Here are some information about ingredients and concepts regarding these products

About lipoproteins (HDL and LDL) 

Proteins are big molecules consisting of one or more chaines of amino acids. When there are more than one chain, these are bound together with chemical bonds.  The chains are also folded in several ways so that they have a more or less compact structure.

Proteins and other substances with big molecules can be separated from each other by hard tumbling or sentrifugation, Some of thos will then be psuhed pulled towards the periphery than others. Those that are pulled faster and longer than others are said to have the greatest density. This tendency is tightly associated with the compactness of the molecule.

Some proteins can bind to themselves cholesterole and fat molecules. Such a combination of fatty substances and protein are called a lipoproteins. The fat and cholesterole carried by the blood from place to place bound to protein molecules, The fat under trasnport and the proteins carrying it constitute together lipoprotein units.

Lipoproteins have a water-soluble surface composed of phospholipids and proteins (apolipoprotein) and a hydrofob core consisting of esterifisert cholesterol and triglycerides.

The lipoproteins found in the blood are generally of two density types as seen by centrifugation, High Density Lipoproteins or HDL and Low Density Lipoproteins or LDL

LDL has a tendency to deliver the fatty substances to the blood vessel walls. HDL has a tendency to take fatty substances away form blood vessel walls. Both HDL and LDL are necessary in the blood, but if it is too much LDL in comparison to HDL, two low HDL/LDL-ration, or too high LDL/HDL-ratio, the risk of getting clogged blood vessels and coronary heart problems will be increased.

About cholesterole

Cholesterol is a lipid (fat-like substance) found in all mammalian cells. The name derives from the Greek Chole meaning bile and stereo, fixed.  When first identified, the substance was found in solid form in the gall stones. The chemical suffix-ol tells that the molechule contains hydroxyl groups "-OH".

 
Cholesterole uptake, transport and production physiology

Cholesterol is a Sterol (undergrupppe of steroids) and synthesized primarily in the liver. It is an important building block for all cell membranes and the precursor of sex hormones, corticosteroids, bile salts and vitamin D. Although cholesterol can be synthesized by the body's own cells, is also slightly raised from the diet.

Cholesterol is virtually insoluble in water and consequently also in the blood. Therefore cholesterole is carried around in the blood by proteins and the combination of these proteins and fatty substances like cholesterole constitute lipoproteins.

The most cholesterol-rich of lipoproteins are of the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) type, and these contain 70% of cholesterol in the blood. LDL-cholesterol is often referred to as the "bad cholesterol" because the increased concentration of LDL-cholesterol is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Cholesterole is necessary for the body. If the body does not get enough choleesterole, it makes it from saturated fat. It is bad only when it is too much of it. It gets too much if if one onsume too much cholesterole-rich food or too much saturated fat.

The role of cholesterole in the body

Cholesterole is a component of all cell membranes. It gives the membrane the righ flexibility at several temperatures, and thus it is important for all processes where the cell membrane must be flexible, for example by invagination to take up other substances from outside the cell.

It is used by the liver to make bile salts. These salts help to dissolve fat in the digestive process.

 It is used to make many important hormones, for example the homone cortisol of the adrenal glands and the sex hormones.

About high blood cholesterol content

High content of cholesterole and fat in the blood increases the risk of atherosclerosis and other diseases in the blood vessels and diseases in the heart due to problems with the heart's own blood vessels. This tisk is even more increased when the ratio of LDL to HDL is elevated.

High cholesterole and lipid level has both lifestyle, including diateray, and heriditary origine.

It was known already in 1913 that cholesterole-rich diet leads to increased cholesterol in the blood, and atherosclerosis.Keys in his "Seven Countries Study" in the 1950eths that there was a correlation between high intake of saturated fats, high blood cholesterol in the blood and high mortality of cardiovascular disease (Keys et al., 1967). Trans fat also increases LDL-cholesterol in the blood, while fiber and plant sterols have a beneficial effect on cholesterol levels.

There are several forms of inherited high cholesterol. The most common of these is familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) caused by mutations in the LDL-receptor gene (Goldstein et al., 2001). LDL receptors has a mission of removing cholesterol-containing LDL particles from blood, and when these do not work optimally, the LDL-cholesterol level in the blood becomes elevated. It is estimated that approximately one person out of 300 have FH.


 

Treatment of high cholesterole levels

Changeing the lifestyle and especially the diet is the most important way for most people to reduce the content of cholesterole in the blood. Such diet measures are: Reducing the total fat content in the diet, increasing the intake of mono-unsaturated fat and omega-3-fat, stop using trans-fat or food containining trans-fat, increasing the fibre intake, increasing the consume of sterole-rich food, reguler physical exercise.

For people suffering from heriditary hypercholesterolemia, lifestyle changes will often not be enough, and drugs of various kind kan the be of additive help.

Statins are the most common form of cholesterol-lowering medication. These work by reducing the cell's own production of cholesterol by inhibiting the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase. When the cells are unable to produce cholesterol itself, they increase instead the uptake of cholesterol-rich LDL particles from blood. A moderate dose statin can reduce LDL cholesterol by 30% (Edwards and Moore, 2003). They also increase the number of LDL-receptors in the liver.

Other cholesterol-lowering medications are ezetemibe, nicotinic acid and bile acid inhibitors.

Ezetrol (Ezetimibe) is marketed by the company Schering-Plow. Ezetrol ® is used to treat patients with FH (familial hypercholesterolemia) or patients with cardiovascular disease and / or diabetes or patients with high risk of developing cardiovascular disease and who also have elevated cholesterol. Ezetrol ® works by blocking the absorption of cholesterol in the gut that comes from both the bile (liver) and from the diet. Drug available in tablet form with a strength of 10mg which is also the daily dose.

The drug is given alone or in combination with a statin. Such combinatory therapy seems to work best.

About Taurine

Taurine (C2H7NO3S) or 2-aminoetanesulfonsyre is an organic acid (derived from the amino acids) as human and animal form in the bile. The name comes from the Latin taurus (bull), as the drug was first discovered in the bile of an ox (Bos taurus). The substance is found in all animal foods.

Taurine is essential for cats, who cannot create this themselves. Lack of taurine in cats can lead to serious diseases, including lack of vision and blindness, heart problems, and reduced fertility. Therefore, taurine is supplied in commercial cat food.

Taurine has recently become a popular ingredient in energy drinks such as Red Bull. The substance has no documented stimulative effects. It is unclear why taurine is included in energy drinks, but taurine has a slightly inhibitory effect on nerve signals. This can help to reduce tremor in the consumption of high doses of caffeine, such as energy drinks often contain. Taurine is claimed also to be able to bind water in the brain, which can counteract the diuretic effect of caffeine.

Taurine is also used as nutritional supplements for body builders in combination with creatine, partly due to recent studies showing that taurine in mice counteracts muscle fatigue under physical stress and increases endurance. There have also been articles in several health and fitness magazines that claim that taurine increases the blood level in the body. This causes the muscles more easily get the supply of oxygen.

The most useful effect of taurine, however, is the effect to treat heart disease and diseases in the blood circulation system.

In Japan, taurine therapy is used in the treatment of ischemic heart disease with supplements of 5–6 grams daily in three divided doses. Low taurine and magnesium levels were found in patients after heart attacks.

Taurine has potential in the treatment of arrhythmias, especially arrhythmias secondary to ischemia. People with congestive heart failure have also responded to a dosage of 2 grams three times daily with improved cardiac and respiratory function. Other possible cardiovascular uses of taurine include hypertension, possibly related to effects in the renin-angiotensin system of the kidneys, and in patients with high cholesterol levels.