Prevention of Cholesterol Absorption

The prevention of cholesterol absorption into the blood is a method of treating hypercholesterolemia (high levels of cholesterol in the blood), which can lead to cardiovascular disease, diabetes and other health problems. There are three basic ways to prevent or treat cholesterol absorption: diet, exercise and medications known as cholesterol absorption inhibitors. Cholesterol absorption into the bloodstream occurs in the small intestine, and Ezetimibe is the only absorption inhibitor that has been clinically proven to help prevent this process from occurring.

Diet

• The Mayo Clinic has indicated five foods that can help lower levels of low-density lipoproteins (LDLs, also know as "bad cholesterol" because they enable fats and cholesterol to enter in the bloodstream). These foods include oat bran and oatmeal, which are high in soluble fiber; almonds and walnuts, which contain polyunsaturated fatty acids that are beneficial for the health and elasticity of blood vessels; fish, which contains omega-3 fatty acids that can aid in the reduction of blood pressure and blood clotting; olive oil, which contains antioxidants that can lower levels of LDLs; and plant sterols or stanols, which can be found in margarine, orange juice and yogurt drinks and can also help in reducing LDLs. Foods that contain high levels of saturated and trans fats (i.e., store-bought cookies, crackers, cakes, meats, oils) should be avoided because they can elevate levels of cholesterol absorption into the bloodstream.

Exercise

• A 2009 study by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign titled "Effects of Endurance Exercise Training on Markers of Cholesterol Absorption and Synthesis" aimed to explore the link between exercise and cholesterol homeostasis (the control of cholesterol levels). The study concluded that cardiovascular exercise training can lower levels of LDLs and increase levels of high-density lipoproteins (HDLs, also known as "good cholesterol" because it has the ability to lower levels of LDLs).

Medications

• Ezetimibe is a medication that is used specifically to lower levels of absorption of cholesterol in the small intestine, which will in turn lower a patient's overall level of LDLs. A 2008 study by the Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research in San Antonio, Texas titled "The Effect of Ezetimibe on Plasma Cholesterol Levels, Cholesterol Absorption, and Secretion of Biliary Cholesterol in Laboratory Opossums with High and Low Responses to Dietary Cholesterol" attempted to determine the efficacy of ezetimibe on cholesterol absorption in opossums. The researchers concluded that ezetimibe is effective in lowering the absorption of cholesterol in the small intestine, which in turn lowered levels of plasma cholesterol. Ezetimibe is currently the only medication available that has been clinically shown to reduce the level of cholesterol absorption.