What to Do About High Cholesterol | Mastering Nutrition #30

What to Do About High Cholesterol | Mastering Nutrition #30

Author: Chris Masterjohn, PhD March 19, 2017 Duration: 58:41

If you're concerned about your cholesterol, or confused about what to do, this episode is for you. In this episode, I list the four key factors that control blood cholesterol levels and outline the simplest dietary or lifestyle changes we can make to have the biggest impact.

This episode is brought to you by US Wellness Meats. Head to grasslandbeef.com and enter "Chris" at checkout to get 15% off your order as long as the final price is over $75 and you order fewer than 40 pounds of meat. You can use "Chris" to get the same discount twice.

In this episode, you will find all of the following and more: 

00:33 Cliff notes; 09:22 Targeting the low-hanging fruit; 11:50  The total-to-HDL-C ratio as a fingerprint of low LDL receptor activity; 13:20  Other markers such as particle size, particle count, and ApoB as fingerprints of low LDL receptor activity; 16:30  The four factors that control the LDL receptor; 18:50  Intracellular free cholesterol (effects of dietary fiber, cholestyramine, statins, and polyunsaturated fatty acids or PUFAs); 20:37  Thyroid hormone (effects of micornutrients, body fat, and carbohydrate intake); 23:50  Insulin (via PCSK9, effects of the fasting-feeding cycle and carbohydrate intake); 27:00  Inflammation (via PCSK9, effects of acute infection and chronic inflammation); 29:15  Practical approaches to maximizing LDL receptor activity; 29:22  Nutrient-dense whole food diets; 34:00  Thyroid disorder; 37:15   Adrenal stress, circadian stress, inflammatory stress; 39:05  Insulin resistance, body composition, and fatty liver disease; 42:00  Weight loss will improve insulin sensitivity, and for many a low-carb diet is a tool to achieve that, but in an insulin-sensitive person, carbohydrate stimulation of insulin has a powerful beneficial effect on LDL receptor activity; 46:20  Inflammation and PCSK9; 47:00  C-Reactive Protein levels, body composition, diet quality, and exercise; 49:25  Replacing fat with carbohydrate.

Access the show notes, transcript, and comments here:

https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/038-what-to-do-about-high-cholesterol

Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.


Chris Masterjohn, PhD hosts Mastering Nutrition, a podcast that digs into the science of how our bodies work at a fundamental level. The focus here is on mitochondrial health-the energy powerhouses within our cells-and how optimizing them forms the cornerstone of lasting vitality. Chris brings his background as a nutrition scientist and his experience founding BioOptHealth to these conversations, which move beyond generic diet advice. Instead, the podcast explores how individual differences, informed by tools like whole genome sequencing and detailed biochemical data, can reveal personalized paths to better metabolic function. Listeners will hear deep dives into cutting-edge research, practical interpretations of complex studies, and discussions on how to apply these insights in a real-world context. This isn't about quick fixes or trending superfoods; it's about building a coherent, scientifically-grounded understanding of nutrition from the cellular level up. Each episode aims to provide the kind of nuanced, evidence-based perspective that can help you make sense of conflicting health information. Whether the topic is a specific nutrient, a metabolic pathway, or a broader principle of wellness, Chris works to translate dense science into actionable knowledge. Tune in for a thoughtful, detailed exploration of what it truly means to master your own nutritional landscape.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 712

Mastering Nutrition
Podcast Episodes
Your Cells Are Starving For Creatine [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:47
Creatine is like your second mitochondria. Or, the mitochondria's chief of staff. Or its co-pilot. Your mitochondria make ATP so you can see clearly, hear accurately, digest your food, power your brain, show off your you…
Is Whole Food Vitamin C Really Different? | Masterjohn Q&A Files #330 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:16
Question: Is whole food vitamin C superior to natural because it is part of a tyrosinase complex? Short Answer: Vitamin C is nearly ubiquitously distributed in plant tissues, and is never bound to any enzyme as a structu…
What's the Deal With Seed Oils? | Masterjohn Q&A Files #329 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:01
Question: What Is the Real Issue With Seed Oils? Short Answer: The main issue with seed oils is that they present an oxidative liability. They do not acutely cause oxidative stress, but their polyunsaturated fatty acids…
Is Hair Mineral Testing Useful? | Masterjohn Q&A Files #328 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:15
Question: How useful is hair trace mineral analysis (HTMA) for nutritional testing? Short Answer: Hair trace mineral analysis is included as an optional add-on in the comprehensive nutritional screening from Testing Nutr…
Secrets to Superior Cognitive Performance (Without Drugs) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:10
Nutrition is far more powerful than drugs to improve cognitive performance. We start by looking at cocaine, Adderall, and Ritalin, and show why these drugs cannot possibly hold a candle to nutrition. Optimal nutrition ca…
Vitamin C, Whole Food Vs. Synthetic: Does It Matter? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:16
Debunking the myth that vitamin C in plants is found in a special "tyrosinase complex." For the written article with references, see here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/vitamin-c-whole-food-vs-synthetic For i…
Cancer, IV Drips, and the Glutathione Vitamin C Connection [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:10
Is high-dose vitamin C good for you? High-dose intravenous vitamin C can selectively kill cancer cells in live patients and can save sepsis patients from dying, but it acts as a pro-oxidant in cancer and an antioxidant i…