Beyond Statins: Lowering Cholesterol Naturally and Safely - AI Podcast

Dr. Joseph Mercola - Take Control of Your Health

Briana Mercola

Health & Fitness, Health, Alternative Health

4.6 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 28 May 2025

⏱️ 6 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Story at-a-glance

Cholesterol is essential for hormone production, brain function, and cell health, and about 80% of it is made by your body — not consumed in food. High triglycerides, not total cholesterol, pose a stronger risk for heart attack — raising risk by 80% — making triglyceride-to-HDL ratio a better heart disease predictor
Newer science shows chronic inflammation — not LDL alone — may be the real cause of plaque buildup in arteries, shifting focus to markers like ApoB and CRP
Natural options like garlic, artichoke, bergamot, plant sterols, green tea, and oats have been shown in clinical studies to lower LDL cholesterol and improve heart markers
Red yeast rice can lower LDL by up to 33%, but it contains a statin-like compound with the same side effects and potential kidney toxins like citrinin
Lifestyle changes like cutting sugar, walking daily, and sleeping well can activate the Pareto Principle — where 20% of effort yields 80% of results in lowering cholesterol. Exercise improves five key metabolic biomarkers — glucose, HDL, triglycerides, blood pressure, and waist size — each linked to long-term cardiovascular health

Transcript

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0:00.0	Are you ready to find out why lowering your triglycerides may do more for your heart than chasing a lower cholesterol number?
0:07.4	Hello and welcome to Dr. Mercola's cellular wisdom.
0:10.9	I'm Ethan Foster, and today we're breaking down how you can support healthy cholesterol levels naturally without defaulting to statin drugs.
0:19.7	I'm Alara Sky.
0:23.4	Together, we'll clarify what cholesterol really does for you, why high triglycerides and chronic inflammation deserve more
0:28.4	of your attention, and which diet, lifestyle, and plant-based strategies have solid science
0:34.1	behind them. Let's start with the basics. About 80% of your cholesterol is made inside your body, mainly in the liver, while only 20%
0:43.3	comes from what you eat.
0:45.3	That internal supply is crucial for hormone production, cell membranes, vitamin D, synthesis,
0:51.3	and bile acids that digest fat. Exactly.
0:56.0	Cholesterol also protects your nerves by building the myelin sheath and supports brain signaling,
1:01.0	learning, and memory.
1:03.0	So, instead of labeling cholesterol good or bad, focus on balance, especially the ratio of
1:09.5	total cholesterol to HDL and the interaction between
1:12.7	cholesterol and triglycerides.
1:16.3	Triglycerides matter because high levels raise heart attack risk by roughly 80%.
1:21.3	A simple way to gauge that risk is the triglyceride to HDL ratio.
1:26.5	The lower the ratio, the better your outlook. High triglycerides
1:30.3	often point to excess sugar and refined carbs, not dietary fat. That shifts the conversation from
1:36.5	total cholesterol to metabolic health. Research now links plaque buildup more to chronic inflammation
1:42.9	than to LDL alone.
1:45.2	Two lab markers tell the story.
	...

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