How Low Should You Go for Ideal LDL Cholesterol?
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- Опубліковано 24 сер 2024
- Having a so-called normal cholesterol in a society where it’s normal to drop dead of a heart attack isn’t necessarily a good thing. What is the ideal cholesterol level?
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For more on cholesterol, see:
• Trans Fat, Saturated Fat, and Cholesterol: Tolerable Upper Intake of Zero (nutritionfacts...)
• Does Cholesterol Size Matter? (nutritionfacts...)
• Optimal Cholesterol Level (nutritionfacts...)
• The Actual Benefit of Diet vs. Drugs (nutritionfacts...)
• When Low Risk Means High Risk (nutritionfacts...)
• Eggs and Cholesterol: Patently False and Misleading Claims (nutritionfacts...)
• Dietary Cholesterol and Cancer (nutritionfacts...)
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-Michael Greger, MD FACLM
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What is an optimal HDL level (or HDLD-to-LDL ratio)?
@@blackrosenuk Yes I would also like some clarification on HDL please.
As a kid, I had high blood pressure, with an LDL around 190. I was told that it was largely due to genetics. Now, as an adult vegan, my LDL 33. I don't think my genetics changed... 🤔
33?! WOW 🤩!
33?!?!? RIP :((
@@borissman lol, there are many people who have genetically extremely low LDL (we're talking single digits) who are perfectly healthy and are basically have zero risk of heart disease. Those people lack a gene(PCSK9) that provides instructions for making a protein that helps regulate the amount of cholesterol in the bloodstream. Without that gene, they just don't have that much LDL in their blood. It doesn't mean that their cells don't make cholesterol when they need it - if it couldn't these people wouldn't be around and evolution would have selected against them. This is gene is behind the PCSK9 inhibitor medications that scientists have come up with and doctors are using for those with familial hypercholesterolemia (a condition that DOES equate with a big increased heart disease risk). Using this medication, studies have shown benefit in terms of risk reduction down to very low levels of LDL, and no ill effects from getting LDL down into even the single digits.
Is 33 without any medication? Seems that very few people can get their LDL that low through diet alone. I've seen 50's, maybe 40's, but almost never 30's!
@@dvdmon thats just silly vegan propaganda lol
Sitting here with my LDL at 59 mg/dL after being WFPB for 6 years. I was 127 before I started! Everyone in my family is high, and says it's genetic. I tell them fried chicken, biscuits, and gravy aren't genetic.
Love it! I just had mine tested and it came back in the mid 50's. I'm 99% whole foods plant-based while avoiding added salt, oil, and sugar.
@@CRM-114 I hear that there are natural salts in plant-based foods. But I prefer to add salt myself.
Outstanding. Big Congratulations.
I'm trying to follow the same diet per Dr Esselstyn's program to reverse atherosclerosis.
@@CRM-114 I do my best to avoid added salt. Sometimes when eating out it's impossible but when meal prepping and cooking it's easily possible.
@@successandlifestyle Unless you're super active like an endurance athlete, majority of people should get enough sodium just from eating whole foods is what I've heard
@@CRM-114 many don't. try miso, low sodium soy sauce, and potassium chloride.
Because of How Not to Die I have been Vegan for one year now. Down 50lbs and my numbers keep seeing great improvements. Forever grateful for the work you do.
Damn! I went to the doctor once for my physical results, and he said all my tests were good except my cholesterol was a little low. I asked if that was all right. He literally shrugged and said he didn't know. Perhaps if he had more intellectual curiosity, he'd be vegan and healthy himself!
Yay, i’m happy to be validated as “normal” even by dr Greger. My LDL pre college days in US was 35. Post college days was 75. My GI said it was good but i should bring it back to my pre college days. After his death, all other GI & cardiologists think that my LDL is too low at 30 w/ no meds (i hate meds).
Yes: I have a red cross next to my low LDL result.
@@tolrem nothing wrong with low LDL
wow! You have good genes.
@@Elizabeth-dg8dn more like i got great eating habits i learned from my grandmother. She loved to share her love for cooked yet still crunchy veggies w/ minimum oil. Shiny veggies is a no no in our household. You can imagine my shock when i 1st go to school in US to see my classmates add a lump of butter onto steamed broccoli😁😁😁
@@ima7333 I'd say both. I have great eating habits, but don't think my ldl will ever be 35, because of my genetics.
My LDL went from 119 to 53 in FOUR MONTHS once I went Vegan!!
After one year of vegan diet I have LDL of 90 mg/dl and without any effort. Actually, I was still having some processed food an fats that I REALLY need to remove from my diet. Thanks Dr Greguer for this amazing info!
Just got my blood work result.
In January 2023: HDL -> 46 | LDL -> 113 | Triglicerydes: 65 | Cholesterol total: 173
In May: HDL -> 44 | LDL -> 104 | Triglicerydes: 44 | Cholesterol total: 156
In August (2 months since I stopped any animal food): HDL -> 41 | LDL -> 80 | Triglicerydes: 48 | Cholesterol total -> 130.
I eat around 70g of fiber daily, 300-400g of carbs, 150-220g of protein and around 100-150g of fat (almost all of it from walnuts and almost, and a few times in the month some olive or canola oil but rarely). My kidney function has improved by 10 points since May (it was declining since two years now)
Hey what's your saturated fat intake by chance?
@@MrYega-zq7rz at the time of this comment it was less than 10g a day
Hard to believe you consume seed oil!
