The International Network of Cholesterol Skeptics
Encyclopedia
The International Network of Cholesterol Skeptics (or THINCS) is a group of scientists, physicians, and other academicians from around the world who dispute the widely accepted lipid hypothesis
of atherosclerosis
. THINCS was founded in January 2003, and its founder and current spokesman is Uffe Ravnskov
.
and high cholesterol
play a role in the causation of atherosclerosis
and cardiovascular disease
, has gained general acceptance in the medical and scientific communities. Currently, there is scientific consensus
that the lipid hypothesis has been validated.
For example, in 1984, a National Institutes of Health
consensus development conference found that:
The success of cholesterol-lowering medication
such as statin
s in preventing heart attacks has been seen as further validation of the lipid hypothesis.
THINCS members dispute this consensus and assert that the lipid hypothesis is not adequately proven by the evidence. They point to a number of studies which, in their view, either contradict the lipid hypothesis or show it to be inconclusive.
The THINCS website front page stated in June 2008:
The members of THINCS have various differring hypotheses on the actual causes of heart disease, but all agree however in rejecting the lipid hypothesis, which they claim has repeatedly failed to be validated by scientific testing and research.
Lipid hypothesis
The lipid hypothesis was one of two hypotheses developed in the 1850s to explain the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis...
of atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis is a condition in which an artery wall thickens as a result of the accumulation of fatty materials such as cholesterol...
. THINCS was founded in January 2003, and its founder and current spokesman is Uffe Ravnskov
Uffe Ravnskov
Uffe Ravnskov is a Danish independent researcher, a member of various international scientific organisations, and a former private medical practitioner in Sweden...
.
Cholesterol controversy
Since the 1950s, the lipid hypothesis (also known as the "Diet-Heart Idea"), which posits that saturated fatSaturated fat
Saturated fat is fat that consists of triglycerides containing only saturated fatty acids. Saturated fatty acids have no double bonds between the individual carbon atoms of the fatty acid chain. That is, the chain of carbon atoms is fully "saturated" with hydrogen atoms...
and high cholesterol
Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a complex isoprenoid. Specifically, it is a waxy steroid of fat that is produced in the liver or intestines. It is used to produce hormones and cell membranes and is transported in the blood plasma of all mammals. It is an essential structural component of mammalian cell membranes...
play a role in the causation of atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis is a condition in which an artery wall thickens as a result of the accumulation of fatty materials such as cholesterol...
and cardiovascular disease
Cardiovascular disease
Heart disease or cardiovascular disease are the class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels . While the term technically refers to any disease that affects the cardiovascular system , it is usually used to refer to those related to atherosclerosis...
, has gained general acceptance in the medical and scientific communities. Currently, there is scientific consensus
Scientific consensus
Scientific consensus is the collective judgment, position, and opinion of the community of scientists in a particular field of study. Consensus implies general agreement, though not necessarily unanimity. Scientific consensus is not by itself a scientific argument, and it is not part of the...
that the lipid hypothesis has been validated.
For example, in 1984, a National Institutes of Health
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...
consensus development conference found that:
The success of cholesterol-lowering medication
Hypolipidemic agent
Hypolipidemic agents, or antihyperlipidemic agents, are a diverse group of pharmaceuticals that are used in the treatment of hyperlipidemias. They are called lipid-lowering drugs or agents.- Classes of hypolipidemic drugs :...
such as statin
Statin
Statins are a class of drugs used to lower cholesterol levels by inhibiting the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase, which plays a central role in the production of cholesterol in the liver. Increased cholesterol levels have been associated with cardiovascular diseases, and statins are therefore used in the...
s in preventing heart attacks has been seen as further validation of the lipid hypothesis.
THINCS members dispute this consensus and assert that the lipid hypothesis is not adequately proven by the evidence. They point to a number of studies which, in their view, either contradict the lipid hypothesis or show it to be inconclusive.
The THINCS website front page stated in June 2008:
The members of THINCS have various differring hypotheses on the actual causes of heart disease, but all agree however in rejecting the lipid hypothesis, which they claim has repeatedly failed to be validated by scientific testing and research.
Further reading
- Uffe Ravnskov, MD, PhDUffe RavnskovUffe Ravnskov is a Danish independent researcher, a member of various international scientific organisations, and a former private medical practitioner in Sweden...
, The Cholesterol Myths: Exposing the Fallacy that Saturated Fat and Cholesterol Cause Heart Disease (2000), ISBN 0-96708-970-0, ISBN 978-0967089706. - Malcolm Kendrick , MDMalcolm KendrickMalcolm Kendrick is a Scottish doctor and author of The Great Cholesterol Con . He has been a general practitioner for over 25 years and has worked with the European Society of Cardiology....
, The Great Cholesterol Con: The Truth About What Really Causes Heart Disease and How to Avoid It (2007), ISBN 1-84454-360-9, ISBN 978-1844543601.
External links
- The International Network of Cholesterol Skeptics (Official website)
- The Great Cholesterol Myth - Spiked Online essay
- Coronary Heart Disease Explained, from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood InstituteNational Heart, Lung, and Blood InstituteThe National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute is a division of the National Institutes of Health, located in Bethesda, Maryland...