesterol

Other Shuang Hor products that help to prevent High cholesterol