What are your sources for protein intake?
@@renepaz9608 lot of nuts: walnuts + almonds mostly + oatmeal + tofu + flaxseeds + beans + lentils + vegan protein powder
After I've switched my diet to a vegan one 6 years ago, I discovered Nutrition Facts and all the amazing content. Several years later my Dad got 2 stent simultaneously during an angiography (He was only a year older than his father when he got his first heart attack). He was a sporty, health guy for the most part, but they'd heard that "yogurt" was very health and have been consuming that a lot in the recent years leading to LDL of 170. After his operation, I had a call with him he went No-oil whole woods plant based. And viola, in 2 weeks his LDL was 70. It's been 3 years since, and the LDL is sustained low.
What I want to say is: Dear Dr. Gregor and Nutrition Facts workers Thanks to you! I already had the knowledge and never felt despair for the future.
Attaining an LDL-C that is sub-70 is not impossible for a non-vegetarian. In May 2023, my total cholesterol was 145, HDL-C of 70 and LDL-C of 63. My HbA1c is 5.1% with normal triglycerides, fasting insulin and fasting glucose levels. I’ve tracked my blood factors since 2017. My average LDL-C has been 74. I am in my 60s and I eat a largely Mediterranean diet with a bit more eggs than usual. I do eat fatty fish five days a week (wild salmon, sardines, skipjack tuna, etc.) I eat red meat about once a week. Plus cruciferous vegetables, berries, low carb nuts and seeds. Since 2021, I’ve lost 90 pounds to reverse NAFLD…my liver enzymes show that I’ve been successful. But my lipid panels have not changed significantly. I am active, as I walk two plus miles daily five days a week. I may have inherited my cholesterol level tendencies from my mother’s side of the family.
I am 100% plant based and i consume almost no saturated fat at all. My LDL has never gone lower than 85. You discount that some people just have a genetic predisposition for cholesterol production. Diet is not the silver bullet for all people that you claim.
Absolutely true. Most of my family total cholesterol ranges between 300 and 400. Mine ranges between 190 and 220. My ratio of HDL to triglycerides is outstanding. Have had scans which there are no small particle cholesterol buildup in my arteries. I will never go on statins, even though my doctor said either do that or eat more fruits and vegetables. I told her that if I bring any more fruits and vegetables in to this house I will need and import/export license. And oh, 5'10" and 154 lbs. BMI of 22.9. Total and LDL levels cholesterol are not the whole story here.
@@carnistpolice Just yesterday I spoke to a genleman who works with my wife. He just got his test back at a numbers I could not believe either but its true - 10 mmol/l = 386.6976 mg/dl
@@carnistpolice Oh, very possible. My brother showed me his results.
Vegetarian/vegan for 27 years. My LDL is 33. 👍🏻
Whew! Just got mine done;my LDL with no meds is 67, and I'm in my 50's. Thanks, plants!
A couple years ago I went in for my health screaning for work. They weren't able to measure my cholesterol with their little device because my total cholesterol was < 100 with my LDL at 30 something. They said to me, "you have to go to your doctor...your cholesterol is too low". LOL
Ha ha ha
🤣
Possibly genetic also, i have never been able to go lower than 80 on a low fat fruit based whole plant only diet, salt/oil/sugar/alcohol/cafeine/others psychoactive drugs free with enough sleep/rest/b12 and exercise and a BMI of 20.
Some people can go as low as 30-50 LDL cholesterol.
@@Julottt Joe definitely has good cholesterol genes.
@@Julottt yeah, and I do eat meat or other junk on rare occasions...once per month or so. So you'd think I have some good genes on my side but all the other men in my family have heart disease challenges. *shrug*
This has happened to me too. They put total cholesterol at 100, but they don't actually know what it is.
Thanks for letting us know how to lower our cholesterol.
I guarantee that it works.I halved my LDL permanently.
exactly. some of the few stuff i remember you can do more than eat wfpb is having eggplants and amla
My biggest weakness is bread, pastries, pizza etc. It's so hard to avoid those everyday. Dr Greger's BROL (barley, rye, oats, lentils) breakfast makes it easier. On days that I eat that, I'm less likely to eat the processed grains. Thank you doctor!!
Not much you can do about pastries, but you can eat whole wheat bread and pizza with no meat or cheese. I put a bunch of nutritional yeast over a liberal spread of sauce. Its one of my favorite meals we make!
"Whole wheat bread" is still processed. The best way to consume grains is unprocessed, whole berries, with the groat/hull intact. Has anyone reading this ever seen whole oat berries before? Not rolled or steel-cut. Unprocessed. It looks like brown rice. Boil on the stove for about 30-40 minutes, add some blueberries and Ceylon cinnamon. Standard or "Saigon" cinnamon can cause liver damage and is banned in most countries. It's simply cheaper than real (ceylon) cinnamon. Sorry for the tangent!
@@joephillips5594 make your own using sprouted wheat
I tested myself a year ago, and had a LDL level of 1.8 (European system). That's the upper level of the optimal range. I had been 100% plant-based for 2,5 years at that time. Unfortunately I have no idea what my level was before. However the reference range is 1.4 to 4.7. So I'm definitely on the lower end of the scale.
Do you have any stent or bypass? Thanks 🙏
@@gabriel65304 No.
same here, I was at 1,5 last time, (before that even lower) although I am almost entirely plant based AND take statins, so I don't know what it would be without the latter. I think I eat pretty lean, my fats mostly come from nuts and seeds, a little olive oil and the odd piece of dark vegan chocolate. I am curious how much of it is due to the diet and the statins.
