Debunking Health Myths: Digging into the Truth About LDL Cholesterol, Heart Disease, & Keto Diet with Dave Feldman
Mar 4, 2024
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Topics include debunking health myths around high LDL cholesterol, the impact of ketogenic diets on cholesterol levels, the Oreo experiment challenging traditional perspectives, the nuances of LDL and plaque formation, and the impact of diets on LDL cholesterol levels.
High LDL in metabolically healthy individuals may be a physiological response, not pathological.
On a ketogenic diet, high LDL with high HDL and low triglycerides needs context.
Oreo experiment showcased LDL decrease on high cholesterol diet, questioning cholesterol effects.
Understanding metabolic health, dietary interventions, and inflammatory markers is crucial for cardiovascular health.
Deep dives
The Hypothesis around LDL Cholesterol
On this episode, a hypothesis around LDL and LDL cholesterol is discussed. The hypothesis suggests that higher levels of cholesterol may be physiological rather than pathological, particularly in individuals on a ketogenic diet.
Rethinking the Connection to Heart Disease
The podcast challenges the prevailing view that all high levels of LDL cholesterol are necessarily bad. It emphasizes the need to consider the specific context, especially for individuals on a ketogenic diet with high LDL but also high HDL and low triglycerides.
The Oreo Cookies Experiment
A notable experiment involving consuming Oreo cookies above a ketogenic diet showed a significant decrease in LDL cholesterol, highlighting the potential physiological aspects of cholesterol levels and how they are influenced by different dietary interventions.
Addressing the Impact on Cardiovascular Health
The podcast discusses the importance of investigating the link between metabolic health, dietary interventions, and cholesterol levels on cardiovascular health. It touches on the significance of inflammatory markers, fasted insulin levels, as well as the value of comprehensive lipid profiles in assessing overall health.
Conclusion
The episode sheds light on the complexities surrounding LDL cholesterol, challenges traditional views, and emphasizes the need for a more nuanced understanding of how cholesterol levels are influenced by various factors, including diet, metabolic health, and inflammatory markers.
Importance of Insulin Levels and Vitamin D
It is important to maintain low insulin levels in the morning, as elevated insulin levels after a period of inactivity can be detrimental. Similarly, ensuring adequate Vitamin D levels is crucial due to the limited exposure to sunlight in modern lifestyles, highlighting the significance of outdoor time and proper sunlight exposure for overall health.
Endothelial Lining and Cardiovascular Health
The health of the endothelial lining, the single cell layer that lines arteries, plays a crucial role in cardiovascular health. Disruption of this lining due to chronic inflammation and unhealthy lifestyle behaviors can lead to plaque formation. Factors like chronic inflammation, excessive sugar intake, insufficient sunlight exposure, and sedentary lifestyles can contribute to endothelial damage, emphasizing the need for a holistic approach to heart health.
Navigating LDL and Health Interventions
Individuals navigating their LDL levels, especially lean mass hyper responders, face challenges in balancing cholesterol management. Considerations such as genetic predispositions, metabolic health, dietary choices, and personalized interventions like using ezetimibe to lower LDL levels while monitoring other markers like APOB are essential for informed health decisions. Engaging in research, seeking expert opinions, and leveraging community support can aid in understanding and optimizing cardiovascular health.
The current thoughts around LDL cholesterol center on the fact that there is no scenario in which high LDL numbers could occur in healthy individuals. Traditionally, the belief is high levels of LDL can lead to a greater risk of cardiovascular disease regardless of metabolic health. Today’s guest is here to share his hypothesis and research on how higher cholesterol levels in metabolically fit individuals could be a physiological response rather than a pathological response that can lead to disease.
Today on The Dhru Purohit Show, Dhru sits down with Dave Feldman to discuss high levels of LDL in metabolically healthy individuals. Dave shares the current research on high LDL and cardiovascular disease in individuals eating a ketogenic diet. He also shares his personal approach to focusing on metabolic health and the key markers critical to overall health. Dave discusses the process and findings of the Oreo experiment conducted by his colleague and explains why this experiment further proves their hypothesis on how LDL particles move through the body.
Dave Feldman is a software and platform engineer, entrepreneur, and founder of the Citizen Science Foundation. Through a series of self-experiments and partnering with formal researchers, he has since published the "Lipid Energy Model," which may explain this phenomenon.
In this episode, Dhru and Dave dive into (audio version / Apple Subscriber version):
Dave’s hypothesis on LDL (00:24 /00:24)
Rethinking our approach to high LDL (2:17 / 2:17)
The research on high LDL and cardiovascular disease (10:00 / 6:48)
The Oreo experiment and what it shows about fat adaptation (17:23 / 13:45)
The pushback to lean mass hyper responder (27:36 / 24:15)
Soft plaque versus hard plaque and the risk of cardiovascular disease (37:50 / 35:04)
Dave’s personal approach in focusing on overall metabolic health (51:42 / 48:30)
Fasting Insulin and Vitamin D (59:33 / 53:45)
Endothelial health and cardiovascular health (1:03:28 / 57:45)
The vegan’s twin study and the correlation to LDL (1:21:17 / 1:15:49)
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