Thank you Simon. This new series where you corroborate and aggregate the findings and results and pack it in nice digestible fashion. I like these much more than talks with experts. Much much appreciated.
Based on this I must be an outlier. My LDL was 5.8 when I was on a Ketogenic diet. For health reasons, I changed and went to a whole plant-based diet and today it is 1.8 with no meds. The same with my ApoB. 146 and now is 90. Also, my HS-CRP went from 31 and now is 6. Thank you for an educational well-presented video. Subbed & Liked
This was so well put together and informative! I’d love more videos this style? Maybe one on autophagy and IGF-1 and their relation ship? Also maybe soluble & insoluble fiber, the digestive system?
Please continue this series! I consistently learn so much from your videos. As someone who is easily distracted, your content-especially this comprehensive series-helps me focus immensely. Your technical style is excellent, the editing is superb, and the illustrations are engaging. Most importantly, your content is research- and evidence-based, which I believe sets you apart from other health and lifestyle creators I watch. Kudos, Simon!
@@gracie-lancaster I’m with you; what a great comment! In a sea of social media health influencers, Simon has emerged as the best of the best in my ADD-prone mind.
This was a fascinating episode, and particularly valuable for me. I eat a plant forward diet, but probably more like 85-90% plant based for the past 5 years (I used to eat a pretty standard American diet). After listening to this I figured I’d be a normal absorber, but why not check it out? I got my results back yesterday (from empowerdx in the US) and my Beta-sitosterol level was 4.0 mg/L and campesterol was 6.1 mg/L putting me in the hyper-absorber range. I now feel like I can target some changes to strategically drop my LDL even further. Many thanks Simon.
Thank you, Simon! I did the Boston Heart test after hearing about it from a TH-cam video featuring Dr. Dayspring and was shocked to find my Beta-sitosterol level was 12.8, putting me above the 99th percentile. After four months of taking Ezetimibe, my Beta-sitosterol dropped to 2.9. That's still over the 70th percentile, but obviously much better. I also dropped my ApoB from 125 to 89. While my ApoB is still not ideal, I'm so thankful for learning about this and improving my blood lipids so much!
@@johnrichards3773I did mine with empowerdx, which I’m pretty sure is the Boston Heart one (my report came back with Boston Heart at the top) and it was $99. They mail it to you and you collect the sample at home, then fed-ex it back to them. They supply the return label and packaging and the return shipping was included in the price.
Wouldn't the amount of phytosterols depend on the intake of plant foods? Some one on the carnivore diet would test as low in blood phytosterols - but that doesn't mean they are a low or normal absorber, right? And could a vegan eating mostly whole foods have a normally high levels of phytosterols without being a hyperabsorber? In other words, are these tests really valuable for all people who are curious and are there good information om how to interpret the results? Or are they mostly valuable for comparing larger cohorts in studies, maybe as a way to validate if the reported cholesterol intake is accurate?
Thanks Simon, this clarified the contradictions that I've seen on this topic I find it quite disappointing that ZOE put out a blanket message that dietary cholesterol does not raise cholesterol without mentioning these hyperabsorbers. They are supposed to be all about dietary personalisation but have glossed over that
They've also said saturated fat from fermented foods like full fat yogurt and cheese do not affect blood cholesterol. If that's true, that's new to me.
Honestly I find the level of content put out by Zoe these days bordering on negligent! It’s dumbed down to the extreme (as is most health / nutrition advice in the UK sadly) and highly skewed towards pushing their brand message. An exception to this was the wonderful interview given by Simon and Dr B a few weeks ago, but that was thanks mainly to Simon tbh.
@@Joseph1NJThere’s a weird point about the fat in fermented dairy (Simon raises it too in his recent fat episode and there’s a new supplement on the market that I won’t name but you’ve probably seen …) I find this topic v interesting but have no idea what to think! Would be cool to have a deep dive.
@@dcc08 I asked him about that. His reply, unless I'm mistaken, is that saturated fat in fermented dairy does raise ApoB, but not as fast. Again, new to me and needs needs clarification.
It’s very interesting. The supplement I mention is using isolated pentadecanoic acid and I believe they are claiming it positively impacts liver markers and also lipids. Would really love Simon to take a look at this. Brad S did a video on it recently and I’m aware Physionic has something in the works.
Simon, these newer videos are pedagogically valuable. As an educator, I search for high quality, evidence-based, visually engaging video for students. The only problem is that educators are typically required to have grammatically correct closed captions for accessibility to all. Unfortunately, a lack of compliance to accessibility in the closed captioning results in an educator's inability to share your valuable content. I would love to see your content shared more often, particularly with younger people!!! ❤❤❤ It's just a thought.
I'm a student researcher at one of the UC schools in California -- it's true that closed captioning is being required more and more in lecture halls (I've observed). If your TH-cam isn't automatically providing CC, there's software which can help with that if you download the episode and drop the file into it. Or, connect a mic to the software. Your school should provide that to accommodate students with hearing disabilities (by law, actually). I hope this helps...
@AGBRADFORD This is all true. However, it gets to be a lot of work for those who must often DIY. I spent 4 days CCing four 44 minute videos. Not everyone will do it. The TH-cam auto CCs are not compliant with required standards.
