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How does aging influence the levels of oxidized cholesterol?
As humans age, there is a natural increase in oxidized cholesterol levels, an important factor in cardiovascular disease. This is how aging impacts oxidized cholesterol levels and related risks:
1. Increased Lipid Peroxidation
Lipid peroxidation is the mechanism through which free radicals attack lipids and most importantly cholesterol, forming oxidized cholesterol. There is overall elevated oxidative stress with age, which is essentially free radical and antioxidant imbalance in the body.
Since the antioxidant defenses of the body become weaker with age, the rate of oxidative damage to lipids, such as cholesterol, accelerates. This leads to an increase in oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL), which is a type of cholesterol that has been oxidatively modified.
2. Reduced Antioxidant Activity
Antioxidants such as vitamin E, vitamin C, and glutathione play a significant role in eliminating free radicals and preventing oxidation injury. As age progresses, synthesis and efficacy of these antioxidants typically decrease, leading to increased oxidative stress and an increased chance of cholesterol oxidation.
Oxidized cholesterol is more atherogenic than regular cholesterol. Therefore, aging has the effect of storing oxidized lipids within the bloodstream that enhances risks associated with atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular disease processes.
3. Altered Lipid Metabolism with Aging
As people age, there is often an increase in total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels, which are major carriers of cholesterol in the blood. The presence of higher LDL cholesterol means there is more substrate available for oxidation.
Age-related changes in lipid metabolism, such as reduced efficacy of the mechanisms for the clearance of cholesterol and impaired hepatic clearance, can contribute to elevated levels of circulating LDL, which is more oxidized.
4. Chronic Inflammation
Chronic inflammation, increased in elderly individuals, also contributes to the oxidation of LDL cholesterol. Pro-inflammatory cells such as macrophages have the ability to increase the oxidative modification of LDL cholesterol, increasing the risk factor. Oxidized lipids get recognized by the immune system and hence induce the formation of plaques in arteries, contributing towards the establishment of cardiovascular disease.
Inflammation and oxidized cholesterol are locked in a vicious cycle of each other’s exacerbation: inflammation generates more oxidized LDL, and oxidized LDL, in turn, continues to fuel inflammation in the blood vessels.
5. Impact on Vascular Health
Oxidized cholesterol is one of the major contributing factors to vascular damage, especially with aging, as it plays a role in the formation of arterial plaques. Formation of oxidized LDL in vessel walls provokes inflammatory responses that cause the enlargement of atherosclerosis. Arterial wall thickening and hardening predispose to heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular conditions.
Aging is also associated with vascular endothelial alterations, which is the inner lining of the blood vessels. This makes the endothelial cells more susceptible to oxidative injury by oxidized LDL, thereby increasing cardiovascular disease risk.
6. Hormonal Changes
In postmenopausal women, hormonal changes, particularly the decline in estrogen, are to blame for increased oxidative stress and increased levels of oxidized cholesterol. Estrogen is also an antioxidant, and its decrease following menopause can make the cardiovascular system more vulnerable to the harmful effect of oxidized lipids.
7. Accumulation in Tissues
With aging, there is a greater risk for the buildup of oxidized cholesterol in tissues, particularly in the liver and arterial wall. This could contribute to the onset of atherosclerosis and other diseases of aging, such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is generally related to disturbed lipid metabolism and increased oxidative stress.
8. Effects of Medications
In some cases, drugs commonly used by older individuals, like statins (used to lower cholesterol) or antioxidants, can influence the level of oxidized cholesterol. Statins, for example, can lower the production of cholesterol and its oxidation, actions that might be beneficial in preventing cardiovascular disease in elderly individuals.
Conclusion
Aging impacts the level of oxidized cholesterol by a combination of increased oxidative stress, diminished antioxidant protection, and compromised lipid metabolism. The accumulation of oxidized LDL cholesterol is of specific interest because of its contribution to the development of atherosclerosis, which may lead to cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, control of oxidative stress, healthy cholesterol status, and alleviation of inflammation are important in diminishing the cardiovascular impact of aging.
