Marina Fick

ISM- Period 6

University of Eastern Finland. "High vitamin D levels linked to lower cholesterol in children."

ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 7 June 2018.

<www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/06/180607100942.htm.>

• Vitamin D is a necessary component in bone metabolism

• Low vitamin D levels can cause to rickets (in children), osteomalacia, and osteopenia
• Certain aspects of your lifestyle that can increase the production of vitamin D include:
healthy diet, physical activity, and going outdoors
• Vitamin D levels can affect the amount of cholesterol (plasma lipid levels) in the body
• Vitamin D also helps to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases
• Evidence over other health effects of Vitamin D is still disputed
• Hereditary factors did not affect the study
• Vitamin D intake varies from country to country
• The best sources of Vitamin D are dairy products and spreads, and fish
• Many people in many different countries also take Vitamin D supplements
• The amount of Vitamin D supplements a person should take also varies on which country
a person lives in
• Vitamin D levels also is affected by age and environmental factors
• Vitamin D is produced is in the skin when you receive UV radiation from the sun
• For people that live in northern latitudes, simply going outside (receiving UV radiation
from the sun) is not enough to get the necessary amount of Vitamin D
• In winter, it is especially difficult to receive the needed amount of Vitamin D
• In times when it is harder to get sunlight, it would be beneficial to take Vitamin D
supplements
• Vitamin D is represented as a serum called 25-hydroxyvitamin
• The best level of Vitamin D is above 80 nmol/l
• Someone who has a Vitamin D level of 80 nmol/l or above will have a lower low-density
lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol level
• Someone with a Vitamin D level of 50 nmol/l or below had much higher cholesterol
(LDL) levels
• 50 nmol/l is normally regarded as a “threshold value” for vitamin D sufficiency
• The serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D is the major form of vitamin D found in the body
• These same facts were also verified by the Oxford Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and
Metabolism
• These results were found by studying primary school children
• The study was conducted by the biomedical branch of the University of Eastern Finland

This study provided with in depth research over the connection between Vitamin D and
cholesterol, but it also demonstrates how there are multiple factors that must be considered
in the results of a study.
 Marina Fick
ISM- Period 6

The American Heart Association. “HDL (Good), LDL (Bad) Cholesterol and Triglycerides.”

www.heart.org, Safari and Regeneron, < www.heart.org/en/health-topics/cholesterol/hdl-

good-ldl-bad-cholesterol-and-triglycerides.>

• Cholesterol is important in the body

• Cholesterol is used in the building of cells
• Lipoproteins are what carry cholesterol to and from cells in the body
• There are two types of lipoproteins
• LDL stands for low-density lipoprotein
• LDL is mainly called the bad cholesterol
• LDL causes fat to build up in the arteries
• Fat build up in the arteries is also called atherosclerosis
• This narrows/hardens the arteries and leads to a higher risk of heart attacks, stroke and
peripheral artery disease (PAD)
• Arteries can also be clogged with cellular waste, calcium and fibrin
• Narrow arteries decrease oxygen and nutrients that go to the body
• Plaque in arteries can cause blood clots
• Different arteries can cause different effects
• Arteries leading to the heart or brain can be the most dangerous to have a plaque buildup/
blood clot
• HDL stands for high-density lipoprotein
• HDL is commonly called good cholesterol
• HDL is considered a scavenger
• Higher levels of HDL cholesterol are considered good
• HDL carries LDL cholesterol from the arteries to the liver
• In the liver, the LDL is broken down and passed out of the body
• HDL does not get rid of all LDL cholesterol
• 1/3 to 1/4 of cholesterol in the blood is carried by HDL
• Higher HDL levels can decrease risk of heart attack and stroke
• The risk of heart disease is increased if there are low HDL cholesterol levels
• The most common type of fat in the body is triglycerides
• Triglycerides store energy
• The energy from triglycerides is taken from your diet
• High triglycerides and high LDL means fat buildups in the arteries
• High triglycerides with low HDL also means fat buildups in the arteries
• Both combinations can lead to increased risk of heart attack and stroke
• By using a blood test your cholesterol levels can be found
The article provided quality information over the different types of cholesterol and also
addressed common misconceptions that most people have about cholesterol.
 Marina Fick
ISM- Period 6

“Preventing High Cholesterol.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention, <www.cdc.gov/cholesterol/prevention.htm>.

• Changing small parts of your lifestyle is one of the easiest ways to prevent high cholesterol
and heart disease
• The human body makes all the cholesterol that a person needs
• Cholesterol gained from a person’s diet is unnecessary cholesterol
• Foods high in trans and saturated fat can lead to high cholesterol levels which can then lead
to other disorders/ conditions
• Foods with saturated fats include animal products (dairy, meats, etc.) and tropical oils
(mainly palm oil)
• The best foods to choose for your diet include foods that are low in saturated fat, trans fat,
sodium, and added sugars
• Examples of good foods include: lean meats, seafood, low fat milk, yogurt, whole grains,
and especially fruits and vegetables
• More good foods include foods that are high in fiber
• Examples of good high fiber foods: oatmeal, beans and unsaturated fats (avocado, olive
oil, nuts)
• High fiber foods can help control LDL cholesterol levels and triglycerides
• High fiber foods can also increase HDL levels
• Maintaining a healthy weight is also important for preventing high cholesterol
• Being overweight or being obese will raise your LDL cholesterol levels
• Unnecessary body fat affects how the body utilizes cholesterol and slows down the removal
of LDL cholesterol from the blood
• The BMI (body mass index) is used my doctors to determine if someone’s weight is in the
healthy range
• Height and weight is factored into the BMI
• A healthy weight is different for each person
• Food and fitness plans can be used to achieve or maintain a healthy weight
• Physical activity is also important in preventing high cholesterol levels
• Adults should get around 2 ½ hours of exercise a week while children should get 1 hour of
exercise every day
• Smoking not only damages blood vessels but also accelerates the rate of which arteries
harden
• Quitting smoking will lower the risk of heart disease in a person
• Your regular doctor can give you ways to quit smoking
• Drinking a lot of alcohol can also raise cholesterol levels and triglyceride levels
• Amount of alcohol a person should drink depends on gender
• Men shouldn’t drink more than 2 drinks a day
• Women shouldn’t drink more than 1 drink a day
This article provided a variety of different ways that a person could prevent high cholesterol levels
and there were extra resources cited under each category for even more in-depth research.