Sky High LDL and No Heart Disease? Results from Dave Feldman’s New Study

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Apr 7, 2025

In this engaging discussion, Dave Feldman, an engineer and CEO of the Citizen Science Foundation, challenges conventional wisdom about LDL cholesterol. He reveals fascinating insights from his latest study, showing that lean mass hyper-responders on ketogenic diets can exhibit elevated LDL without increased heart disease risk. The conversation delves into the importance of ApoB over LDL, the complexities of cardiovascular health, and the necessity for individualized risk assessments. Feldman's work encourages a reevaluation of how we view cholesterol in relation to metabolic health.

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INSIGHT

Baseline LDL and Plaque

Baseline scans of LMHRs on a ketogenic diet revealed no association between high LDL and existing plaque.
This was further confirmed by comparing with a control group from the Miami Heart study, which had much lower LDL but similar plaque levels.

INSIGHT

LDL, ApoB, and Plaque Progression

Contrary to expectations, the study found no correlation between LDL or ApoB levels and plaque progression in LMHRs on a keto diet.
This challenges the assumption that high LDL in this population necessarily leads to increased risk of heart disease.

INSIGHT

Saturated Fat and ApoB

The study showed no correlation between saturated fat intake and ApoB levels in LMHRs on a keto diet.
This challenges the common belief that saturated fat is the primary driver of elevated LDL in this population.

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Is LDL cholesterol the best way to measure and predict heart disease?

New research suggests no!

Dave Feldman is an engineer turned citizen scientist who has devoted his life to understanding a phenomenon that some individuals around the world are experiencing: a robust increase in LDL cholesterol while on a ketogenic diet.

Dave’s past research has identified a unique phenotype dubbed Lean Mass Hyper-Responders (LMHRs). LMHRs respond to ketogenic therapy with a metabolic profile that includes elevated LDL-C and ApoB levels with otherwise healthy metabolic markers, including low triglycerides, high HDL, low blood pressure, low insulin resistance, and low BMI.

In Dave’s most recent publication, what most doctors would consider dangerously high LDL levels in LMHRs did not correlate with an increased risk of heart disease.

In this video, Dr. Bret Scher sits down with Dave Feldman to discuss this groundbreaking study and its implications for ketogenic therapy and cardiology.

Key Takeaways:

LMHRs on a long-term ketogenic diet who show elevated LDL can show robust metabolic health
LDL-C and ApoB were not linked to plaque progression in LMHRs
Existing plaque did predict future plaque accumulation in LMHRs
Individualized approaches to cardiovascular risk assessment are crucial to serve this group better.

🎬 These exciting new findings are featured in Dave Feldman and Jen Isenhart’s upcoming documentary, The Cholesterol Code, the story of how one engineer’s health experiment sparks a global investigation, exposing myths about cholesterol and reshaping our understanding of heart health. Real stories of healing from disease with ketogenic diets provide a blueprint for using food as powerful medicine.

Visit cholesterolcodemovie.com to learn more about the film and to be the first to hear about private screenings and the general release in the fall.

Expert Featured:

Dave FeldmanCEO, Citizen Science Foundation

https://x.com/realDaveFeldman

Cholesterol Code website: https://cholesterolcode.com/

Resources Mentioned:

Coronary Artery Plaque Progression in Asymptomatic Lean Mass Hyper-Responders: A Case Series

https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jacadv.2025.101686

CMEs Mentioned:

Managing Major Mental Illness with Dietary Change: The New Science of Hope

https://www.mycme.com/courses/managing-major-mental-illness-with-dietary-change-9616

Brain Energy: The Metabolic Theory of Mental Illness

https://www.mycme.com/courses/brain-energy-the-metabolic-theory-of-mental-illness-9615

Follow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry.

Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and find helpful resources at https://metabolicmind.org/

About us:Metabolic Mind is a non-profit initiative of Baszucki Group working to transform the study and treatment of mental disorders by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. We leverage the science of metabolic psychiatry and personal stories to offer education, community, and hope to people struggling with mental health challenges and those who care for them.

Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or healthcare advice nor establishing a provider-patient relationship. Many of the interventions we discuss can have dramatic or potentially dangerous effects if done without proper supervision. Consult your healthcare provider before changing your lifestyle or medications.