Oxidized cholesterol and high blood pressure (hypertension) have a correlation of complex interaction between vascular integrity, lipid regulation, and inflammation. The sequence of events wherein oxidized cholesterol causes the pathogenesis of high blood pressure follows:
1. Oxidized Cholesterol and Endothelial Dysfunction
Endothelium: Endothelium is a thin sheet of cells lining the blood vessels and is vital for maintaining a healthy vascular system. It controls the passage of blood, prevents clotting, and maintains equilibrium between vasodilation (dilatation of the blood vessels) and vasoconstriction (constriction of the blood vessels).
Oxidized Cholesterol: Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol oxidation activates inflammation and damage to endothelial cells. The oxidized LDL will render the endothelial cells dysfunctional, compromising the regulation of normal blood vessel contraction and relaxation. The malfunction leads to increased vascular resistance, a critical part of the pathogenesis of high blood pressure.
2. Formation of Atherosclerosis
Plaque Accumulation: Oxidized LDL cholesterol plays a central role in the formation of atherosclerotic plaques. Atherosclerotic plaques are deposits of fatty materials, cholesterol, and other material that form in the blood vessel walls over years. As these plaques accumulate, they constrict the blood vessels and raise blood pressure resistance, which causes blood pressure to rise.
Arterial Stiffness: With enlarging size of the atherosclerotic plaques and with enlarging stiffness of the arteries, the latter lose their efficiency in expanding and contracting. Their stiffness also reduces their capacity to accommodate variation in blood pressure and flow, causing elevated blood pressure to persist.
3. Inflammation and Immune Response
Inflammatory Process: Oxidized LDL initiates inflammation by attracting immune cells (e.g., macrophages) to the site of oxidized cholesterol. The immune cells attempt to remove the oxidized LDL, but in the process, they secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines and growth factors that further damage the walls of the blood vessels.
Chronic Inflammation: One of the chief causes of hypertension initiation and progression is the chronic inflammation brought on by oxidized cholesterol. Markers of inflammation can cause smooth muscle cells lining the blood vessels to contract, thereby increasing vascular tone and causing blood pressure to rise.
4. Impaired Nitric Oxide Production
Nitric Oxide (NO): Nitric oxide is a molecule generated by the endothelium that dilates blood vessels and sustains blood pressure through vasodilation (enlargement of the blood vessels). It is a crucial molecule for the preservation of normal blood pressure.
Effect of Oxidized Cholesterol: Oxidized LDL reduces the amount of nitric oxide, which cannot lead to vasodilation. As a result, the blood vessels cannot relax to normal, and vascular resistance rises with increased blood pressure.
5. Role in the Progression of Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic Syndrome: Both oxidized cholesterol and elevated blood pressure are included in metabolic syndrome, a collection of conditions that increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, stroke, and heart disease. Oxidized cholesterol is generally increased in metabolic syndrome, and it can induce both elevated blood pressure and the insulin resistance typical of this syndrome.
6. Effect on the Renin-Angiotensin System
Renin-Angiotensin System: This is a hormone system that regulates blood pressure and fluid balance. When the blood pressure drops, the kidneys secrete renin, triggering the formation of angiotensin II, a molecule that narrows blood vessels and increases blood pressure.
Role of Oxidized Cholesterol: There has been some evidence suggesting that oxidized cholesterol may activate the renin-angiotensin system to cause vasoconstriction and increased blood pressure. This may exacerbate hypertension, particularly among individuals who have high levels of oxidized cholesterol.
Conclusion
The relationship between oxidized cholesterol and high blood pressure is multifaceted, involving endothelial dysfunction, increased inflammation, and vascular damage. Oxidized LDL is a contributor to the development of atherosclerosis (plaque in arteries), which narrows and hardens blood vessels, increases resistance to blood flow, and increases blood pressure. Oxidized cholesterol also impairs the activity of the endothelium to produce nitric oxide, which is required for relaxation of blood vessels and control of blood pressure. These cumulative findings highlight the dramatic role that oxidized cholesterol plays in the development and creation of high blood pressure.
Ironbound™ A Strategy For The Management Of Hemochromatosis By Shelly Manning if you are suffering from the problems caused by the health condition of HCT due to excess amount of iron in your body then instead of using harmful chemical-based drugs and medications you are recommended to follow the program offered in Ironbound Shelly Manning, an eBook. In this eBook, she has discussed 5 superfoods and other methods to help you in reducing the level of iron in your body in a natural manner. Many people are benefited from this program after following it consistently.