Carl

Last week I delivered a lecture on LDL and statin myths to the physicians and subscribers at Goldcare.com. It is freely available here: rumble.com/v7hgr3q-grand-rou… I first explained that the reason why I study CVD is because 27 years ago I was diagnosed with familial combined hyperlipidemia, a rare genetic anomaly that produces high triglycerides and cholesterol which can cause premature CVD, and why I chose not to take medication for it (statins). Then I covered the myth that most people born with extremely high LDL (familial hypercholesterolemia; FH) die young. I then explained the importance of LDL to immune function, and why elderly people with high LDL are healthier than those that have lower LDL. Then I showed that coronary artery calcium is much more important than LDL in CVD risk, and increased coronary calcium relates more to high blood glucose than LDL. Then I addressed how LDL gets glycated (damaged) by high blood sugar, which causes a deterioration of LDL. The glycated LDL, referred to as small dense LDL (sdLDL) is a part of a damaged metabolism. It is the high sdLDL that explains why there is an association between LDL-C and CVD. I then showed that high LDL-C in a healthy person is dominated by beneficial LDL, the large buoyant LDL (lbLDL). This form of LDL is found in people with a healthy ratio of triglycerides/HDL (< 2.0). This trig/HDL ratio with a low rate of events holds even for people with very high LDL-C (>170 mg/dl). I showed the value of #lchf (low carb diet) for reducing sdLDL, increasing lbLDL and optimizing trig/HDL, which lowers the risk of CVD. I then explained how the appearance of statin benefits have been amplified with statistical deception. The actual statins benefits are modest and most people treated yield no benefits. There is every reason to believe that the modest benefit from statins is solely because of their anticoagulant effects, not LDL reduction. My prediction is that a head-to-head RCT of antiplatelet/anticoagulant meds vs statins would result in equal outcomes without the adverse effects of statins. Speaking of adverse effects, I covered some of the peer-reviewed literature which has been largely ignored. A study just out demonstrated an association of adverse effects of statins on cognition: doi: 10.3389/fphar.2026.1915633 I then covered a largely ignored but critical component of cardiovascular health: the glycocalyx. It is crucial to understand the importance of a healthy glycocalyx to understand CVD. This talk should provide guidance for patients and physicians who have been confused and misled by those who have demonized LDL and falsely promoted statins as wonder drugs. @markkaplan20 @dramerling @DoctorTro @SBakerMD @KenDBerryMD @lowcarbGP @zoeharcombe @DrAseemMalhotra @Fynnderella1 @DiljanMansoor @lowcarbusa @realDaveFeldman @ApoDudz @grahamsphillips @JodiNishida @drericwestman @dr_ericberg @drsimonegold