Eating right and getting good exercise have been shown pretty conclusively to protect against all sorts of bad diseases and conditions, including high cholesterol.
For those unwilling or unable to do that, however, there may be another option in the near future:
Researchers with the University of New Mexico are developing a new vaccine that could revolutionize treatment for high cholesterol. According to the university, the vaccine blocks the protein responsible for heightened cholesterol levels, thus lowering the chances of having a heart attack or stroke.
The vaccine "is created by placing tiny pieces of the PCSK9 protein on a non-infectious virus particle." When one's immune system is exposed to the particle, "it can build a strong antibody response to it, allowing the body to eventually fight against the protein and lower LDL cholesterol levels on its own."
A press release from UNM described it thusly:
Basically, the more PCSK9 your body makes, the higher your LDL cholesterol will be. ...
"So, your immune system makes a really strong antibody response against this protein that's involved in controlling cholesterol levels," [cardiologist Abinash Achrekar] said. "In the animals that we vaccinated, we see strong reductions in cholesterol levels - up to 30% - and that is going to be correlated with reduced risk of heart disease."
Okay, so it's not quite as simple as taking a jab right before you walk into the Taco Bell.
But it's still pretty cool medical technology.
If you're too lazy to hit the gym and eat right!
The vaccine has shown promising results on mice and monkeys and it may be "almost as effective" as the more expensive cholesterol drugs currently on the market.
The vaccine could, once developed, cost around $100 per dose.
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