@@gailhumiston3890 Of course, that's why our university ensures teachers have the software to CC their video material or live lectures as they speak to 300 to 500 students. The IT Dept provides this service to accommodate for students with disabilities. This is certainly the responsibility of the school. I'm not sure how to enforce this where you are but it's a legal requirement to make accommodations for all students. At least, it's enforced where I'm researching. Without it, the school would be in legal trouble. Good luck with bringing this to the attention of your institution -- students would certainly benefit, especially those with any impairments 💙
I'm a 55 year old post menopausal woman. I did the Empower test after listening to one of your episodes with Dr. Dayspring. My Beta-Sitosterol was 3.0 and my Campesterol was 3.1. The test also looked at Lathosterol, which was 2.1. The interpretation they gave me was "Increased amounts of Lathosterol and Beta-Sitosterol may indicate an increased cellular production and intestinal absorption of cholesterol." So I took that as I needed to make some changes. I'm due for my annual lipid panel, my LDL was much higher than I wanted last time and when I tested my APOB two years ago it was 92. I have really been watching saturated fat so hoping to see a change.
Simon "You" are a "Beautiful" Person ! Thank You for Being You ! and all that you do !! to help the world a more healthier place and improve / increase our health-spans !! May you be blessed with Good Health, A Long Health-span and Happiness all your life !!
Simon, these recent video styles have been extremely helpful. These videos are summarizing hours of conversations and allowing us to understand precisely what we can do to improve and understand health
Thank you, that's a great bit of info. I eat a primarily plant-based diet, but include some fish and eggs. I average perhaps 4-5 eggs per week. My cholesterol is at the low end of the range.
What I can say at this moment is that when I was eating low-carb lots of animal products my LDL was 115 mg/dl and total was 225. After 4 months eating plant-based my numbers went down to 56 and 132 respectively!! I was very pleased!!
Thanks, Simon. I wish you could touch on omega-3-enriched eggs in the video. I eat two organic flaxseed-enriched eggs daily. In lab results, the farmers showed that 2 eggs contain 600 mg of total omega-3 and 100 mg of DHA; studies show that omega-3-enriched eggs improve lipid profiles. Also, I think it will be suitable to talk about the consequences of absorbing plant sterols for hyper-absorbers, which can have adverse health effects.
You are the epitomy of Simon's audience. Worrying about stuff that doesn't exist. Eggs are a superfood. They dwarf vegetables in micronutrient supply and are no longer regarded as an issue when it comes to cholesterol. It's not the 80's
@@wearetruth7116 no such thing as a superfood, thats just all industry marketing hype. eggs are unethical products from outdated animal abuse industries.
My ApoB is 84 from my last test. Total cholesterol is 206. LDL 123. Triglycerides 38. I would usually eat 6-7 eggs almost everyday. I only just recently within the last month decided to try to lower my saturated fat intake bc of your fats video. I reduced to 3-4 eggs and added egg whites or substitute. I’ll be asking my doctor for those blood tests when I see him this week.
Great video! I’m really looking forward to the choline video as well! Please consider anything on ApoE4 carriers and plant based diets, pescatarian, fish oil vs algae oil for them, etc.
Not sure if anyone will see this, but I did the test for plant sterols via EmpowerDX, and just got back the results. My production markers are 'Low', but my absorption markers (beta-sitosterol specifically) was 'High' (211). I will note that the other absorption marker, campesterol was in the 'Low' range (144). Not sure what to make of that.
I'm in Canada and had campesterol and desmosterol tested at Dynacare. Please note there is a cost to these tests and it was outsourced to a US lab by dynacare. Great work Simon!
Hi Simon! Best treatment I’ve seen so far on exogenous and endogenous sources of serum cholesterol! Nicely done. In addition to Ezetimibe, I also take a bile acid sequestrant before a meal with animal fats like eggs. Can be highly complementary together since the mechanisms of action are different. I also think that the recent discovery of the cholesin hormone deserves consideration for impact of intestinal absorption of cholesterol on the liver’s cholesterol synthesis.
Thank you so much for this super informative video! After watching some of your previous videos with Dr. Dayspring, I completed a cholesterol balance test through Empower DX last fall. My beta-sitosterol was elevated at 4.3, indicating hyper absorption of plant sterols, something that my vegan diet (new at the time, for seven months prior to testing) was likely not necessarily helping. My other markers on that test, including campesterol, were normal--somewhat unusual based on what you said that if one is high, the other likely is as well. My serum cholesterol panel results include elevated total serum cholesterol and LDL (menopause is rough, more ways than one). Some subsequent dietary tweaks (cutting back some on the carbs/avocados/dark chocolate, but keeping fiber decent, and increasing protein and oatmeal every day, essentially a pescatarian/Mediterranean diet) resulted in my Lp(a) and ApoB to drop a respectable amount, although still not in goal range. I plan on repeating the plant sterol testing and serum cholesterol in a few months, after adding a bergamot supplement (to see if it budges anything). If no change, I plan on trying psyllium, which I've read can help block some of the reabsorption of bile acids, and will retest levels again. If no change after that, I'll have to think hard about adding Ezetimibe since there is a family history of early heart disease, although all my other risk factors are normal (excellent BMI and blood pressure, never smoker, regular exerciser, fastidious dietary habits, and cardiac calcium score essentially zero at 1.1). I'm trying hard to stay off of any medication. I've found the information you are providing invaluable as there is still SO MUCH misinformation out there related to cholesterol--it is not a 'one size fits all' situation. My primary care physician isn't quite up to speed on all the nuances either and offered to throw a statin at me, even though this would not really be appropriate if the elevations in my panel are due to hyper absorption. As a health care professional, I always try to do a ton of research before undertaking any 'interventions' related to my health. You've made that task much easier and I really appreciate your balanced, thoughtful and scientific approach to these very important topics.
Thanks for explaining how it works and why there’s all the seemingly contradictory research. The lab suggestions and dad joke were also much appreciated!
Do these tests still work for those eating very low plant foods? I'd imagine reducing the phytosterol dietary intake has a dramatic effect on the outcome especially for hyper absorbers, possibly getting a miss/false negative.
