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Intro. |
Effects |
Parameters |
CV Factors |
Graphical Data |
Case Studies |
Graphical Data |
Summary |
Following
is a brief description of the parameters measured in the Danish Athlete
Study in the assessment of risk for cardiovascular disease, and how
these factors affect health.
This is
a measure of the amount of glucose circulating in the blood after
an
8-hour fast. Increases in fasting glucose levels are detected in both
type I and type II diabetes and during the stage before these diseases
become full-blown. Increases can also be seen in a condition called
Syndrome X, also known as the Metabolic Syndrome. Syndrome X is a
combination
of excess weight and dysglycemia - due to insulin resistance. When
insulin resistance occurs, the cells are unable to absorb the glucose
circulating
in the blood despite an adequate production of insulin. Syndrome X
can lead to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and autoimmune
diseases
along with other inflammatory problems.
Increased
insulin levels, except in type I diabetes where very little insulin
is produced due to pancreatic damage, usually accompany increased glucose
levels. High insulin levels can lead to other problems such as increased
fat deposition, lowered oxidation rate of fats for metabolic purposes
and a direct production of saturated fats from glucose. High insulin
levels also impact the production of eicosanoids, decreasing the production
of series-1 eicosanoids from DGLA with a resulting increase in the
amounts
of AA and the production of series-2 eicosanoids. This can cause increased
inflammation, increased clumping of platelets with resulting blood
clots,
and arterial constriction which increases blood pressure. All of the
above are definitely harmful to one's health. 
Increased
glucose levels can also lead to the conversion of glucose into other
sugars, such as sorbitol. This is one of the primary factors in the
development of neurological damage seen in uncontrolled diabetes, where
these sugars fuse with various structures in the body, thus altering
their functioning.
Hemoglobin
A1c is the scientific name for glycosylated hemoglobin: that is, hemoglobin
(from the red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout the body) which
has fused with glucose and some of the other sugars formed when glucose
levels are too high. Glycosylated hemoglobin is evidently not very effective
at transporting oxygen.
All
health problems involving increases in glucose levels will cause
increases in HbA1c, especially with type I and II diabetes and Syndrome
X. HbA1c is in fact a better measure of glycemic control than are measurements
of fasting and non-fasting glucose levels, unless many of the latter
are done over a long period of time. HbA1c gives some indication
about glycemic control over the last 120 days, since the red blood
cells and
the hemoglobin they contain have an average life span of l20 days.
Therefore if the hemoglobin in a red blood cell fuses with glucose,
it can be
measured up to 120 days later.
Lipoprotein
a - Lp(a) - is involved in depositing oxidized LDL-cholesterol on the
inside of the arteries and is thus involved in arteriosclerosis. Lp(a)
is considered at least as important a risk factor for developing cardiovascular
disease as LDL-cholesterol itself.
Fibrinogen can be converted into the
protein fibrin, which is involved in blood clotting, such as when blood clots cause strokes, or when bleeding stops
through the formation of a scab on the outside of a wound or cut. Fibrin
creates a net, so to speak, which catches platelets and other solids
found in the blood until a completely impermeable barrier is created.
Too high levels of fibrinogen can increase the risk of blood clots.
However, too low levels of fibrinogen can prevent bleeding from stopping.
Triglycerides are fats circulating in
the blood. Technically speaking a triglyceride
consists of 3 fatty acids bound to a glycerol backbone. These three
fatty acids found in the triglyceride can have an either positive
or
negative impact on health. If the three fatty acids are mono- or polyunsaturated,
then the triglyceride can actually contribute to better health. But
if the three fatty acids are all saturated animal fats or trans fats,
then the triglyceride can have the opposite effect: it is detrimental
to health. The current assumption is that high levels of triglyceride
increase the risk for cardiovascular diseases. However, since some
type
of fatty acids in the triglycerides improve health while others are
detrimental to health, we should consider the type of fatty acids
found
in triglycerides, instead of merely looking at the total amount of
triglycerides.
