Cholesterol: the myth the industry doesn't want you to know
A total cholesterol of 220 is not necessarily dangerous; triglycerides and the TG/HDL ratio matter more. We look at the conflicting views between medicine
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
High cholesterol? Maybe the problem isn't what you think
A total cholesterol level of 220 mg/dL is considered dangerous due to the risk of heart attack. However, a growing number of analyses suggest that the obsession with lowering cholesterol is a smokescreen to sell statins, while the real enemy is triglycerides and the inflammation caused by sugar and refined carbohydrates.
Cholesterol is essential for life
The body uses cholesterol to produce testosterone, cortisol, vitamin D and other hormones. Without it, the endocrine system collapses. That is why drastically reducing it with statins can cause severe side effects: cognitive decline, fatigue and hormonal deficiencies. In fact, studies link very low cholesterol levels with a higher risk of Alzheimer's, a fact the pharmaceutical industry tends to omit.
The diet vs. pills debate
Advocates of the ketogenic diet argue that cutting out sugar, flour and low-quality oils while keeping quality saturated fats such as butter, cream or meat regulates cholesterol by reducing arterial inflammation. On the other hand, conventional medicine prescribes statins for any deviation from the limit, which has been pogre lowered: thirty years ago a total cholesterol of 300 was normal; today anything above 200 is considered high.
Beyond total cholesterol: the TG/HDL ratio
A more reliable biomarker than total cholesterol is the ratio between triglycerides and HDL. Values below 1.5 indicate a healthy cardiovascular profile, regardless of total cholesterol. Thus, a user at 440 mg/dL may not be at risk if their triglycerides are low. Conventional blood tests rarely highlight this figure, which raises doubts about the alarm criteria.
Statin-free alternatives: exercise, fasting and supplements
Strength training combined with daily walks of 12,000 steps can normalize levels without changing your diet. Supplements such as red yeast rice are also mentioned, along with Orgonicol G7 (which lowered bad cholesterol in three months) and traditional remedies like two dried lupin beans on an empty stomach, a practice even recommended by some doctors.
What no official analysis explains is why, after decades of campaigns against cholesterol, cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in the West. Perhaps the answer lies in what goes unsaid: the real killer is chronic inflammation caused by sugar, not natural fat.
Related debates in the forum
A total cholesterol level of 220 mg/dL is considered dangerous due to the risk of heart attack. However, a growing number of analyses suggest that the obsession with lowering cholesterol is a smokescreen to sell statins, while the real enemy is triglycerides and the inflammation caused by sugar and refined carbohydrates.
Cholesterol is essential for life
The body uses cholesterol to produce testosterone, cortisol, vitamin D and other hormones. Without it, the endocrine system collapses. That is why drastically reducing it with statins can cause severe side effects: cognitive decline, fatigue and hormonal deficiencies. In fact, studies link very low cholesterol levels with a higher risk of Alzheimer's, a fact the pharmaceutical industry tends to omit.
The diet vs. pills debate
Advocates of the ketogenic diet argue that cutting out sugar, flour and low-quality oils while keeping quality saturated fats such as butter, cream or meat regulates cholesterol by reducing arterial inflammation. On the other hand, conventional medicine prescribes statins for any deviation from the limit, which has been pogre lowered: thirty years ago a total cholesterol of 300 was normal; today anything above 200 is considered high.
Beyond total cholesterol: the TG/HDL ratio
A more reliable biomarker than total cholesterol is the ratio between triglycerides and HDL. Values below 1.5 indicate a healthy cardiovascular profile, regardless of total cholesterol. Thus, a user at 440 mg/dL may not be at risk if their triglycerides are low. Conventional blood tests rarely highlight this figure, which raises doubts about the alarm criteria.
Statin-free alternatives: exercise, fasting and supplements
Strength training combined with daily walks of 12,000 steps can normalize levels without changing your diet. Supplements such as red yeast rice are also mentioned, along with Orgonicol G7 (which lowered bad cholesterol in three months) and traditional remedies like two dried lupin beans on an empty stomach, a practice even recommended by some doctors.
What no official analysis explains is why, after decades of campaigns against cholesterol, cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in the West. Perhaps the answer lies in what goes unsaid: the real killer is chronic inflammation caused by sugar, not natural fat.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (91 replies).
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