I don't know what it is, but I'm an active vegan , 150 lbs, and watch my sat. fat and sugar and eat overall healthy, but my LDLs are still around 120. Most of the time my "fun" snacks only include oatmeal, toast, carrots with hummus, or sometimes nuts. I can't seem to get the LDLs lower
I'm in the same boat, but mine is in the 70's and I cannot get it lower. I am 100% WFPB with no added SOS and it would be hard to imagine eating any cleaner. I think some of this is just genetics. Many may be able to get great results with diet and lifestyle changes alone, but for some of us we just won't be able to do it by changing how we eat and how we live. The question is whether or not additional help (aka drugs) are required. I think this is going to need to be something decided with a trusted medical professional and needs to figure in things like medical history, family history, age, ability to maintain diet and lifestyle changes, etc.
You may have FH, which is a genetic condition that causes elevated cholesterol regardless of diet. Those with FH can benefit from medication.
@Melora Beecroft PUFA's have not been shown to increase LDL, FYI.
Same for me. 100% WFPB no oil and low fat. Still TC at 200 and LDL at 130 😔
@@dvdmon I don't think I have FH since my LDL-c did go from low 100's to the high 70's on this clean diet but won't go any lower.
If Dr. Gregor had experience with fasting, he would know that total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol go way up on a protracted fast, and yet, we see amazing restorations and reversal of heart disease in that high blood cholesterol state.
I have never been able to go lower than 80 on a low fat fruit based whole plant only diet, salt/oil/sugar/alcohol/cafeine/others psychoactive drugs free with enough sleep/rest/b12 and exercise and a BMI of 20.
Some people can go as low as 30-50 LDL cholesterol, genetic play a role certainly.
me too, WFPB for 7 y LDL 85 BMI under 20
@@davidkclayton Thats why i always say LDL cholesterol under 100 is also heart attack free especially if eating and living like this.
@@Julottt we can only hope that you are right 💣
@@davidkclayton Well, a older video of nutritionfacts say we are hearth attack proof under 100 LDL cholesterol especially if we are not smoking and we are lean.
Genetically, some people do have to work harder to get it lower. Like even nuts and avocados would be too much for some.
I’ve been vegan for 10 years and just found out my ldl cholesterol is 116 😱😱😱 I’m cutting out all the cocoa butter, palm oil, and coconut, and supplementing with red yeast rice. Not all plant foods are “healthy.”
Mine is 100 and I’ve been at it for 10 yrs too. I am in my 40’s, so prob age and genetics doesn’t help either.
@@user-bv7mk8id5tnothing to do with genetics. Focus more on your triglyceride number divided by your HDL number. Do some research
Vital information! Thank you so much Dr. Greger 🌱
according to recent research, the ratio of triglycerides to HDL-cholesterol showed the strongest association with extent of coronary disease, not LDL level. Also, it's the LDL particle size that matters since that shows how much of your LDL has been oxidized.
What's the source, please?
Wrong. Garbage.
Vegan for 5 years, LDL 73 mg/dl (despite eating vegan junk food quite often). Thank you dr Greger
Thank you so much for this Dr Greger! Will this be available with Spanish subtitles? 🙏💜😀
Hi, Spanish subtitles are available on the video! -NF Team
Should it not be trygiserides over HDL, more important than LDL? And that Oxides LDL is more important than LDL?
100% correct
These ppl with low ldl thinking they are healthy is comical
It's entirely possible to have LDL under 70 without medication. Mine is 64 and I've never even seen a statin drug. Whatever good health I enjoy is due to my strict WFPB diet. Thank you, Dr. Greger for showing me the way.
Clear and sharp statement. Thanks. The chart of other factors is also telling as they are clearly stated not to be essential for developing cardio vascular disease as cholesterol is.
What about a video on oxLDL? The main thing causing aterosclerosis is not LDL is the oxidación on LDL. If you levels of LDL are higher, then is easier to get high levels of oxidated LDL. Thats why LDL levels are the main predictor. But a diet rich in antioxidants may remove the risk altogether.
I'm a 16-year vegan, and I just checked my cholesterol for the first time. My LDL was 99 mg/dL. So, don't assume that going vegan is the magic solution. I'm still above the range suggested in this video.
I’ve been vegan for 10 years and my cholesterol sucks. In the 200s. It’s hereditary for a lot of people. I did start taking the Indian gooseberry that’s mentioned in another video and got my LDL down 13 points and now I’m sitting here being told it should be 50 lol ugh
2:33 Those numbers could well mean that it is not LDL but some other hidden variable correlated with LDL that is causing atherosclerosis.
I'm having Déjà vu, feel like I've seen this video before, and it's not even Friday.
Just got my cholesterol tested. 102 LDL and has been going up since I started a purely vegan diet. My cholesterol was about 20 pts. lower when I was about 90% vegan so that's a dramatic negative change. I don't eat any junk vegan food or anything that would raise cholesterol. No oil. I eat nuts (pistachios mainly) but according to the videos, that's not supposed to raise cholesterol. I don't even eat processed foods except on rare occasion. It's very discouraging. I don't have naturally high cholesterol. Was tested for that in the past. I've got a BMI of 21.5 so I've never been an extreme person who lost weight and saw a dramatic improvement. My weight hasn't varied more than 10-15 lbs. over a 20 year period and I am in excellent health. I haven't seen any improvement in health from becoming vegan as compared to being mostly vegan.
