Dr. Paul Mason - 'The truth about high cholesterol'

This lecture is part 1 of 4 delivered by Dr Paul Mason at the Low Carb Down Under Gold Coast conference in October 2022. Dr Mason demolishes the weak science that LDL cholesterol is inherently harmful, and brings nuance to the conversation in a way that can be easily understood.

Dr Paul Mason obtained his medical degree with honours from the University of Sydney. He is also a fellow of the Australasian College of Sports and Exercise Physicians, holds a Bachelor's degree in Physiotherapy and a Masters degree in Occupational Health. He is currently Chief Medical Officer of the Defeat Diabetes program, an evidence-based program focussed on lifestyle management of metabolic illnesses, including type 2 diabetes.

[Guldtyr]

When he tells it so clearly it really makes me wonder why he is the only one telling this story! Why is this not being accepted more widely? This dude is one of my heroes.

[M-MMo]

Dr. Mason is a brilliant speaker, his lectures are spot-on and entertaining as he destroys the lies and myths around cholesterol. Thank you for sharing this valuable video!

[MP-idpo]

Wow. Even I, a simple layman, can understand this lecture. It's easy to talk in a complicated manner, but damn hard to talk in a simple manner. Thank you Dr Mason.

[WayneForce]

I went on the Atkins Low carb diet. 0 carbs for 2 weeks and then only 20 carbs a day max after that. I lost 80 pounds in 6 months and ate till I was full every day. My cholesterol went from 240 to 150 eating Stuff like eggs, bacon, sausage, cheese for breakfast and steaks, fish, chicken, and big salads with full fat dressings, and lots of green veggies with butter and salt. My doctor asked what I was doing to lose weight. I told him and he told me I was going to kill myself. I never felt better but took his advice and went off the diet. Within a year I gained the weight back. A year after that I went into the doctors office for a check up. Low and behold the doctor, who was also quite a bit overweight was thin and trim. I asked him what he did to lose the weight. He said he went on a low carb diet!!! I said the same diet you told me was going to kill me? He said yes, and that upon researching what I told him he admitted he did not know the full story of low carb diets! No wonder they call it a medical PRACTICE! They keep trying till they get it right!

[Orionnomad]

I’ve been literally fighting my Dr about the use of statins and the science on LDL… this takes me to the finish line .thanks

[Yukon]

Dr. Paul Mason is the absolute best at synthesizing and making such complex matters easy to understand to the average person, incredible contributions every single time he presents something and it is made available to the public. Thank you so much Dr and Low Carb Under!!

[callofgaming]

I was so excited to see a new posting from Dr. Mason. One of the very best presenters on any subject I’ve ever seen. Thank you for all you do to promote health and better medicine/therapy!!!

[mickthomas]

That illustration of causation vs correlation with the cat on the roof is hilarious 🤣 Thanks for another great talk Dr Paul 👍

[ymaster]

20 years ago, cereal in milk with added sugar was promoted as a healthy meal that every kids should have for breakfast

[JBSbass]

I put my local GP onto this guy and this channel. He was overreacting to my markers because I am a low carb high fat eater. He also got upset when I mentioned it was time for him to reeducate himself as he may actually be responsible for hurting someone with outdated diagnosis'

[Thebusysuperhuman]

Great video as always . Eisenhower smoked 100 cigs a day and obviously under huge stress ……but of course it was the cholesterol that caused his heart attacks

[SuperLuckao]

My mother's was high and she lived until 91. Mine is high too. But my triglycerides are normal. That's good

[Biohackthefat]

This is so informative! Need to watch this over and over again. Thank you!!

[fabianlimchinwen]

It simple that a layman like myself could easily understand. Thank you very much Dr Mason

[watercolourartincapetown]

Definitely my favourite Doctor to listen to 👨‍⚕️ you always give practical advice
How to get Vit D and when to be in the sun ☀️
What to look for with cholesterol levels
Cutting out plant oils
And finally the benefits of carnivore diet

Been listening to you since 2029 and you’ve literally pushed me to get healthy thanks to your videos 🙏

[stuartwoodcock]

Give Dr Mason a very large grant for more research in this area!!!

[mbrochh]

Here is a ChatGPT summary:

- This lecture is about the science which contradicts nearly everything Dr Paul Mason learnt about LDL in medical school.
- The lipid hypothesis states that eating fat causes our LDL level to rise, which then blocks our arteries.
- A systematic review found that individuals with the highest LDL levels lived the longest.
- LDL is a complex structure called a lipoprotein made of fat, cholesterol and protein.
- Dietary cholesterol and saturated fat do not increase LDL levels.
- LDL particles can be damaged, leading to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Triglyceride levels and the ratio of triglycerides to HDL can be used to assess the probability of a lipid profile being artery clogging.
- Higher LDL levels are on average associated with longevity, but not in every case.
- Dairy can contribute to insulin resistance and B12 deficiency is causally associated with increased LDL.

- Low vitamin B12 can lead to an increase in cholesterol synthesis.
- The standard B12 reference interval does not reliably identify B12 deficiency.
- Tumor necrosis factor alpha can cause overproduction of LDL, up to 8 times normal.
- Elevated triglyceride levels can be caused by an underactive thyroid, kidney disease, diabetes, hemochromatosis, and certain drugs.
- LDL is not the major cause of heart disease, but oxidised LDL can be a problem.
- The triglyceride to HDL ratio is a reliable way of predicting oxidised LDL.
- Very elevated LDL levels may be symptomatic of another issue.

[laurenelizabeth]

Brilliant presentation! Dr. Mason explains at a perfect level of detail, without hand-waving or glossing over as many others do when speaking on these topics.

[MrSavvynet]

Brilliant - well supported with data and studies and clearly articulated as always.

[anthonywalsh]

Dr. Mason's comments about dairy are facinating. I have come to realise that it can become a bad crutch when going low carb. I'd love to hear more about this.