The Cholesterol Controversy | Dr Paul Mason x Dr Peter Brukner

It’s easy to see why the theory that cholesterol causes heart disease was attractive. When researchers examined the arteries of people with hardened arteries, they found that plaques (where the hardening occurred) were full of cholesterol.

So it was an easy jump to say that excess cholesterol in the blood led to deposits of cholesterol in the artery, which led to a narrowing of the vessel and plaque formation.

And from there, that message that reducing your cholesterol and fat intake would reduce blood cholesterol and the deposition of cholesterol in your arteries. All pretty simple and attractive as a theory: fatty food equals fatty people equals fatty arteries.

Only one slight problem. It wasn’t true!

▬ Contents of this video ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

0:00 Introduction
1:44 What is cholesterol and why is it important?
2:40 LDL, HDL and triglycerides
4:24 Triglycerides and cardiovascular disease
4:56 What your cholesterol tests reveal
5:24 What is high cholesterol (and does it matter)?

▬ About Defeat Diabetes ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Defeat Diabetes is the first evidence-based and doctor-led program that can help send pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes into remission through a low carb approach. Now available on mobile & desktop!

Founded by Dr Peter Brukner OAM with support from a medical advisory panel of doctors and dieticians, the Defeat Diabetes Program is delivered via a mobile app. It provides an extensive range of videos from health professionals, masterclasses, cooking demonstrations, 150+ low carb and keto recipes, a meal planner and a rich library of resources, with new content regularly added.

▬ Defeat Diabetes experts ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Find out more about our program experts:

▬ Social Media ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

[nswhorse]

My doctor got angry with me when I refused a statin and said in a very petulant tone "fine then, if you're happy to accept the risk of death". I have not returned to this doctor.

[NoTrashInHeaven]

I'm listening from the 🇺🇸 USA. I can't get enough excellent education from the likes of these two docs! Thank you, and God bless!

[TheFrankHummer]

Between about 13 minutes and 15 minutes, Dr. Mason and Dr. Bruckner give their recommendations regarding Triglyceride and HDL levels. They give numbers that are in units of mmol/L (millimoles per Liter). In the U.S. and some other places, the units typically used are mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter). Converting some of the benchmarks they give into the other units, Dr. Mason's recommendation that triglycerides be less than 0.8 (mmol/L) is equivalent to triglycerides less than 70.8 mg/dL. The recommendation that HDL be greater than 1.5 (mmol/L) is equivalent to HDL greater than 58.
For the Trig/HDL ratio, Dr. Mason's recommendations of < 0.8 or ideally < 0.5 (in the world of mmol/L) are equivalent to recommendations of <1.83 and < 1.14, in the world of mg/dL. (A common mistake is to think that the benchmarks for Trig/HDL ratios should be the same in the two sets of units, since the units cancel within each ratio, but that's not the case: one ratio is a ratio of concentrations by weight, and the other ratio is a ratio of concentrations by molecular count. And these ratios won't be the same.) By the way, I've been able to achieve measurements of Triglycerides, HDL, and the Trig/HDL ratio that are in Dr. Mason's ideal range, consistently across 20 years on a low-carb, low seed oil diet. This was a good video.

[dakotalynn]

I am a lmhr on ketovore. 66 years old, but I feel 35! I love ldl and these two Dr's ❤

[photoinshot]

Brilliant! This Q&A with Dr Paul Mason and Dr Peter Bunker answered all my questions. As a 68-year-old who was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes in 2020 and had a stent fitted in 2022 it provides great guidance to continue to develop my metabolic health in a positive way. Many thanks, I just wish I had discovered this information years ago.

[leahc]

Most doctors don’t have much time for chit chat. They’ve got to get the patients in and out.

[fknv]

Just asked my GP for a referal for CAC, he laughed and just printed a statin prescription, so i laughed back and said i dont believe the downsides outway the upsides, all 5 days of it, and slide it on the table back to him.

Ill just keep being as low carb as i possibly can till i see Dr Mason next May.