I eat steel ground oats every day with flax seed. I notice flax seed has a small amount of saturated fat. Could that be the culprit?
@Dragon Fist 50-60
I wouldn't be worried about that level of LDL if all your other markers are fine. 90% vegan has a lot more bioavailable nutrition than 100% vegan, which makes no sense if you're purely in it for health purposes.
I was a whole plant vegan several yrs and had LDLs in the 50s and 60s. Then I started smoking lots of pot in Oct, Nov, Dec, walking less, and eating some pizzas and a small amount of junk food, otherwise still whole plant vegan. My numbers were 99 and 85 for two years. This past year I quit pot and chicken pizza and occasional fast food mid-Dec after 2.5 months. Rest of year I was 98% whole plant, no oils, no processed foods, no junk/fast foods. My annual physical was in late Jan and LDL was 71. This coming fall I'll do no pot and stay whole food and plan to see 50s or 60s again.
My LDL is pretty high even though I've been vegan for 6 and a half years. Admittedly I haven't always had the best diet and I've gained too much weight in the past couple of years. It's 2.3 mmol/L or 89 mg/dL.
Can you post a link to the study or studies that demonstrate reversal of CAD through a vegan diet, possibly like Dr. Ornish's diet, which I am currently trying to follow?
Just wanted to express my gratitude to Dr Greger for all useful health information he is putting up for everyone to learn and be healthy. 4+ years plant-based and going strong! I don't do blood work regularly, but had to come and check this video, as my LDL came out 51 and the reference values of the test claimed the "normal" range is 70-139 :) I remembered that less is more.
I am 52 years old and have been a pretty much strict vegan my LDL is 76
Dr. Greger. thanks for a great video. Question. I have been on a plant-based whole food diet for 8 years and my LDL = 127. No risk factors for hear disease and exercise regularly. Dr. Neal Barnard would say no problem, what is most important is what you eat that matters most, not the LDL number. What say you? Is it the lower the better or the more 100% plant-based whole food the better? Is there any evidence that people with an LDL >130 on a plant-based whole food diet have an increase risk compared to people on a plant-based diet with < 130 mg/dl ???? thanks for a response
yes if your ldl is that high you should see a doctor and get it down
Yeah that’s rather high. My doctor had considered for a second to put me on something to lower my ldl because it was at 100. But I’m working out and I cut a lot out, so she assumed with everything I’m doing, it would go hopefully lower. It’s frustrating because first I never tested that high before, second this year I’ve been very careful and strict about what I eat, third I work out at least 5x a week. Plus I was never at a high weight I was always “normal” for my body type and now 10-11 lbs below what I use to be. She thinks it’s my genetics though.
If you cut a lot of stuff out like saturated fats and it’s that high still, it may be genetics too, but do talk to you doctor about it. But if you haven’t cut down yet then I would recommend to do so! Also stay away from vegan junk food, like impossible burger.
A family friend of ours just had major heart surgery and it’s brutal to watch him go through this. He let his cholesterol and bp go up and up, until they had to cut him open. He even still has a typical kind of diet still from what I heard. It’s very sad.
Do talk to your doctor about it. Best
Can your report out on the portfolio diet also speak to the expectations of exercise in lowering LDL. Thanks
haha love the version with you talking live
I'm a 25-year-old male, who have been eating WFPB for half an year, and my LDL is 79.
let's go. let's freaking go.
my LDL is 62 mg/dL (TCL is 143 mg/dL) at 18 on a NON WFPB diet, but not much junk. I was vegetarian for 17 years 2 months, vegan for 10 months. super happy bout it. will go WFPB when I live alone, i.e. in 5 years (gotta go to college man)
stay healthy man! Also enjoy life in college.
@@imxmchou1143 I will try my best. thanks mate
Good morning
Morning!
My LDL on my blood test last week was 44 😮 Equal to my HDL.
Been vegan about 10 years now, generally a healthy one (I cook at home, but I don't necessarily avoid oil - I do try to mostly use EVOO though - and I eat my share of chocolate and ice cream 😂).
I've probably got some genetic advantages too, but man it doesn't seem that hard to get it below 70 for me 🤷
Mine LDL is a straight 50 now, and my doc just only cares to put me into another 'light statins' just to elevate my 33 of HDL.... I really started to feel very bad 4 the doc's we have nowadays... they seem to care more to wipe us out silently than to keep us alive and healthy.. it's So sad 😢😢😢
I switched to a #wfpb diet 6 years ago and my ldlc went from 190’s to mid 70’s. (Similar drop in apoB). I still went back to my statin and ezetimibe, .. a lesser dose 10mg instead of 30mg and my ldlc is now mid 30’s and apoB low 40’s. At 66yo, cac:0, and “no vessel disease” … I’m sticking to my diet and statins. I recently added back in sardines and fatty fish … mainly because I added CrossFit to my daily 4mi run, and wanted omega 3 index to be above 8 .. oddly ldlc stayed at mid 30’s but apiB went to 50 .. go figure.