Hi Simon! 🙂 I didn't know anything about intestinal hyperabsorbers at the time....but taking Ezetimibe, lowered my personal LDL by about 37%. Is it fair to assume, judging be the effect on ldl cholesterol alone, I must be(or rather used to be) a hyper absorber? 🤔😉 Because then, the people who can't get the phytosterol test, could use this as an alternative way of testing, as well! 😉 If memory serves me, Ezetimibe is generally found to only lower ldl between 10-15%.
besides the direct dietary cholesterol impact from eggs, there is an additional impact from dysbiotic microbiome, which is supported by an increased animal calorie consumption (i.e. eggs), so its not just the portion that is being digested directly by our intestinal system, but also an additional one from dysbiotic microbial metabolites and their metabolic pathways
Thanks Simon, excellent video! My question is for those people who may be vegan, over 60, and are looking to have a source of protein that is relatively easy for the body to assimilate, is there any evidence that eating only egg whites can present any risks? For example, some say that eating eggs (as little as 1/2 per day) is associated with increasing the risk of the most severe form of prostate and breast cancer; however, the cholesterol, choline, and saturated fat appear to be mostly in the yolk, not the white. Thanks again in advance for your answer and being an indispensable source of information!
Yolks on you Simon, I have my own dad jokes. Currently I'm scrambling to think of more. At least the grass is always sunnier on the other side up 🤷 As for the video, it is nice to see you come out of your own shell. Omelette you take over from here now. Thanks!
Insanely good video. Being able to consume such content for free is something to deeply appreciate! Thanks a lot from Germany 🇩🇪 As to the question about my egg consumption. ZERO since 2016 for ethical reasons ✌🏻
Hi Simon I don't eat eggs 95% of the time now that I follow a vegan diet But every now and then when we are out for brunch with friends I have a poached egg - and enjoy it. A very interesting presentation. The visuals and explanation summaries make a huge difference to listening to the science experts which can be confusing. your work is amazing and very appreciated by us.
Great episode, thanks Simon! I love eggs and get lots of free range ones from neighbour's chickens. I eat about 6-8 per week. Hopefully I'm not a hyper-absorber but I'll be sure to check with my doctor...
Thank you for this info!! Not every vegan has low apoB. I am 71, eat a balanced vegan diet, and exercise. My apoB is 91. I have thought about using plant sterols, to lower my cholesterol and now will wait to do the blood test before trying that. By the way, probably any suggestion you may have, I have already tried. I appreciate how Simon provides helpful education for anyone, no matter how or what 14:05 they choose to eat.
`Wasting away in Margaritaville`, well, Czech Republic actually and as always I`m enjoying your videos. Love the new format and I wish you increased success.😉
Thank you Simon. I am a hyperabsorber. Therefore I eat plant based and habe an LDL level of 50 mg/dl. I eat for example: Pomegranate, grapefruit, cucumber, onion, oat, cashew nuts...This food is high in campesterol and sitosterol. Could this food cause plaque and artheriosklerosis? Please excuse my english, I live in Germany. I love your episodes, I have studied biochemistry, have a nice day!
Great content and insight. Please continue to do these shorter style videos as they’re all I have time for. Thank you for giving detail on how to approach eating eggs. Also clarity on what diet is the best for long term health.
Thank you for the clear and concise summary, very much looking forward to a future discussion on choline! As for personal consumption - it varies, but I probably eat 4-5 eggs a week on average. I wasn’t thrilled with my last lipid test though, so I may look into a phytosterol test and think about making them an even more infrequent part of my diet.
Thank you, Simon. Beyond the cholesterol conversation, can you share if egg consumption is associated with extended or reduced longevity in meta analyses?
@@TheProofWithSimonHill I swap eggs for beans, lentils, vegetables, and pea protein, and am happy with my tradeoff. I do that based on many studues showing plant-based protein results in higher healthspan than animal-based protein. I do eat them occasionally (once a month) for the nutrition value (and taste!) but keep the dose low. Thank you for your excellent information in all of your videos. I read a lot, and you certainly provide top-notch information in a highly responsible manner. Thank you.
@@melomel1643 And the animal cruelty. None of his videos include animal behavioural research and what farming does these very social sentient beings. When we continue to have an egocentric speciesism focus rather than being honest and truthful with ourselves and the suffering we’re creating, it’s a missed opportunity for humanity to evolve. It’s not all about health and nutrition. It should be about creating less violence and suffering in this world not more. It starts with us and what’s on our plates. Every meal is a chance to do better, to be more compassionate, honest, and kind.
@7:30 That chart is exactly how egg and cholesterol studies are designed. If you start off with a group of people with a relatively high level of dietary cholesterol intake and then add a couple of eggs per week to their diet their blood lipid barely change or might not budge, thus they can then claim that the cholesterol in eggs or additional meat, dairy, cheese, etc. doesn't raise circulating cholesterol. In other words, they lie. Baseline matters and if you start off with unhealthy groups, or in this case groups of people that already have a high intake of cholesterol, and then you add a dietary challenge that would show negative impact in healthy people you, instead, don't really move the needle. While I am a study of n=1, I was like the group with a terrible diet. My cholesterol bounced around between the high 200's and low 300s regardless of eggs or no eggs. I finally cut out meat, milk, cheese, and other garbage. Wouldn't you know it, cholesterol dropped by more than 130 points. I bet now if I ate a few eggs per week my cholesterol would move up 15 points. But I bet if I ate tons of eggs and no other animal products to the point of a cholesterol level of 300 and then added meat a few times per week, total lipid would also barely move. The curve is a log curve, meaning the more you increase the less the change you get. But if you start off with a low to no baseline, adding in a little makes a large change.