[KarinainOZ]

Thanks for disseminating this info! I’ve been a nurse for 42 years and I’m learning so much from videos like this.
The stats on statins prolonging life by four days is my second favourite statistic, ever. My favourite is 99.98 - Bradman’s test batting average.

[pedrocurtes]

I was diagnosed T2D in 1999 .
I started Keto and Intermittent fasting lifestyle in Nov 2018 when I was 70. Lost 40 kg, and had many other positive health benefits as well.
In an effort to get off my 19 yr statin med I did a CAC score in 2019.
My calcium score was 2296.

After researching high CAC score (Ivor Cummins) I decided to stop my statin in 2019, but do follow up CAC scans to track my score.
This of course left my endo aghast, but even under pressure from him, including a letter from him with word “death” in it, I refused to take a statin. It wasn’t easy for me to face down my endo at the time but I did as I was convinced statin and LDL lowering, saturated fats were in my mind a false narrative.

In 2020 my score went down to 2175, then after covid Stuff and vax, my next scan in 2022, my last score was 2550. So my progression was around 5% per year. Scheduled to do another scan later this year!
At the moment mainly Carnivore.

[lizzieojdk]

Thank you for making this information so accessible for all.

[annettestephens]

Excellent easy listening and understanding. Thank you both

[Glendram]

Amazing discussion, thank you both, i am in this very situation with my doctor now. I had a heart attack almost 7 years ago and a stent inserted, thankfully discovered Keto very soon after. Turned my health around after a few months, lost 17kgs and been on it ever since Keto/Carnivore. My latest blood results put my Triglycerides at 0.1mmol/L and HDL at 1.4mmol/L that makes my ratio 0.71. My LDL is 4.7mmol/L. My new doctor is insistent that i must lower my LDL. I can not take statins, the side effects are debilitating, my cardiologist want me to take part in a new drug trial for Obicetrapib. Personally i am not confident that the outcome would be better than just continuing with my Low Carb Lifestyle. How i wish there was a Doctor who is as informed as Dr Paul Mason and Dr Peter Brukner here in South Australia. In the meantime i will follow my inner instincts on how i feel.

[timwadedah]

Love the fact Paul's kids are in the background, these guy's are "grounded" in a way that makes it so easy to connect with, not patronizing in any way (Like lots of Dr's tend to be).
I gave one of Paul's video transcripts and the BMJ review on statins to my Dr. Hopefully he reads it, more importantly, I hope he understands it!

[jennyweyman]

The fellow who did my calcium scans did mention the politics around the test. Medicare wasn't very keen and he said they have always lobbied to increase the availability. There was a large and complex Medicare review where the radiologists had to plead the case, hence it is now available as outpatient. He also said they are attempting to lower the radiation from the scan, yet still get excellent pictures, all the time. It is quite low already.

[wetelbow]

Deserves more views. Thanks for that lads.

[pedrocurtes]

Hi,
I noticed that there was some surprise at Dr Paul Mason Trig/HDL ratio values below 0.5.

Can I point out the Triglycerides/HDL Ratio usually widely quoted as a healthier target is below 1 is only a valid value when you use mg/dL units.

If you use mmol units, to get the same ratio value as in mg/dL units you need to use this formula: (2.29*Triglycerides)/HDL.

So in mg/dL Trig/HDL = 71/71 = 1

And in mmol.
Trig/HDL = (2.29*.8)/1.83 = 1

[ChefJollyRoger]

07:06 systematic review on ldl and longevity

[jsmom]

Statins lower the large buoyant LDL particles, right?

[kimweeber]

Wonderful presentation, thanks. Would it be possible to reference the discussed journal articles with links here? Thanks!

[geenadhillon]

Great information. 60 year old who have been a carnivore for 4 years due to eczema. Hdl is 3.7 n ldl is 4.7 trig is 0.9. Been told by my dr to do a coronary calcium score, which i guess I have to do becoz of hypercholesterolaemia. Living in Perth. I know there is nothing for me to worry. Never drank smoke or drugs. I look like 40 being 60. Im 5ft 1 n the gravity pulls me down to 46kgs😊