How HIGH Should You Go For Ideal HDL Cholesterol? - Thats a video I would like to see. My HDL was at 54 and my GP is telling me I need to get that number up, Ive since add an extra tablespoon of flax or chia to may morning oats but is it really necessary to get the HDL up? If someone has a link to a study on this I would love to read it. I have watched lots of video interviews with Dr. Esselstyn as well as all of Dr.G's vids but very little is ever said about optimal HDL levels. Most of the conservations around HDL seem to be in relation to whither or not supplementing EPA DHA is a good idea or ratios to total cholesterol (mine is at 2.2). I understand the importance of LDL (47 in my case) as it is the big killer but surely a too low HDL will bring its own health risks... but how low is too low?
Under 39 is too low.
Thanks Doc! I've averaged around 40mg/dl over the last few years. Whole Food Vegan!
I eat a whole foods plant based diet and exercise at least an hour per day, but my LDL is a bit high. On my mother's side of the family, they all died from Parkinson's, Alzheimers, and cancer. On my father's side, they dropped dead from heart attacks and strokes. Since we all have to die from something, at 71, if I get to choose, I'm going with a heart attack.
I had a LDL cholesterol of 313 I saw Dr. Gregors video on Brazil nuts lowering LDL so I bought one bag of B. Nuts so I ate only one brazil nut per day a few months later I got a blood test and it said my LDL is now 39 . I ate fast food only then and I still only eat fast food yet I have Cholesterol better than a vegan or even a new born baby , thank you Dr. Gregor. you are Phenomenal , my nutritionist , doctors and Hematologists still find me some type of miracle man or something.
ohhh... I am going to try that! Unfortunately I just started on a low dose statin because 4 years of being plant based no oil, my LDL is going up again. No junk food, etc. Exercise a lot most days! I'll give that brazil nut treatment a try!
@@GinnisMcGinnis
Please let me know how it changes your LDL Ginnis.
I eat one brazil nut a day for more than 10 years, for selenium and it does not help with LDL. i am WFPB no oil no salt (no sugar forever) low fat (about 30 gr) since april 2020 and my last LDL check was 2.66 in july 2021.
@@stan8926
Thank you Stan , that is valuable info , But the brazil nut trick worked miracles for me just like the people in the study above , I was curious exactly what you are saying though , are you saying you had High cholesterol for the 10 years while you ate one brazil nut a day then in the last year your LDL suddenly plummeted from some high number down to 2 ,after switching to a whole foods plant based diet ? or am I missing something ? thanks for any replies.
@@grandconjunct From 2010 to April 2020 I was eating a Paleo-ish diet 52% fat 27% carbs 21% protein - no grains no legumes no sugar minimally processed food except EVOO goat cheese (for calcium!?!). Brazil nut a day every day. My TC was between 200-300 (tests every year, avg 235), LDL avg 150. I started getting high BP at the end of 2019 and went on pills. April 2020 started WFPB no oil no salt low fat never ate sugar anyway or food with added sugar. So about a month later TC was 164 LDL 90 TG 95. Since then I had several test , lowest numbers were after a month of statins - TC 157 LDL 82 TG 105. The latest in july 2021 - TC 191 LDL 102 TG 176. My TG numbers went up significantly. In Paleo days TG was about 80, after that they a double that. Brazil nut is very small part to have any effect except selenium if they really provide this. I found a test I made before Paleo - TC 150 mg/dL. I was vegan then for some period but also lot of seeds and nuts.
WFPB for over 8 years. LDL was 44 mg/dL last time I had it checked.
What about studies showing lower mortality in old aged people with high total cholesterol ? What about brain need for cholesterol to function optimally ?
👏👏👏
People with low cholesterol still get heart attack and strokes.
Why not tell people truth .
It's sugar that's killing us.
"People with low cholesterol still get heart attack and strokes." Only after decades of having high cholesterol, then it dropped back into the normal range as they aged. If you keep LDL under 70 for a lifetime, plaques don't form.
love the info, hate the cartoon.
Thanks a lot! Clever, informative, argued. And a revelation for me.
I have been a vegan for 10 years and my LDL is 76
Can you go over the U-shaped graph of cholesterol levels vs death? Too low cholesterol is also a problem like too low bp, salt levels or hormones. what level is too low for cholesterol?
Watch the video again in the beginning he said as low as you can get to. Since cholesterol is essential to life your body has the ability to produce it's required cholesterol itself and it does so very efficiently. However added cholesterol from so called (bad) food sources like all animal products and a few plant based high saturated fats like coconut oil and palm (seed) oil's is 0 required by the body, on the contrary it's actually harmful as stated in this video as well. You'll never be able to get it to zero but 30-70 is ideal.
I don't understand it, I've been eating junk for most of my life and my LDL is at 51? I do try to eat healthy but I'm not very consistent so far. How are my LDL levels that good?
I think there is one big misconception in the fact that we consider LDL cholesterol a cause for CHD. The LDL placque is just a consequence of chronic inflammation in the body, due to bad diet. Is exactly as you can blame ambulances being the cause of accidents as you can find ambulances were accident happened. CORRELATION VS CAUSATION.
Too many ambulances on the street blocks the traffic flow: Better experimental studies clearly show that elevated LDL levels are causal in heart disease.
There’s too many people with “high” LDL with no atherosclerosis for this to be true.
Are you sure there are no atherosclerosis in those people?
As far as I know many people have plagues that are stable.
I've been eating a vegan diet for 11 years, on and off strictly WFPB. Unfortunately, my LDL just came back at 103! I was surprised bc I generally avoid fatty foods. Can things like bread/refined grains also raise LDL? I also have a friend who ate only fruit for 2 years and his LDL went up to 134. Now including more starches he's down to 100 LDL
I'm in Canada, not sure I can just go to a walk-in clinic and demand my cholesterol be tested, but I eat tons of oats and flax, and very little saturated fat, so I'm not worried.