Great info. Always a bit technical to understand... but you do a great job of trying to make it understandable. 65 y/o, work full time and quite active (i.e. swim, bike, run and more...daily). Recent lipid panel #'s look decent (with the help of atorvastatin and ezetimibe) and 1st time I checked my apo-b = 75. I eliminated all animal products from my diet 8-10 ish years ago. I try to follow a WFPB diet. I find it to be a meaningful choice for me, but in my case, I'm not sure I can achieve cholesterol goals without meds. :( I have no plans to return to animal products! I believe the data is clear - and the ethical impact is now much more clear, as well. Thanks for all the work you do in this space to help others! Cheers!
I've heard some say that how much you "hyper-respond" is based on how much you've already eaten. So if you start at 0 eggs and then add 1 egg it will increase a lot. But, if you go from 1 egg to 5 eggs, it wont have much impact. Do these studies account for this?
Most vegans say, the hardest thing for me to give up was cheese! Well, for me, it was eggs! As a genetically blessed person, I guess, I ate eggs regularly and would happily have them at any meal of the day. I also ate steak and roast chicken, never thinking a moment about cholesterol. All my life, doctors told me my levels were great, I never looked at them or even knew what to look for. After I went plant-based after learning more nutritional science- and soon after, ethically vegan - I got a blood panel, maybe a month in, out of curiosity. I dug back in my records to find the last one, over three years prior. Eggs (and all the other things!) were not hurting me in that way, my LDL in my early 40s was 82. But weeks after dropping all that, it was 54. That was super cool to see. Also, I promptly set about crafting satisfying ways to replace eggs in my meals, and quickly built up an arsenal of methods and recipes I love more than I ever loved eggs, "mimics" though they may be. I'll stick to my veganism on this one, even knowing how little harm they ever did me personally, because life - including food, as a chef and epicure - on the other side and living in alignment with my core values is so much better.
QUESTION: Thank you Simon for going over this topic. It's something I have wondered about and whether there was a simple way to test for it. My question is have they identiied the gene(s) that are responsible for this condition and, if so, can one run their genome through apps like Genetic Genie or Promethease to check to see if they have the mutation(s) responsible?
hi Simon -excellent presentation showing its impossible to have one rule for something in this area due to personal variables which come into play ! You do briefly touch on this but I was looking for clarfication- if you have the time -I have a healthy Apob of .85 g/litre and Ive been eating an egg a day for years would you say its rather a waste of time and money to be doing this rather esoteric phytosterol tests you describe ?
I'm on a statin which brought my LDL-C down, but not enough, so my provider doubled the statin dose. My executive functioning seemed to worsen (I'm a shrink) but I didn't know if effect was from the statin or nocebo. After hearing Dr. Dayspring, I ordered the Boston Heart Cholesterol Balance test, since I have a family history of dementia. It appears I'm a hyperabsorber but what most concerned me was that my desmosterol is so low as to be undetectable! Yikes! I'm going to ask my provider to prescribe Zetia but my fear is she's never heard of desmosterol. She's very tied to "guidelines."
Cholesterol is not dangerous, that is a myth. Statins on the other hand are extremely dangerous and will bring on dementia, you will lose your mind....
About 13-14 years ago I ate a few eggs plain (boiled, no seasoning at all, not even any salt). They tasted pretty weird. I ate the occasional egg, mostly in a fast food breakfast, for another year or two, then I stopped eating them.
@@convid1941 Mainly to feed the TH-cam algorithm. Simon doesn't always get a lot of engagement with his posts, even though they are usually very well done.
Good info, but there is a large factor missing from the podcast: the gut microbiome is capable of removing cholesterol from the enterohepatic circulation.
I basically had a client asking these points just the other day. Too bad your video didn't come out sooner. But glad we're basically on the same page! I eat 2 eggs/day more days of the week than not and have low-normal LDL!
My APOE alleals are 3/4 and my understanding is that I am a hyper-absorber of cholesterol. This 3/4 cohort is also 30 % of the population. Do you know if the hyper-absorber tests you mentioned get at the same pheno type as mine? Thanks
@TheProofWithSimonHill Thank you for this excellent presentation! Would you happen to know if someone could still use the campesterol and beta-sitosterol values to find out if they would be a cholesterol hyper-absorber even if their current dietary cholesterol consumption is non existent (vegan) or very minimal (let’s say around 50 mg/day) and their LDL-C is currently less than 60 mg/dl?
I’m just coming from listening the podcast (not yet this video): Q, may I? If you are a cholesterol hyperabsorber, do you also hyperabsorb good cholesterol / HDL? -gracias very much 🤗🤗🤗
HDL and LDL are not what are hyper-absorbed, its the raw cholesterol. HDL and LDL (and VLDL) are lipo-protein boats that carry the cholesterol around. HDL may to up a bit in hyper-absorbers as the increase cholesterol traffic impacts both HDL and LDL to some level. HDL is far more sensitive to metabolic issue so if not healthy it may not change much at all.
Hello, I have a simple question I don't know if you could answer me. I grow my own sunflower seeds, and I would like to know If I can grind them whole into flour and eat it mixed in my recipes or if I have to remove the shell. From what I've read the shell is mainly fiber. So would that be a good idea? I'm saying this because this would make the process of eating the seeds much easier, since I wouldn't have to take the shell off. Thank you !
