Grapefruit - the true magical fruit?

[PWMDMD]

Can you expound to include cholesterol and the myelin sheath connection with Alzheimer's? I'm asking due to reading some unsubstantiated reporting of the need for cholesterol at some level to protect the myelin sheath which correlated to lowering the risk of Alzheimer's. Hard to figure out what is accurate and what is not these days. If not a-ok, figured you might have some insight.

What I wrote about grapefruit and hypercholesterolemia is just good ol' basic pharmacology and physiology. I'm 18 years removed from school and treat children for a living and so my professional life has not intersected with the most current understanding of Alzheimers all that much.
I can say (and again this is just basic physiology and I have no knowledge of the veracity of the claims in question) the myelin sheath is dependent on cholesterol for its formation. People with a genetic predisposition for hypercholesterolemia usually make normal amounts of cholesterol in their livers and it's just not taken up by the peripheral cells. The HMG-CoA-reductase inhibitors attempt to reduce liver production of cholesterol even though it is typically normal because dietary restriction alone seems to do little - even normal amounts of liver-produced cholesterol is too much if you can't internalize it into the cell. What are the long-term effects of HMG-CoA-reductase inhibitors? No idea...my patients don't take them and I haven't read much about it since school

 

[BISCUT]

What I wrote about grapefruit and hypercholesterolemia is just good ol' basic pharmacology and physiology. I'm 18 years removed from school and treat children for a living and so my professional life has not intersected with the most current understanding of Alzheimers all that much.
I can say (and again this is just basic physiology and I have no knowledge of the veracity of the claims in question) the myelin sheath is dependent on cholesterol for its formation. People with a genetic predisposition for hypercholesterolemia usually make normal amounts of cholesterol in their livers and it's just not taken up by the peripheral cells. The HMG-CoA-reductase inhibitors attempt to reduce liver production of cholesterol even though it is typically normal because dietary restriction alone seems to do little - even normal amounts of liver-produced cholesterol is too much if you can't internalize it into the cell. What are the long-term effects of HMG-CoA-reductase inhibitors? No idea...my patients don't take them and I haven't read much about it since school

Thank you for taking the time...appreciate it.

 

[Pablo]

Wow - serious knowledge there. Thank you for posting.

 

[Pablo]

Compounds in grapefruit can greatly affect one’s CYP450 enzymes. Statins are one usually affected; narcotics and opioids usually are as well- the enzymatic breakdown of the drugs are impeded, so the effects last longer and can cause problems depending on dosage. Famotidine is another compound that can cause issues as well. Everything that happens in your body is affected by the CYP450 enzymes, so some people are more susceptible to interactions. This issue is usually overlooked by most doctors, and can result in serious complications or death.

Some people who could be considered as “abusing” narcotics will consume large amounts of grapefruit or famotidine before taking the narcotics in order to block the enzyme action and amplify the effects of drugs.

No idea that was a thing.

I am glad I can just take 1/2 - 1 grapefruit when they are good (like now). Toward summer they seem to be not so good - the fruit that make it up here.

 

[Pablo]

Heard that Blueberries/Blackberries were the magical fruit.

True enough for other reasons and we have plenty here!!

 

[Malo83]

15 Berries With Major Health Benefits

These little fruits offer a lot of nutrition in a small, sweet package. Use WebMD's slideshow as a guide to checking out the health benefits you may get when you treat yourself to a bowl of berries.

www.webmd.com

 

[vavavroom]

AM ate a grapefruit once.

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

No idea that was a thing.

I am glad I can just take 1/2 - 1 grapefruit when they are good (like now). Toward summer they seem to be not so good - the fruit that make it up here.

Grapefruit is one of my favorite fruits. I enjoy the tartness. Ruby Red slices so cold they’re nearly frozen are delish!

 

[atikovi]

A few meds. Do you take any of those? I certainly don't.

10 or maybe 15 years ago cholesterol was in the mid to upper 200's. Taking a 5 mg daily dose has dropped it under 200 in most every blood test since. Don't really care for the bitter taste most grapefruit has so I don't miss it at all.

 

[WeyounDS9]

Grapefruit interacts badly with several other meds besides statins. It contains an enzyme that other citrus fruits do not. Typically grapefruit either blocks the effects of the meds, or it greatly magnifies the effects much like taking an overdose of that drug.

Interesting....
I will have to look into that.

 

[AZjeff]

Heard that Blueberries/Blackberries were the magical fruit.

Always heard it was something else. The more you eat the more you ......

I enjoy grapefruit but haven't had any since starting on a statin for hereditary (slighty) high colesterol. Just checked and dang it's on the list of affected meds. Maybe I can switch. Thanks for bringing this up.

 

[Thebigm]

I had heard that but why not?

Better to get healthy and not have to take statins

Just about everyone would benefit from being on a Statin

 

[AutoMechanic]

I’ll pass on the grapefruit. Can cantaloupe or oranges be magical? Lol. Even though I like to eat so that would not be good for me.

 

[vavavroom]

I’ll pass on

Maybe not if you eat your citrus!

 

[vavavroom]

I'm only half joking.

 

[Pablo]

I'm only half joking.

Half a grapefruit coming up!

 

[benjy]

like them but just dont bother! most cholesterol is, from reading is a SCAM + rarely is the different forms correctly tested as docs + big pharma have a CASH COW $$$$$$ giving it to many unneeded IMO + that of many nutritional pros, very controversial for sure!! you NEED cholesterol for many things or you will DIE!! a friends chlor was 98 when he had a second heart attack!!! there is a lot of outdated info on it that scares people along with the docs that PUSH it $$$$

 

[mr_boring]

I can eat blueberries all day long and be happy (cherries too) but if I eat a bite of grapefruit or ingest even a little of the juice it's like Mt. Vesuvius outta my exit ramp. I've got to be careful with OJ too. I can drink a little or eat a small orange but that's a roll of the dice.

 

[hrv]

Best to Google it. I don't remember the details.

O you mean Doctor Google....

 

[hrv]

Heard that Blueberries/Blackberries were the magical fruit.

So are red grapes with seeds...