In Canada, You just have to ask your doctor to do one, kind of interesting to know. Maybe it will teach the doctor a thing or two about what's possible.
@@successandlifestyle What do you mean "your doctor"? Does everyone just have a doctor? I've never had one.
oats are loaded with phytic acid
@@dr.mantistoboggan4746 Thanks, I'll eat more oats.
@@pdblouin I hope you do. Sprinkle on some arsenic to flavor.
Very low LDL and very low Testosterone.. increasing issues with that metabolism ...
Have been eating a strict whole foods plant based diet mostly SOS for over a year (and am not over weight) or didn't eat unhealthily before that. I am really strict as trying to get over long covid. I was so guttered when my LDL cholesterol was still high ( UK 4) and my blood pressure was high. Could it be because I am unable to exercise due to fatigue from long covid?? I do not want to go on medication but feel really annoyed my very healthy diet hasn't made a difference. Any suggestions???
How about taking up walking? Try to start with little extra steps park the car at the furthest available spot or get off the bus one station before you need to get off, just walk a comfortable pace and increase distance and pace over time, see if that will help. Do you take Vitamin D and Magnesium what's your VD level?, shoot for 60ng/ml. Iodine? Maybe your salt intake is too low?, try to take half a spoon of sea salt or Himalaya salt in a quarter glass of warm water and drink after a big glass of water, if you start feeling better you know that Salt intake was too low.
I am sure you take a good B12 supplement, best to get tested if your value is around 600 (best) but minimum 400.
Great video!
Looks like LDL Cholesterol gave this video a thumbs down. LOL
I love this channel!
As low as you can!
Agree with almost everything this doctor says. However, my husband and I have been 100% vegetarian (fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, milk, eggs, cheese, but no meat of any kind) for about 50 years. When getting Coronary Artery Scans my husband at age 71 had no plaque. At age 69, I had plaque. There is something more than the LDL. My husband's cholesterol is almost the same as mine (about 240). I tried the statin for 2 years and my plaque increased 85% (even though cholesterol dropped to 117). I stopped the statin and took only K2, D3, magnesium, aged garlic and in two years the plaque decreased 18%. Cholesterol was still the same during that time. Having said this, I started taking lecithin to lower the cholesterol a bit but it will be a few months before I get tested again. But I'm not concerned so much about the cholesterol if my plaque is decreasing with the supplements. I have no body pain anywhere. I did have some muscle pain when taking statins. My doctor had me x-rayed and told me it was not the statin - it was my hip degenerating. However, after stopping the statins, I no longer have pain and limp around. In summary, I think for some people at least, the gut does not convert K1 to K2 to keep the arteries clean.
Have you tried cutting the milk, eggs, and cheese to see what happens to your cholesterol and plaque?
@@Dualhammers And oil.
A total cholesterol of 240 is really high
You need to remove the diary
Did you people not see that my husband has been eating dairy and cheese and eggs for 50 years, has 230 cholesterol, BUT NO PLAQUE. The only reason you don't want high cholesterol is to not have plaque in your arteries. Did you not read that my plaque is slowly disappearing with K2, D3, Magnesium despite 240 cholesterol? I've been saying for years that the scientific community does not understand cholesterol. Now I have proof in my own body. At some point they will figure it out. (In 1984 a doctor was horrified that I ate avocados. He said, "That is terrible for your cholesterol." I worked for him. He was a psychiatrist. He didn't know my cholesterol levels. They were very "good" until I got older. They are very slow to learn.)
LDL is both good and bad not all of LDL is atherogenic. Focus on TC/HDL ratio
👏👏👏
This isn’t helpful for people with elevated LP(a).
True but there never is a one size fits all.
8 year vegan 64 LDL, it’s possible
Omg animated Dr. G is awesome!
Bravo!
I usually get flagged for a low leucocyte count. Dr. Barnard says that is normal for a healthy vegan. Does nf has anything more specific on the matter?
White blood count, if it's very low it means you don't have a lot of inflammation, that is a good thing.
Is this a repeat?
What about coconut milk used in unprocessed plant based foods? Is this going to raise LDL?
Doesn't work for everyone. Low fat (10 - 12%) WFPB diet, daily exercise, TC 155 but LDL won't go below 85.
Possibly genetic also, i have never been able to go lower than 80 on a low fat fruit based whole plant only diet, salt/oil/sugar/alcohol/cafeine/others psychoactive drugs free with enough sleep/rest/b12 and exercise and a BMI of 20.
Some people can go as low as 30-50 LDL cholesterol.
I am male 54 old, I have a stent of 48 mm long on my artery coronary left for 1 year now, only the first 7-10 days I used medication, then I stopped all medication and I replaced them with plants based diet, now I have a total cholesterol of 139 and I am feeling fine at the moment. No oil and no nuts. Strictly plants based diet
@@gabriel65304 why no nuts?
Having watched the work of Dave Feldman, I find it quite perplexing to see both this evidence and what Dave shares. His data shows that data on LDL seems to be unimportant for mortality. He goes on to show studies where people with low LDL have CVD. It seems like something else is the problem, such as the oxidation of lipoproteins. And the main culprits are aldehydes and high blood sugar. Aldehydes are found in seed oils and cigarettes.
