AboutTodd Bublitz, RCEP Expertise I can answer questions on Cholesterol & Lipids. I can explain how diet can and cannot improve your cholesterol & triglyceride levels.
Experience I have 17 years experience in cardiovascular disease prevention, rehabilitation and education. Researcher in cardiovascular exercise, cardiac function and cardiac testing. I developed and maintain Lipid-Clinic.com
Also run Nuclear Cardiology Research Organizations National Lipid Association
American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association
American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)
Question Im an 18 yr old and eat a lot of meat because i exercise a lot and try to eat lots of protein to build muscle. So because of all this meat i know that it means a high level of cholesterol with it. Does the exercise i do burn it like it does fat and calories? and what do i need to do to counter act all the cholesterol that i eat?
thanks
serg
Answer Serg,
Sorry for the delay in responding, I was away for the weekend.
Exercise does not burn off cholesterol. The best way to reduce your cholesterol levels, without cholesterol lowering medicines, is to limit how much saturated fat (animal fat) and trans-fats (margarine, shortening & fired foods). Saturated fat and trans-fats stimulate your liver to produce more cholesterol. The cholesterol we eat (called dietary cholesterol) has less effect on our cholesterol levels than saturated fat and trans-fats. Our total cholesterol and LDL (bad cholesterol) levels are primarily determined by genetics (85-95%) and less determined by diet (5-15%). Although we still recommend a low cholesterol diet for people, dietary cholesterol has less effect on our cholesterol levels than any other lifestyle factor.
There are several low-fat sources of protein. You can eat lean red meat, skinless chicken, soy, lean dairy products, egg whites, fish, etc. Fish, egg whites, soy are very low in cholesterol (soy and egg whites have none).
The average athlete does not need significantly more protein than the average non-athlete.
According to the American College of Sports Medicine:
“The estimated protein needs of an athlete who wants to bulk up are approximately 1.6 to 1.7 grams protein per kilogram body weight per day, approximately 110 to 115 grams protein for a 150-lb athlete. Most hungry athletes easily eat more than this in their standard meals. The excess protein is superfluous; it simply gets burned for energy or stored as fat.” Divide your body weight in pounds by 2.2 to get your weight in kg.
Here is the math (1 kg = 2.2 lbs.):
150 lbs. divided by 2.2 lbs/kg = 68 kg
68 x 1.6 = 108.8 grams of protein
68 x 1.7 = 115.6 grams of protein
The bottom line: You may not need to eat as much protein as you currently are and there is no reason that you should be eating high-fat sources of protein. Therefore, there is no reason that your cholesterol levels should be increasing due to your desire to eat more protein.