After watching this, I looked up The Proof's episode on "mushroom nutrition" with Julian Mitchell. Compare this to Christopher Gardner's interview on the Twin Study where, I think, the question of how plant sustainability will actually accommodate more plant based consumers comes up near the end. I wondered if, in both their growth processes in forests (ie, Just Alex, Harvester on YT) and new mushroom farms (ie, Derek Sarno, Chef on YT), are mushrooms part of the sustainability conversation? I find the "mushroom craze" amusing (in coffee, in cooking, in supplements). As many young people are concerned with the future of farming and buying sustainable products, it would be interesting to know what kinds of healthier food options are becoming available to markets and also support the environment in "plant forward" scenarios, if any. Thanks!
If you’re a hyperabsorber, would Tudca circulate more bile and make it worse or does it clean out bile? Sorry I’m so confused! I heard that Tudca can lower cholesterol but now I wonder if that excludes hyperabsorbers.
Hi Simon, is it still useful and why to do these two tests if one has normal levels of ldl, hdl and/or apob? i was wondering when should one worry and go after specialized labs?
It’s going to bind up bile and help clear some of that. Which means less is reabsorbed so the liver has to make more. To make more bile the liver requires cholesterol which it either synthesises or pulls from the blood - this causes LDL-C to go down.
Commenting as per the request 🙃 I used to eat 3 eggs a day…. Checked my cholesterol and LDL was 102. Then switched to WFPB (note - also giving up fish and seafood, which I ate almost every day…). Mainly due to Simon actually! Less than a year later - LDL is now 61. Very upsetting though to learn I have elevated lp(a) levels 😢
@14:30 What if we just have a high level of plant phytosterol intake in our diet and supplementation? Would that make our blood level look "high"? I get in around 3,00mg per day (very high plant diet and supplement with plant sterols).
It will if you’re a hyperabsorber. I optimized my diet to mostly plant based and my cholesterol didn’t improve. I took the hyperabsorbtion blood test and found out I was a hyperabsorber. That means my gut was taking in physterols which they should not do. Because phytosterols should not be in your blood (except trace amounts) I had increased risk of arterial damage. If you’re plant based and still have cholesterol issues getting the test can help you understand the source of your higher cholesterol levels.
23:06 Your teaser made me google plant sources of choline & there are a bunch, many of which I already eat regularly. So, if I have to, I can ditch my beloved eggs.
If the volume of plant foods increases in my diet will there be a corresponding increase in phytosterols entering circulation regardless of whether I’m a hyper-absorber? Therefore potentially resulting in a false positive result or pushing up the percentage?
Fantastic as always. I do have a dilemma though, I really want to get my levels checked: I clicked the link for Austin labs Australia ... it doesn't seem possible for a NSW resident to use that service. Can any one steer me in the right direction how to get the blood test in NSW ?
Excellent information! Thank you! When you create your video on choline, please discuss the connection of choline to the production of TMAO (Trimethylamine N-oxide). TMO created in the gut and the O created in the liver. It’s interesting as well, that if people would eat meat/eggs more sparingly, they would not produce TMAO. It’s the daily animal consumption that changes the bacteria in our guts to create TMAO. I have heard that TMAO helps to drive cholesterol into the artery wall. Please help clarify and teach us how this truly works. I am thankful for your work. You’re doing the damage clean up work for those unfortunate to follow the very loud keto and carnivore voices on TH-cam. TH-cam can be a dangerous place. The truth you share is critical. My friend has her high school son on a keto diet. She has him drink 1/4 cup olive oil a day. Eggs for breakfast and 1 pound of bacon for dinner. Maybe a vegetable. She is a keto trained “expert” nutritionist, setting up keto clinics in Europe and works with these keto gurus directly. A pound of bacon every night for dinner cannot be good for the body. All the live enzymes, microbes from fruits/vegetables, phytonutrients, fiber, water from fruits, quality carbohydrates, diversity, etc. are all missing from his diet. It’s just a tragedy. Maybe you could expound as well on the Barnard/Mastering Diabetes understanding of insulin resistance as well. I know you have interviewed them, but somehow really teach this information. The word “Metabolic” sells. The word “diabetes” doesn’t sell as well. People recognize they have a metabolic problem, but do not understand the diabetes connection, so they tend to not be drawn to the word “diabetes”. It just seems to me that if more people understood the insulin sensitive foundation, the need for keto and carnivore would be reserved for only therapeutic epilepsy, bipolar, etc. Not as the way to health!! Insulin is not the problem. You have a lot of work to do to keep educating the truth on how the body works to combat this mess.
One thing that I have trouble reconciling here is people with genetically higher TMAO do not seem to have higher risk of CVD. But I will cover TMAO for sure and do some extra reading beforehand
I would like to have a better understanding of TMAO. I think a lot of people would. I did not know there was a genetic component. Thank you for doing the research.
IGF-1, TMAO, Neu5Gc, antioxidants, phytochemicals, gut microbiome and other such hypothetical nonsense made up words will be replaced in another 20 years with new made up words. Your body only cares about proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals. There are plenty of people over 100 years old who consume 1 or 2 eggs everyday and it never caused any health problems.
Can you tell us if there are any physiological differences seen in people who eat plant based saturated fats vs animal based saturated fats please. I love coconut, avocado, olives & nuts.
For anybody without lab results generally (UK most don’t) & / or on a low budget, are there any type of symptoms that may show to indicate one may be a hyper absorber?
Hi Simon Thanks for all your nutrition advice it's cuts through all the nonsense. I eat 2 omega 3 rich free range eggs per day the hens are fed and omega 3 enriched diet my cholesterol test came back normal do you think omega 3 rich eggs contain less cholesterol? From Oonagh London uk
I guess it all depends on your body chemistry. My ApoB is good. My cholesterol is fine. I eat keto mainly, at least 2 dz. eggs a week. What has changed is my fasting insulin and glucose which have come way down. These are the main cause of heart disease- insulin resistance, high glucose, high fasting insulin.
