In this video, Dr. Ken Berry interviews Dr. David Diamond, a researcher specializing in the lipid hypothesis, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and familial hypercholesterolemia. They discuss the frustration individuals face when adopting a healthy diet but still experiencing an increase in cholesterol levels. Dr. Diamond explains that cholesterol alone is not inherently harmful and that factors such as metabolic syndrome and clotting abnormalities are more significant predictors of heart disease. They also highlight the deceptive tactics used by the statin industry and the importance of understanding the actual data from research studies. Dr. Diamond emphasizes the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, including maintaining low blood sugar, blood pressure, and weight, for protecting against heart disease.
- High LDL cholesterol is not inherently bad or harmful.
- People with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) can have extremely high cholesterol levels and still live a long and healthy life.
- High LDL cholesterol is not the main cause of heart disease; there are other important factors to consider.
- LDL cholesterol is essential for proper immune system function and can protect against certain diseases.
- Coronary artery calcium is a more accurate indicator of future heart attacks than LDL cholesterol levels.
- Statin medication may not be necessary for individuals on a low-carb or ketogenic diet who are metabolically healthy.
- Small, dense LDL particles are associated with heart disease, but they are a consequence of an unhealthy metabolism, not inherently bad cholesterol.
- The clotting factors, such as fibrinogen and factor eight, play a significant role in heart disease risk.
- Corn oil is not heart-healthy and can increase the risk of heart disease.
- Statin medications have potential adverse effects, such as cognitive decline, diabetes, and muscle damage.
- Statins do not provide significant benefits to individuals who are metabolically healthy.
- A low-carb diet and lifestyle changes can significantly improve overall health without the need for statin medications.
Key Insights
Transcript
Dr Ken Berry here, family physician, today I have the great honor of chatting with Dr David Diamond, a PhD researcher who’s been looking at topics such as the lipid hypothesis, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, familial hypercholesterolemia, and the research behind these topics. There’s nothing more frustrating for someone to adopt a proper human diet, low carb, keto, carnivore, and all of their metabolic markers be improving – losing weight, feeling better, looking better, sleeping better – but their damn cholesterol went up, their LDL went up, and their doctor freaked out and told them to stop immediately and start a statin or worse. Now, you’re confused. I thought a proper human diet sounds healthy, should be healthy, why did it do this to my cholesterol? That’s what we’re going to be discussing today.