This is
just what it says: A measure of the total cholesterol content in the
blood, including the cholesterol found in Lp(a), HDL and LDL vehicles,
as well as other lipoproteins (proteins in blood carrying various fats).
Total cholesterol used to be considered a primary risk factor for cardiovascular
diseases. However other factors such as the amounts of HDL- and LDL-cholesterol
as well as whether the cholesterol is oxidized or not are probably more
important. In fact, only oxidized cholesterol can be deposited in the
arteries during the development of arteriosclerosis.
This is the "good" cholesterol, which is more difficult to deposit in the arterial
walls, and thus cannot contribute to arteriosclerosis. HDL is
the acronym for "High Density Lipoprotein" - just one of several lipoproteins involved
in carrying and transporting cholesterol throughout the body. Therefore
HDL-cholesterol is a measure of cholesterol bound to HDL vehicles. The
higher the amount of HDL-cholesterol, the better.
This is a measure of cholesterol bound
to Low Density Lipoproteins. Hence the acronym LDL. This is considered "bad" cholesterol because it can easily
be deposited in the walls of arteries if oxidized, thus promoting arteriosclerosis
and subsequently cardiovascular disease. A low LDL count is desirable,
whereas a high count is not desirable. However, it is the amount of
oxidized LDL-cholesterol, as opposed to the amount of LDL cholesterol
itself, that is probably more significant as a cardiovascular risk factor,
since only oxidized cholesterol bound to LDL can damage the arteries.
Testosterone is the male sex hormone. It has anabolic properties and thus can lead
to increases in muscle and lean mass. However, the anabolic effects
of testosterone are not limited to muscle. Testosterone has a general
stimulatory effect on the growth and regeneration of many different
types of cells and tissues in the body. Too high levels of testosterone
can result in aggressiveness, overt sexual drive, testicular dystrophy,
and can possibly speed up the growth of prostate cancer amongst various
other problems. Conversely, too low levels of testosterone or poor testosterone
receptor function can result in general degeneration throughout the
body.
TSH is released by the pineal gland
to stimulate the thyroid gland to produce
and release TT4 (Thyroxin). TT4 is converted to TT3 (triiodothyroxine)
to increase the metabolic rate in cells throughout the body. If the
production of TSH is too low, the thyroid gland will not produce sufficient
amounts of TT4, even if the thyroid itself is functioning properly.
The thyroid is simply not "told" to produce TT4 and thus speed up or
maintain the metabolic rate.
TT4 (Thyroxin) is produced and released
by the thyroid gland. TT4 consists of 4 iodine
atoms bound to the amino acid thyroxine. This is why iodine is important
for the thyroid, which controls metabolic rate. TT4 is the inactive
form of the thyroid hormone and must be converted into its active form
called TT3 in order to stimulate the metabolic rate. Therefore high
levels of TT4 are not sufficient to maintain and stimulate metabolic
rate unless a sufficient conversion of TT4 to TT3 is also present. Cruciferous
vegetables such as broccoli, various cabbages and radishes as well as
soy beans, millet and peanuts contain principles that can bind iodine
making it unavailable for the production of TT4. Consumption of these
foods can thus inhibit the thyroid's production of TT4, and in some
cases, the elimination of the above foods can actually reverse too low
thyroid functioning.
This is a measure of the actual amount
of triiodothyroxin (TT3) found in the blood. TT3 is, as explained above, the activated form of the thyroid
hormone TT4, which helps maintain or increase the metabolic rate in
cells throughout the body. TT4 is converted into TT3 in the liver, amongst
other places. Poor conversion of TT4 to TT3 (shown by high levels of
circulating TT4 and too low levels of TT3) could be an indication of
impaired liver function. A combination of zinc and selenium can sometimes
treat the too slow conversion from TT4 into TT3. Both zinc and selenium
are found in various enzymes in living organisms, several of which are
found in the liver.
This is a measure of the globulins'
left over capacity to carry TT3 in the blood. (The globulins are a group of proteins that carry various substances
in the blood). A measure of the TT3-reaction can sometimes be used when
trying to ascertain and identify thyroid problems.
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