I wonder if being a Lean Mass Hyper Responder (me) is the same as being a hyper-absorber of cholesterol. I am going to get one of those EmpowerDX kits and will report back my findings.
Well, I did the test for plant sterols via EmpowerDX. I just got back the results. My production markers are 'Low', but my absorption markers (beta-sitosterol specifically) was 'High'. My cholesterol balance score marks me as an 'over producer' with a score of 0.2. Bummer.
For lacto-ovo vegetarians, it also may be worth mentioning that eggs may be a major source of vitamin B12 in their diet, and unfortified plant foods cannot replace sources of vitamin B12.
@@burger101ful My point was basically that lacto-ovo vegetarians may not have any other choice (except for possibly "nutritional" yeast) once they eliminate eggs from their diet.
what about when your food choices seem to make no difference? I significantly reduced intake of cholesterol rich foods over several years and it basically made no difference whatsoever. Doctor says I'm just genetically prone to high cholesterol, but as long as blood pressure etc.. are ok, and we keep an eye on arteries it should be ok.
I guess a hyper absorber should've had high cholesterol at some stage in their blood work history, right ? Or, inversely a person who has relatively low cholesterol numbers shouldn't have to worry about being a hyper absorber. Is this simplistic view correct ?
topic suggestion: an episode on nutrition to optimize for athletic performance short and long term 🤗 of course it meets pretty much the same requirements as the generally recommended diet. but I would love to hear more about the little tweaks and tricks to fuel best for performance in different types of training 🫶🏼
Thank you Simon. This new series where you corroborate and aggregate the findings and results and pack it in nice digestible fashion. I like these much more than talks with experts. Much much appreciated.
Based on this I must be an outlier. My LDL was 5.8 when I was on a Ketogenic diet. For health reasons, I changed and went to a whole plant-based diet and today it is 1.8 with no meds. The same with my ApoB. 146 and now is 90. Also, my HS-CRP went from 31 and now is 6. Thank you for an educational well-presented video. Subbed & Liked
I guess you have the same blood values as Macdougall, that doesn’t worries you ?
This was so well put together and informative! I’d love more videos this style? Maybe one on autophagy and IGF-1 and their relation ship? Also maybe soluble & insoluble fiber, the digestive system?
Please continue this series! I consistently learn so much from your videos. As someone who is easily distracted, your content-especially this comprehensive series-helps me focus immensely. Your technical style is excellent, the editing is superb, and the illustrations are engaging. Most importantly, your content is research- and evidence-based, which I believe sets you apart from other health and lifestyle creators I watch. Kudos, Simon!
@@gracie-lancaster I’m with you; what a great comment! In a sea of social media health influencers, Simon has emerged as the best of the best in my ADD-prone mind.
This was a fascinating episode, and particularly valuable for me. I eat a plant forward diet, but probably more like 85-90% plant based for the past 5 years (I used to eat a pretty standard American diet). After listening to this I figured I’d be a normal absorber, but why not check it out? I got my results back yesterday (from empowerdx in the US) and my Beta-sitosterol level was 4.0 mg/L and campesterol was 6.1 mg/L putting me in the hyper-absorber range. I now feel like I can target some changes to strategically drop my LDL even further.
Many thanks Simon.
Thank you, Simon! I did the Boston Heart test after hearing about it from a TH-cam video featuring Dr. Dayspring and was shocked to find my Beta-sitosterol level was 12.8, putting me above the 99th percentile. After four months of taking Ezetimibe, my Beta-sitosterol dropped to 2.9. That's still over the 70th percentile, but obviously much better. I also dropped my ApoB from 125 to 89. While my ApoB is still not ideal, I'm so thankful for learning about this and improving my blood lipids so much!
Can you share cost for Beta-sitosterol test? I am self-employed with no health insurance so every dollar matters
@@johnrichards3773I did mine with empowerdx, which I’m pretty sure is the Boston Heart one (my report came back with Boston Heart at the top) and it was $99. They mail it to you and you collect the sample at home, then fed-ex it back to them. They supply the return label and packaging and the return shipping was included in the price.
Love the useful detail, thoughtful analysis, and user-friendly presentation, as always. You are a consistently reliable resource, Simon.
Wouldn't the amount of phytosterols depend on the intake of plant foods? Some one on the carnivore diet would test as low in blood phytosterols - but that doesn't mean they are a low or normal absorber, right? And could a vegan eating mostly whole foods have a normally high levels of phytosterols without being a hyperabsorber? In other words, are these tests really valuable for all people who are curious and are there good information om how to interpret the results? Or are they mostly valuable for comparing larger cohorts in studies, maybe as a way to validate if the reported cholesterol intake is accurate?
Thanks Simon, this clarified the contradictions that I've seen on this topic
I find it quite disappointing that ZOE put out a blanket message that dietary cholesterol does not raise cholesterol without mentioning these hyperabsorbers. They are supposed to be all about dietary personalisation but have glossed over that
They've also said saturated fat from fermented foods like full fat yogurt and cheese do not affect blood cholesterol. If that's true, that's new to me.
Honestly I find the level of content put out by Zoe these days bordering on negligent! It’s dumbed down to the extreme (as is most health / nutrition advice in the UK sadly) and highly skewed towards pushing their brand message. An exception to this was the wonderful interview given by Simon and Dr B a few weeks ago, but that was thanks mainly to Simon tbh.
