Case Report: Effects of Diet on Hypercholesterolemia.

A 57-year-old White female was diagnosed with high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). By manipulating her diet, she was able to reduce her LDL-C from its highest level of 262 mg/dL to 138 mg/dL and her total cholesterol from 317 to 229 mg/dL. This approximately 50% reduction was achieved within a 6-month period. By researching the biochemical processes of foods that lower cholesterol, we were able to identify the ideal combinations of food types, consumption frequencies, and amounts that led to the decreased LDL-C. We found the effects of these foods on cholesterol have already been researched and established for years. The subject kept daily diet logs for an entire year, through which we could approximately quantify the consumption of saturated fat and cholesterol, foods with phytosterols, and overall calorie intake. This case implies that diet prescription alone may reduce LDL-C for some individuals. The consideration of cholesterol-lowering medications should not overshadow the importance of the well-researched effects that certain foods have on lowering LDL-C and the benefit they have for an individual's overall health.