Is having super low LDL cholesterol healthy?

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Lowering LDL cholesterol to super low levels is not unhealthy. Cholesterol is important for hormone production and brain health, but it is not necessary to rely on LDL cholesterol circulating in the blood for these functions. Observational studies have shown a higher risk of mortality among individuals with the lowest cholesterol levels, but this does not apply to LDL cholesterol levels achieved through medication. Medications such as Rapatha can effectively lower LDL cholesterol to very low levels without adverse outcomes like increased dementia or brain bleeds. It is safe to lower LDL cholesterol in adults, including cardiac patients, as newborns require higher cholesterol levels for their brain development. The body can produce cholesterol if needed, and low LDL cholesterol does not impact testosterone levels or the functioning of cell membranes. LDL cholesterol levels do not affect brain cholesterol, as these are separate entities.

In Episode #244, cardiologist Dr Mohammed Alo joins me to talk about cardiovascular disease myths, many of which he has been brilliantly covering on Tik Tok over the past year.

Is it perfectly ok to eat a lot of saturated fat and red meat if your triglycerides and HDL are normal? Does a coronary artery scan of zero mean we won’t have a heart attack? What’s better - a coronary artery scan or a CT angiogram for measuring plaque in our coronary arteries. Are statins beneficial? Is too low cholesterol a problem? Does this affect brain health and hormone production? Eggs, fish and fish oil, cooking oils - the list goes on.

Specifically, we discuss:

Intro (00:00)
Fighting Misinformation on Cardiovascular Disease and Nutrition (03:49)
TikTok and Cardiology: Reaching Diverse Audiences and Navigating Challenges (18:30)
The Risks of the Carnivore Diet and False Claims on LDL Cholesterol (26:50)
Atherosclerosis, Familial Hypercholesterolemia, and Treatment Options (36:30)
The Importance of Non-HDL Cholesterol as a Predictor of CVD (43:41)
Optimizing LDL Cholesterol Levels and Avoiding Unnecessary Medications (49:39)
Assessing Cardiovascular Risk in Prediabetes (55:21)
Cardiac Imaging and Detecting Heart Attack and Stroke Risk (57:24)
Artery Calcification in Endurance Athletes: Understanding Imaging Tests (1:08:48)
Debunking Myths on Coconut Oil and Fish Oil (1:20:02)
Oils of choice and Dr. Alo's stand on canola oil (1:30:00)
Eggs and Cholesterol: How much is too much? (1:32:40)
Can Unprocessed Red Meat Raise Your Risk of Cardiovascular Disease? (1:36:39)
Grass-Fed vs. Grain-Fed Beef: Examining the Debate (1:46:39)
Salt, Salt Substitutes, and Hypertension (1:57:25)
Outro (2:00:04)

We covered a lot.

To explore more of Dr Mohammed Alo’s work, check out his website or connect with him on YouTube and TikTok.

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

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Enjoy, friends.

Simon

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Simon Hill, MSc, BSc (Hons)

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

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