Decoding the Effects of Low-Carbohydrate Diets on Cholesterol in People With Different BMI

On January 17, 2024, a groundbreaking study titled "Increased Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol on a Low-Carbohydrate Diet in Adults with Normal but Not High Body Weight: A Meta-Analysis" was published by Adrian Soto-Mota, Dave Feldman, Nicholas Norwitz, and others. This research provides new insights into the effects of low-carbohydrate diets on cholesterol levels, with a particular focus on low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), commonly known as 'bad' cholesterol. In this blog post, I will explain the study's design and results, which refute the current medical thinking that saturated fat has the most significant effect on raising cholesterol. The authors found that body weight is much more significant than saturated fat. Their findings suggest that we have things backward.

A New Study Reveals That Very High Cholesterol Does Not Cause Atherosclerosis in Some Lean People

Dr. Matthew Budoff presented data on December 9, 2023, demonstrating that a subgroup of individuals with very high total cholesterol and LDL do not seem to develop heart disease. The subjects are known as "Lean Mass Hyper Responders." The group became notable during the rise in popularity of ketogenic diets. This post will cover what a ketogenic diet is, what a lean mass hyper responder is, the possible mechanism of why they seem to be immune to heart disease, and the study itself.