Good cholesterol may not cure all!!!

A recent computer analysis of 20 studies done in the UK that was published in the medical journal The  Lancet showed that genetically high HDL or “good” cholesterol gives you the same risk of heart attack as having a normal level.  Understandably, more research needs to be done to prove this, but it is an interesting find and it may be a good thing.

 What you ask? How can this be a good thing?  Before going into this, let’s review what cholesterol is and what it does. 

Cholesterol is a lipid just like fat, fatty acids, and triglycerides.  Because lipids are hydrophobic they must bind to proteins to be carried throughout the body.  Cholesterol is carried by lipoproteins.  There are many, but the main concern is with low density and high density lipoproteins or LDL (bad) and HDL (good).  LDL carries cholesterol to the periphery while HDL carries it away from the periphery to the liver.  The cholesterol that is delivered to the periphery can be deposited in the arteries causing atherosclerosis.  This is why HDL is thought to be good, but with this new finding it may lead to us finding out that it’s not so great.    

Why is this a good thing?  Because we realize that a lot of medication could possibly be pointless.  I’m not saying to stop taking your medication.  Pharmaceutical companies have been searching for drugs to help raise HDL levels for a while now.  This could eliminate the need create a drug that might not work and could cost patients lots of money.  High HDL levels have been found in people who live a healthy lifestyle.  It may be other things that are protecting healthy people from atherosclerosis.  Exercise itself lowers triglycerides, postprandial lipemia, and increases lipoprotein enzyme activity affecting the way your body handles cholesterol. 

But it also increases insulin sensitivity, lowers blood pressure, helps prevent colon and breast cancer, eases arthritic pain, slows osteoporosis, prevents Alzheimer’s disease, relieves stress and anxiety, and the list goes on and on.  How many drugs would it take to relieve the symptoms (not the cause) of these conditions?  Maybe the public will consider living healthier lifestyle rather than just taking a pill for everything.   

Kettlebells may have similar results as weightlifting for power gain but not for strength.

To build off of the “Training Tools” article, a recent study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning compared weightlifting and the use of kettlebells on vertical jump and strength. 

The study consisted of 30 men ages 19-26 with at least one year’s experience in resistance training.   There were two groups.  One group performed swings, accelerated swings, and goblet squats using a 16 kg kettlebell.  The weightlifting group performed high pulls, power clean, and back squats using a barbell.  The groups trained twice a week for six weeks.  A similar progressive overload training volume was used for both groups.

The kettlebell group improved at 1RM in squat by 4.5% while the weightlifting group improved by 13.6%.  There was no significant difference in vertical jump or power clean performance, but each group had a significant gain in vertical jump. 

The biggest issue in this study was the difference in weights used.  Only a 16 kg kettlebell was used.  Using a heavier kettlebell may have changed the results.  Also, power cleans are a very difficult technique that take a lot of time to perfect.  The lack of experience may have been a factor. 

Looking at the data, it could be possible to improve power to a similar degree with kettlebells as it would with power cleans, but more likely with beginners.  Although, goblet squats are excellent for teaching and perfecting squatting technique, a heavy bar across the back while squatting is much more effective for gaining strength.

Refeerence

Otto, W.H., Coburn, J.W., Brown, L.E., and Spiering, B.A. Effects of Weightlifting vs. Kettlebell Training on Vertical Jump, Strength, and Body Composition.  J Strength Cond Res.   26(5): 1199-1202. 2012.