For decades, doctors believed that high cholesterol was a clear warning sign of an impending heart attack and early death. However, top doctor Dr Nick Norwitz is now challenging this long-held belief.
Cholesterol is a waxy substance that builds cells, synthesizes vitamins, and produces hormones like estrogen and testosterone. There are two types: HDL (the ‘good’ kind) and LDL (the ‘bad’ kind). While it’s true that high LDL cholesterol can form plaques that build up and block arteries, leading to heart disease, scientists have discovered that this is not the only factor at play.
Dr Norwitz has co-authored a study on very high cholesterol levels in healthy and fit adults who followed a strict low-carb and high-fat keto diet. The researchers found no evidence of worsening artery plaque, a key indicator of heart disease risk. In fact, these individuals had perfect blood sugar, sky-high ‘good’ HDL cholesterol, and virtually no inflammation.
Dr Norwitz’s research suggests that extreme high cholesterol levels might not be as influential in driving heart disease as scientists have long thought. Some people with shockingly high cholesterol showed zero artery clogging over time, but were lean, healthy, and followers of the keto diet.
This new understanding challenges the assumption that high cholesterol is a reliable warning sign for heart attack risk. Instead, Dr Norwitz emphasizes the importance of considering overall metabolic health, including genetics, smoking, inactivity, high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes.
The findings of this study expose a major blind spot in traditional medicine, highlighting the need to reassess our understanding of cholesterol and its role in the body. One paper may not overturn the prevailing idea overnight, but it does open up new avenues for research and potential treatments.
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-14584893/Keto-Diet-Study-Shocks-Doctors-Cholesterol-Heart-Killer.html