@@Joseph1NJThere’s a weird point about the fat in fermented dairy (Simon raises it too in his recent fat episode and there’s a new supplement on the market that I won’t name but you’ve probably seen …) I find this topic v interesting but have no idea what to think! Would be cool to have a deep dive.
@@dcc08 I asked him about that. His reply, unless I'm mistaken, is that saturated fat in fermented dairy does raise ApoB, but not as fast. Again, new to me and needs needs clarification.
It’s very interesting. The supplement I mention is using isolated pentadecanoic acid and I believe they are claiming it positively impacts liver markers and also lipids. Would really love Simon to take a look at this. Brad S did a video on it recently and I’m aware Physionic has something in the works.
Simon, these newer videos are pedagogically valuable. As an educator, I search for high quality, evidence-based, visually engaging video for students. The only problem is that educators are typically required to have grammatically correct closed captions for accessibility to all. Unfortunately, a lack of compliance to accessibility in the closed captioning results in an educator's inability to share your valuable content. I would love to see your content shared more often, particularly with younger people!!! ❤❤❤ It's just a thought.
You are not an educator if you follow simon.
@@wearetruth7116 troll
I'm a student researcher at one of the UC schools in California -- it's true that closed captioning is being required more and more in lecture halls (I've observed). If your TH-cam isn't automatically providing CC, there's software which can help with that if you download the episode and drop the file into it. Or, connect a mic to the software. Your school should provide that to accommodate students with hearing disabilities (by law, actually). I hope this helps...
@AGBRADFORD This is all true. However, it gets to be a lot of work for those who must often DIY. I spent 4 days CCing four 44 minute videos. Not everyone will do it. The TH-cam auto CCs are not compliant with required standards.
@@gailhumiston3890 Of course, that's why our university ensures teachers have the software to CC their video material or live lectures as they speak to 300 to 500 students. The IT Dept provides this service to accommodate for students with disabilities. This is certainly the responsibility of the school. I'm not sure how to enforce this where you are but it's a legal requirement to make accommodations for all students. At least, it's enforced where I'm researching. Without it, the school would be in legal trouble. Good luck with bringing this to the attention of your institution -- students would certainly benefit, especially those with any impairments 💙
I'm a 55 year old post menopausal woman. I did the Empower test after listening to one of your episodes with Dr. Dayspring. My Beta-Sitosterol was 3.0 and my Campesterol was 3.1. The test also looked at Lathosterol, which was 2.1. The interpretation they gave me was "Increased amounts of Lathosterol and Beta-Sitosterol may indicate an increased cellular production and intestinal absorption of cholesterol." So I took that as I needed to make some changes. I'm due for my annual lipid panel, my LDL was much higher than I wanted last time and when I tested my APOB two years ago it was 92. I have really been watching saturated fat so hoping to see a change.
which test on empower is for Beta-sitosterol ?
Simon "You" are a "Beautiful" Person ! Thank You for Being You ! and all that you do !! to help the world a more healthier place and improve / increase our health-spans !! May you be blessed with Good Health, A Long Health-span and Happiness all your life !!
Simon, these recent video styles have been extremely helpful. These videos are summarizing hours of conversations and allowing us to understand precisely what we can do to improve and understand health
Thank you, that's a great bit of info. I eat a primarily plant-based diet, but include some fish and eggs. I average perhaps 4-5 eggs per week. My cholesterol is at the low end of the range.
Thanks for sharing!
What I can say at this moment is that when I was eating low-carb lots of animal products my LDL was 115 mg/dl and total was 225.
After 4 months eating plant-based my numbers went down to 56 and 132 respectively!! I was very pleased!!
Love this lecture format that directly addressing specific issues with tests and solutions. Thank you Simon and team! Great graphics too😊
Thanks, Simon. I wish you could touch on omega-3-enriched eggs in the video. I eat two organic flaxseed-enriched eggs daily. In lab results, the farmers showed that 2 eggs contain 600 mg of total omega-3 and 100 mg of DHA; studies show that omega-3-enriched eggs improve lipid profiles. Also, I think it will be suitable to talk about the consequences of absorbing plant sterols for hyper-absorbers, which can have adverse health effects.
@@lotembenatar7163 is there a study on hyper-absorbsion of plant sterols being positive or negative?
You are the epitomy of Simon's audience. Worrying about stuff that doesn't exist. Eggs are a superfood. They dwarf vegetables in micronutrient supply and are no longer regarded as an issue when it comes to cholesterol. It's not the 80's
@@wearetruth7116 no such thing as a superfood, thats just all industry marketing hype. eggs are unethical products from outdated animal abuse industries.
My ApoB is 84 from my last test. Total cholesterol is 206. LDL 123. Triglycerides 38. I would usually eat 6-7 eggs almost everyday. I only just recently within the last month decided to try to lower my saturated fat intake bc of your fats video. I reduced to 3-4 eggs and added egg whites or substitute. I’ll be asking my doctor for those blood tests when I see him this week.
@@hotelmotel83 which fats video?
Hey I got a blood test recently, do I have to specially request to see my apob levels?
Yes you need to request that separately, here in the UK they cost significantly more then a normal cholesterol test (with LDL, HDL etc)
@@jorgesanabria6484yeah I had to ask for the ApoB test to get it.
@@AnthonyJP91 I’d link it but it won’t let me. He posted it about two weeks ago with “dietary fats” in the title
Great video! I’m really looking forward to the choline video as well! Please consider anything on ApoE4 carriers and plant based diets, pescatarian, fish oil vs algae oil for them, etc.
Great suggestion!
Thank you Simon. What would we do without your dedication to finding out such amazing information.
