Dr Briffa's Blog - A Good Look at Good Health
A health-focused blog that makes sense of science, and offers accurate, trustworthy and practical advice about all aspects of healthy living.
A major motivator for many to take exercise is the desire to ‘get fit and healthy’. Regular exercise induces changes that can increase things like strength and endurance. One particular adaptation to exercise concerns increased numbers of tiny structures called mitochondria (my-toe-con-dree-ah) in the cells. Most of our energy needs are met by the metabolism [...]
Cholesterol is transported in the bloodstream packaged with protein in the form of ‘lipoproteins’. There’s two main forms of lipoprotein in the blood: so-called ‘low density lipoprotein’-cholesterol (LDL) and ‘high density lipoprotein’-cholesterol (HDL). Traditionally, LDL has been said to be chiefly responsible for the depositing of cholesterol on the inside of the arteries and the [...]
Coenzyme Q10 is a chemical which plays a key role in the production of energy in the body’s cells. Specifically, this substance participates in the processes within tiny powerhouses in cells known as ‘mitochondria’ (my-toe-con-dree-ah). Coenzyme Q10 is essential for the production of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), a basic currency for energy in the body. All [...]
One of the things you’ll hear from ‘key opinion leaders’ who promote the use of statins is that these drugs have a very good safety profile. These judgements appear to be based on the findings of studies in which statins are given to individuals in the context of ‘randomised controlled trials’ (where statins are pitted [...]
Ezetimibe is a drug that lowers cholesterol levels by blocking its absorption from the gut. The drug is available under the brand name Zetia. Doctors can also prescribe ezetimibe in combination with the statin drug simvastatin. This combination medication is sold under the name Vytorin. Both Zetia and Vytorin have racked up billions of dollars [...]
In general terms, the body likes to keep its physiological and biochemical parameters within a certain range – not too high and not too low. This applies to an endless stream of factors including blood sugar levels, temperature, blood pH, blood pressure and sodium levels. However, there are some doctors and researchers who believe that [...]
Cardiovascular diseases (such as heart disease and cerebrovascular disease which can give rise to heart attack and stroke respectively) represent the most common cause of death in Western countries. Not surprisingly, health agencies and the medical profession focus on them a lot. In recent years, there has been a vogue for assessing cardiovascular disease risk [...]
In my work as a doctor I see a quite-steady stream of individuals who are concerned about their cholesterol-levels. Usually, these people are male, quite young (often in their 40s) and have been diagnosed with ‘raised cholesterol’. They are also often fit, healthy, non-smoking and free of diabetes and high blood pressure. Despite the fact [...]
Niacin is a form of vitamin B3 that has been long-known to reduce levels of ‘unhealthy’ LDL-cholesterol, while raising levels of ‘healthy’ HDL-cholesterol. It’s generally believed that these effects would translate into better outcomes in terms of cardiovascular issues such as heart attacks and strokes. As a result, niacin has a history of use for [...]