"He goes on to show studies where people with low LDL have CVD." I humbly suggest to take a closer look at those studies. Given our incredibly-unhealthy diet and biomarkers, LDL levels of as high as 99, 129, 139, or in the old days, 159, have been treated and labeled as being "normal" or even "low" LDL levels. That creates a ton of confusion given that physiologically-normal LDL levels for humans are actually more like 35-70. Truly "low" LDL would be like 34 and under. Newborns, hunter-gatherer tribes, and other free-ranging mammals without heart disease have LDL levels around 50-55.
Also, the studies supposedly showing LDL isn't a problem are largely weak correlational studies with terrible restriction of range problems (virtually everyone actually has elevated LDL levels) whereas stronger experimental studies clearly reveal that elevated LDL is causal in atherosclerosis.
And if you are eating cholesterol, how on earth would you stop lots of the cholesterol from oxidizing?
Take care.
My LDL is 1.90 mmol/L X 18 = 34.2 mg/dl.
Can you do a video on the new study showing that a higher intake of dairy fat is linked to less of a risk of heart disease? I’m curious if there is any validity to this.
link to that study?
Sadly, the study is wrong. ua-cam.com/video/X5GIExMa4rM/v-deo.html
I know this is a long video but they explain everything very well. ua-cam.com/video/-_nXKpeZZFs/v-deo.html
This video is incredibly misleading. I am a vegan. I eat a plant based diet. And my LDL is nowhere near as low as 70, or your so-called historical norm of 50. You’re completely ignoring that cholesterol is produced at different levels of “normal” by each individual in their own body. So the fact that I have naturally or genetically high levels of cholesterol without even taking my diet into account is something that prevents these supposedly achievable “how low can you go” numbers. The fact that you didn’t even get into the different types of high and low density LDLs or even triglyceride levels is shocking. There’s so much research on how we should interpret LDL numbers and the way traditional medicine looks at it. You’re oversimplifying in a way that worries me. And that comes from someone who already believes in a plant based diet. Plant based is better. But it’s not a cure all.
I have been a whole food plant based more then two years. My total cholesterol droped from 188 to 166. My hdl is 40. So my ldl is 126. Why is it so high?
You need to include 20 percent of your triglyceride reading as well to get total cholesterol. Perhaps your LDL is lower?
I have a question Dr Greger. First, let me say I love your videos, and thank you for ALL the information you put out there for people. Truly admirable. Okay, my question: I was diagnosed with Type II diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol last December 2020. I weighed in at 237 lbs and am 6'2" and 50 years old. Within a couple of months, I was on a plant based diet, and over the past several months have transitioned to a truly whole food plant based diet. I'm no longer on hypertension meds or diabetes meds with an A1C of 6.2 and I have lost 50 lbs. However, my cholesterol doesn't seem to go down much. My LDL was 192 in December, and 161 now. My HDL was 43 and is now 49. My doctor wants me to go on statins, but, I am hesitant. Do you think, given what I've said here, statins are a good idea or do you have any advice?
Try cutting out ALL oil, fat etc for a long stretch of time.
@@cazy314 that's a really bad idea. You need a certain amount of fat. I am already no oil, and only eat plant based foods. My fat intake is 30-40 g per day.
@@PlantLifeYT I would say of you are doing everything else, diet and exercise, a statin is the next logical step. Just monitor for side effects. I would also not be satisfied with an A1C of 6.2. personally I am to keep mine under 5. Best of luck!
If you read Nathan Pritikin's story you'll find out it took him three years to reach a very low level of total cholesterol and LDL. So patience is the key. Stick with the plan. In time it will all fall into place
@@PlantLifeYT You are right, you do need certain fats. But only omega 6 which are abundant in most plant foods especially nuts and seeds and omega 3, those are essential. Omega 3 you find especially in walnuts, flax, chia and hemp seeds. But if you listen to Dean Ornish or Caldwell Esselstyn than eat as little fat as possible is best, btw even green plants contain a certain amount of fat even if very low. I guess that your TC and LDL was still elevated as your body used up your own fat, which was still saturated that increased both, where are your values today?
What about VLDL?
Until the big glaring lights come on for all these experts im going to explain to you in very simple layman terms why Cholestetol is good and critical for life and is not the cause of heart disease and stroke.
Ask yourself, if cholesterol is the cause of disease then why is it only very specific arteries are the ones suffering damage and not any veins or capillaries. The answer is simple because Cholesterol is like blood platelets are to a scab from a cut on the skin for repair of arteries.when arteries get damaged cholesterol is part of the repair mechanism for damage and if it were just a one time thing it wouldnt be an issue, except it havitually happens again and again at certain arteries and very specific locations.
So you then ask what is the cause of the damage? Well that isnt so simple but lets look at people with sickle cell anemia. Their blood platelets look like tiny little sharp sickles that damage the artery lining leading to heart disease and strokes at far high proportion to the general public. So with that mechanism in mind, consider metabolic dysfunction which is caused by to many calories and not enough exercise primarily. A couple of the hallmarks of metabolic syndrome are high blood pressure and diabetes. Then look at where damage largely takes place is the highest pressure points in the vascular system exiting the heart and in the bodies large arteries feeding the brain. It also just so happens to occur on outside curves of arteries where the pressure is the most pronounced. Then the most important part diabetes is having habitually highblood sugar and diabetics are also at far higher odds of dying of heart attacks and strokes than the general population. What happen when you combine blood a water base solvent with sugar, you create a solution of sugar. Sugar is a crystal and when combined with blood and pushed through your arteries at high pressure becomes abrasive to the lining of the arteries causing damage. Of course tgat is my opinion snd theory but even if it isnt exactly how it works it doesnt change the fact that people with metabolic syndrome are at far higher risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Ultimately what drives this is metaboic dysfunction from habitually over eating and not exercising to burn the calories as well a the other cardio vascular benefits from exercise.
