What Is LDL Cholesterol?

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The first important distinction that needs to be made is that something like LDL cholesterol relates to the cholesterol content within a certain particle that we call a lipoprotein. And so already now we have a few different branches that we should maybe highlight for people to keep track of, but I don't know if there's any particular points we need to hammer on. The main kind of additional point is with the distinction between LDL and HDL as lipoproteins, I think the best way for listeners to conceptualize the importance of the difference is each of these as forward cholesterol transport and reverse cholesterol transport.

In Episode #231, I sit down with Dr Alan Flanagan and Danny Lennon to examine cholesterol, statins, the ketogenic diet, and longevity. Dr Alan Flanagan and Danny Lennon address whether cholesterol matters if you’re metabolically healthy, why our veins don’t get atherosclerosis, and why our body makes cholesterol if it’s “bad for us”. They also offer advice on dietary adjustments you can make regardless of your dietary pattern, claims by social media “health gurus”, and much more.

LDL cholesterol has been making waves on social media in recent years. With some diet camps making bold claims about its relevance and the apparently open-ended nature of the evidence, many folks are no doubt left unsure of how important cholesterol levels really are. In this episode, I’m joined by Danny Lennon and Dr Alan Flanagan to consider the role and importance of LDL cholesterol as we recap what the literature says.

Specifically, we discuss:

Intro (0:00)
Basics of Cardiovascular Health (4:29)
ApoB for Predicting Disease (12:18)
Heart Disease: Where things go wrong (23:23)
What Causes Artery Damage? (38:47)
Paul Saladino Claims (50:36)
Is low cholesterol a problem? (1:04:07)
Future of Gene Editing (1:27:12)
Veins vs Arteries (1:32:28)
Diet Claims (1:41:08)
Healthy Keto Diet (1:54:08)
MCT Oil (2:00:02)
Healthy Fats (2:03:28)
Final Thoughts (2:09:54)
Outro (2:19:05)

You can find Dr Alan Flanagan on Instagram, and learn more about Alinea Nutrition at https://www.alineanutrition.com/. Listen to his previous appearances on the show in Episode #159, Episode #225, and Episode #227.

To connect with Danny Lennon, head to his on Instagram and Twitter. Make sure to check out the Sigma Nutrition website and podcast. Danny previously appeared on The Proof in Episode #173.

Discover additional resources, supporting studies, and more insights in the full show notes.

Enjoy, friends.

Simon

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Simon Hill, Msc, Bsc (Hons)

Creator of TheProof.com and host of The Proof with Simon Hill

Author of The Proof is in the Plants

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