Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

7

Cholesterol is converted to Vitamin D in our skin by UVB rays, right? So if we already have higher vitamin D levels from supplementation, our body doesn't need to make more vitamin D, so that dietary cholesterol goes unused. Could this explain why some people have high cholesterol levels? Or is it a different pathway/different type of vitamin D?

flag	asked Jun 14 2011 at 15:37 Neane 380●1●7

2

I +1'd because I am curious about this as well. It seems like we lack Vitamin D, so we use pills due to a lack of one of the primary ingredients: adequate sunlight. The other ingredients, cholesterol and whatever else- don't we risk running a surplus by overriding the natural D cycle? Would it be better to use a specifically designed UV lightbulb for 10-15 minutes a day? They make lizard bulbs that are UV, but I believe it is the wrong kind (UVA vs UVB)... – PaleoPax Jun 14 2011 at 16:50

1

Thank you, by the way, for the ^vote. I was nervous to post a question (my first!) so it's good to know someone else was thinking the same thing. – Neane Jun 14 2011 at 21:15

+1 great question! – Eric Jun 15 2011 at 5:00

I was under the impression that certain populations that have to deal with low light conditions have higher levels of cholesterol in general to be able to maximize their synthesis vitamin D. Interesting theory, seems like the uptick in cholesterol some report would minimize the need for supplemental D, and in continuing to supplement while sunbathing would cause the numbers go up really fast. – Happy Now Jul 25 at 18:56

James · Accepted Answer · 2011-06-14 19:30:17Z UTC

3

You're talking two different pathways that don't interact. Vitamin D in the skin self limits on Vitamin D creation. Supplemented Vitamin D bypasses that. So you're still using the same amount of cholesterol you would be either way. Plus you have a chance of overdosing on Vitamin D over time.

answered Jun 14 2011 at 19:30

James
7,892●4●13

K..that's what I was wondering. I just see a lot of questions about people's LDL going up after going paleo, and thought perhaps the vitamin D supplementation was partly to blame. But if it's a different pathway, well... there goes that idea. :) Thanks for your response. – Neane Jun 14 2011 at 21:00

The Quilt · Answer 2 · 2011-06-14 16:18:09Z UTC

4

If your D is optimized it will knock your LDL down over 18 months but vit D supplementation increases your LDL short term because of the way it's calculated. Not a huge effect as long as you and the doc know it

answered Jun 14 2011 at 16:18

The Quilt
27.4k●1●13●82

	Thank you for your answer. I, personally, don't have high LDL but I've seen that others do. – Neane Jun 14 2011 at 21:01
	Thanks. After taking D for several months, my LDL went way up. Conventional doc had a fit. – Harry Jun 15 2011 at 4:44

Ryan · Answer 3 · 2012-07-25 17:21:13Z UTC

I know this is an old thread, but I've had the same thought.

@James: Can you elaborate on the different pathways? From what little I've read, 7-Dehydrocholesterol is used to produce cholesterol as well as vitamin D. So it seems that it might be possible that if more 7-Dehydrocholesterol were converted into vitamin D, it would leave less to be converted into cholesterol. Just a thought I had that might easily be disproven.

I also came across this study abstract: http://www.jlr.org/content/39/3/647.abstract I don't totally understand it, but it mentions that 7-Dehydrocholesterol seems to exhibit an inhibitory effect on cholesterol production by inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase (same mechanism as statins). This study was performed with cells from people with Smith-Lemli-Opitz Symdrome, so it may not apply to the general population. Any biochemists care to chime in?

Higher cholesterol and Vitamin D

3 Answers