The reasin a vegan diet is healthy at least in the beginning is its a subsistence diet or as i call it a starvation diet. You are consuming calories in a deficiet because its very hard to eat a healthy vegan diet and over consume calories.
Why fast and processed foods are so bad is not becsuse they are high in saturated fat, they are not and proof is look at any nutrician label. Fast/processed foods are made up of primarily grain and seeds. Grain/seed=high glycemic flour and high fat oils. Both are extremely high calorie and both bypass the normal full digestive process that eating whole foods provides. So the body is being fed foods that in combination especially promote fat storage. Then put into perspective that during rest and normal activities the bodies primary fuel is fat. We only have 2000 calories worth of glucose storage in muscles becsuse glucose/glycogen is comprised mostly of water and is heavy, hence why most of our energy is derived from fat. Only time our primary fuel is glucose is doing heavy intense work or to eacape a bear which is anaerobic activity. Our daily activities are aerobic and aerobic activity is largely fueled by fat. So if you habitually eat more and more high glycemic/high sugar carbs and you have you glycogen stores full in your muscles the body has to convert the glucose to store as fat because we cannot have high blod glucose or it damages the body, hence why diabetes is so bad. So if you continue to eat a surplus of high sugar and or high fat diet especially together in a surplus over time you develop metabolic dysfunction. Once the body no longer has room in fat cells to store fat it begins storing fat extopically in muscle and organ tissues leading to organ dysfunction like fatty liver and fatty pancreas. Which compounds the dysfunction. We continue to over consume and the body no longer has anywhere to store the excess calories. The damage to the organs causes dysfunction like diabetes as well and the body can no longer shuttle glucose into the limited 2000 calorie glycogen storage and so it keeps converting the excess glucose calories into teiglycerides/fat for storage with know where to go. Its a viscious circle and it has nothing to do with cholesterol except xholesretol just so happens to be part of the repair and eventually part of a plugged artery.
Shouldnt be a surprise that vegans get heart attacks and strokes too even with minimal cholestetol. Additionally if you look at the median cholesterol worldwide it is 225 total not below 200.
You all just cant see the forest for the trees or you just don't want to. All i know is if i were vegan and had a big belly i would be worried because that is the big red flag of metabolic dysfunction.
My ldl was high unfortunately this year, it was at 100. I did cut down my oil intake, never really added a lot of oil to begin with, but I I took most of it out. I know I need to take oil out completely though. I would add just 1/4 tsp of evo to maybe one meal, but that meal would get split between 2-3 people. But my genetics doesn’t help either. Even the primary was confused. I work out too, even more so this year. I am vegan and I know my diet isn’t perfect, but I thought did everything mostly right. No I don’t eat vegan junk foods like impossible burger. Very frustrating!
Get a CAC scan and find out what your arteries look like. LDL isn't even in the top 5 risk factors for heart disease. Your EVOO is fine, particularly if it's certified for purity. It's the easily oxidized seed oil that should be avoided. If you're legitimately interested in cholesterol, I'd suggest checking out Peter Attia.
Dr. Greger: would you be willing to make a video explaining the logic of cholesterol deniers. I don't understand the theories of the two schools of thought.
Hi, Kate! You may be able to find what you are looking for here: nutritionfacts.org/topics/cholesterol/ Most of the "logic" is manufactured by the meat, dairy, and egg industries. I hope that helps!
-Christine Kestner, MS, CNS, LDN, NutritionFacts.org Health Support Volunteer
@@NutritionFactsOrg hello and most of the othe « Logic » is MADE by big pharma and his blockbuster « atorvastatine » 🤪🤪🤪
He should reduce the length of his CV if he wants potential employers to consider him.
I don't like the comic version of Dr. Greger. It severely reduces the authority of these videos.
I'd rather have a study on screen.
It’s confusing when you guys over the water measure cholesterol in a totally different way then us.
Please get rid of the animated Greger, it's really cringy!
I eat Oil-free vegan and mine was 63!
If only one word were true.
I’ve been vegan for almost 7 years with my total cholesterol recently at 170 and my LDL at 85 (mg/dl). I have naturally higher testosterone (925) (34 yrs old male) is this possibly why?
I have the answer.... you're not vegan🤷🏿♂️.....or you think eating potato chips is part of a healthy vegan diet. Go troll a keto diet page ..
What type of foods are you eating?
@@Meccarox Ive been vegan for 3 years and my cholesterol levels have progressively gone. Vegan for 7 years and your cholesterol levels are higher than someone in their 70s..I don't believe you. You are more than likely on a vegan junk food diet or you're just not vegan. I eat mostly whole foods once in awhile I have vegan fun foods burgers chickn etc. But I maintain a whole foods plant based diet 80 percent of the time and I'm 53 and my cholesterol is well below yours young man.
@@yoramrodriguez4499 ??? My comment was directed towards Paul. Why are you replying to me?
@@Meccarox my bad I should have looked at the name first.... I thought he was responding to me....my apologies....
Yea cartoon dr. Is back!😀