https://doi.org/10.1080/17512433.2018.1519391
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Uffe is a bit of a legend. Still pushing out papers at 85.
Of course, the internet is chocka block with 'cholesterol deniers', who can be fobbed off as conspiracy nuts, but for those that are interested in non-consensus views, I found this Subbotin paper interesting - [see post below for correct link]
I'm pretty sure Subbotin is an amateur/masters body builder, not that it's relevant.
As a 'denier', my go-to source of confirmation bias is Petro Dobromylskyj's Hyperlipid and Dave Feldman's Cholesterol Code is building quite a stack of n-1s.
And yet the lipid hypothesis refuses to die.
As the kids would say...pfft..whatevs.
This guy explains it: YouTube
Very smart guy who squares the circle on this whole thing.
Basically, he explains that inside our Arteries is an organ or series of structures called the "glycocalyx." It is a little known and poorly understood (but real, not imagined; apparently it is undetectable in cadavers because it disappears immediately upon death and can only be perceived with an electron microscope) tissue that protects the thin, vulnerable endothelial lining of our arteries from insult. Elevated levels of blood glucose (and my guess is that other compounds, such as toxins from smoking - which contains no cholesterol, dontcha know- and drugs) destroy the glycocalyx, which then allows certain compounds, including but not limited to some oxidized LDL particles (this part I don't understand too well, but apparently elevated levels of blood sugar oxidize LDL particles) to embed inside the areterial lining and can create the beginning of atherosclerotic lesions.
In other words, this theory of damage to the glycocalyx explains why: 1) heart disease is associated with diabetes (which is a disease of blood glucose, not elevated cholesterol) 2) why smoking causes heart disease (cigarettes contain no cholesterol). 3) how/why Vejans can get heart disease
It also explains the idiocy and uselessness of statins (which work by interrupting the bio-chemical process by which the body attempts to create its own cholesterol, which is a necessary and integral part of every single cell in the human body): if elevated LDL is so bad, why would the body continue to gratuitously make and pump out into the blood a toxic substance? That's not how the body's production feedback mechanisms work (eg testosterone, aka why your balls shut down off if you take AAS). The body doesn't keep making something if it doesnt think you need it.
Rip cited just one "study" so for all those who are going to cite other "studies" that show a positive correlation between LDL and heart disease, this glycocalyx theory explains that potential association. It appears that LDL might not be completely irrelevant to the heart disease picture, just not the cause. Also, if the damaged glycocalyx theory is true, artificially lowering LDL through statins wont matter because the atherosclerotic lesions are caused by damage to the arteries due to the destroyed glycocalyx. How do we prevent heart disease? Protect the integrity of glycocalyx. A healthy, robust glycocalx protects the arterial walls from damage.
As someone in excellent heath by ALL markers, but who has always (for the past 30 years) had elevated LDL levels, I welcome the destruction of the cholesterol hypothesis .
tyranny.
You don't suspect that the jihad against cholesterol has anything to do with the elites' hatred of all things male, do you? Is cholesterol (and sunshine - another related topic) necessary for properly functioning endocrine/sex hormone function? I wonder....
2 years ago, at 29 years old, my doctor was strongly pushing me to go on statins for life for genetically high cholesterol. She called me twice after my checkup to try to further convince me. I never took them and I now see a different primary doctor.
I hate it when you've got a choice between
something basically all doctors believe but doesn't make sense
vs.
something that makes sense but is mostly propounded by people that sound like conspiracy theorists.
I had a similar experience and told them I wasn't going to do it, and they could run any number of other tests on me which all turned out negative for any coronary issues.
It must be nice to be able to generate repeat customers for the rest of their lives without question. In australia anyway you have to come back to renew your prescription every few months.
I was the same age and was told the same thing. Refused statins. Then, at age 41 (4years ago), I had a heart attack from a 95% blockage of my left circumflex artery. At that time, I also demonstrated a 50% occlusion of the LAD (widow maker). Game changer fellas.
For those who want to blow the cholesterol/statins need off, I understand and I once was you. As a husband and father of 5...I take the statin, stay low sugar, and monitor my VLDL count, CRP, etc but don’t think big fluffy LDL particles are the devil. Until I get a better course of action pharmacologically or otherwise, I’m happy to take Lipitor with 400mg CoQ10 per day.
I do believe my genetics are the exception and not the rule. Maybe 3% of the population “needs” stains in my estimation. They change NCEP (national cholesterol education program) guidelines more than I do my underwear. I’m sure it’s designed to capture a certain percent of the bell curve to maximize sales.