Not sure if anyone will see this, but I did the test for plant sterols via EmpowerDX, and just got back the results. My production markers are 'Low', but my absorption markers (beta-sitosterol specifically) was 'High' (211). I will note that the other absorption marker, campesterol was in the 'Low' range (144). Not sure what to make of that.
I'm in Canada and had campesterol and desmosterol tested at Dynacare. Please note there is a cost to these tests and it was outsourced to a US lab by dynacare. Great work Simon!
You’re welcome!
Hi Simon! Best treatment I’ve seen so far on exogenous and endogenous sources of serum cholesterol! Nicely done. In addition to Ezetimibe, I also take a bile acid sequestrant before a meal with animal fats like eggs. Can be highly complementary together since the mechanisms of action are different. I also think that the recent discovery of the cholesin hormone deserves consideration for impact of intestinal absorption of cholesterol on the liver’s cholesterol synthesis.
Thank you so much for this super informative video! After watching some of your previous videos with Dr. Dayspring, I completed a cholesterol balance test through Empower DX last fall. My beta-sitosterol was elevated at 4.3, indicating hyper absorption of plant sterols, something that my vegan diet (new at the time, for seven months prior to testing) was likely not necessarily helping. My other markers on that test, including campesterol, were normal--somewhat unusual based on what you said that if one is high, the other likely is as well. My serum cholesterol panel results include elevated total serum cholesterol and LDL (menopause is rough, more ways than one). Some subsequent dietary tweaks (cutting back some on the carbs/avocados/dark chocolate, but keeping fiber decent, and increasing protein and oatmeal every day, essentially a pescatarian/Mediterranean diet) resulted in my Lp(a) and ApoB to drop a respectable amount, although still not in goal range. I plan on repeating the plant sterol testing and serum cholesterol in a few months, after adding a bergamot supplement (to see if it budges anything). If no change, I plan on trying psyllium, which I've read can help block some of the reabsorption of bile acids, and will retest levels again. If no change after that, I'll have to think hard about adding Ezetimibe since there is a family history of early heart disease, although all my other risk factors are normal (excellent BMI and blood pressure, never smoker, regular exerciser, fastidious dietary habits, and cardiac calcium score essentially zero at 1.1). I'm trying hard to stay off of any medication. I've found the information you are providing invaluable as there is still SO MUCH misinformation out there related to cholesterol--it is not a 'one size fits all' situation. My primary care physician isn't quite up to speed on all the nuances either and offered to throw a statin at me, even though this would not really be appropriate if the elevations in my panel are due to hyper absorption. As a health care professional, I always try to do a ton of research before undertaking any 'interventions' related to my health. You've made that task much easier and I really appreciate your balanced, thoughtful and scientific approach to these very important topics.
Thanks for explaining how it works and why there’s all the seemingly contradictory research. The lab suggestions and dad joke were also much appreciated!
Do these tests still work for those eating very low plant foods? I'd imagine reducing the phytosterol dietary intake has a dramatic effect on the outcome especially for hyper absorbers, possibly getting a miss/false negative.
Thank you for explaining the science so well. I'm studying holistic nutrition in Canada and love learning from you too.
Excellent illustrations and delivery…thank you Simon…I now have a good understanding of how eggs can affect my body…well done!
You're very welcome
Hi Simon! 🙂
I didn't know anything about intestinal hyperabsorbers at the time....but taking Ezetimibe, lowered my personal LDL by about 37%.
Is it fair to assume, judging be the effect on ldl cholesterol alone, I must be(or rather used to be) a hyper absorber? 🤔😉
Because then, the people who can't get the phytosterol test, could use this as an alternative way of testing, as well! 😉
If memory serves me, Ezetimibe is generally found to only lower ldl between 10-15%.
Great question! I wish someone could answer this!
besides the direct dietary cholesterol impact from eggs, there is an additional impact from dysbiotic microbiome, which is supported by an increased animal calorie consumption (i.e. eggs), so its not just the portion that is being digested directly by our intestinal system, but also an additional one from dysbiotic microbial metabolites and their metabolic pathways
Thankyou Simon this was so informative The best explanation of if and why eggs affect your cholesterol levels 👍
Thanks Simon, excellent video! My question is for those people who may be vegan, over 60, and are looking to have a source of protein that is relatively easy for the body to assimilate, is there any evidence that eating only egg whites can present any risks? For example, some say that eating eggs (as little as 1/2 per day) is associated with increasing the risk of the most severe form of prostate and breast cancer; however, the cholesterol, choline, and saturated fat appear to be mostly in the yolk, not the white. Thanks again in advance for your answer and being an indispensable source of information!
Yolks on you Simon, I have my own dad jokes. Currently I'm scrambling to think of more. At least the grass is always sunnier on the other side up 🤷
As for the video, it is nice to see you come out of your own shell.
Omelette you take over from here now.
Thanks!
Insanely good video. Being able to consume such content for free is something to deeply appreciate!
Thanks a lot from Germany 🇩🇪
As to the question about my egg consumption. ZERO since 2016 for ethical reasons ✌🏻
Hi Simon
I don't eat eggs 95% of the time now that I follow a vegan diet But every now and then when we are out for brunch with friends I have a poached egg - and enjoy it. A very interesting presentation. The visuals and explanation summaries make a huge difference to listening to the science experts which can be confusing. your work is amazing and very appreciated by us.
Great episode, thanks Simon! I love eggs and get lots of free range ones from neighbour's chickens. I eat about 6-8 per week. Hopefully I'm not a hyper-absorber but I'll be sure to check with my doctor...
Thank you for this info!! Not every vegan has low apoB. I am 71, eat a balanced vegan diet, and exercise. My apoB is 91.
I have thought about using plant sterols, to lower my cholesterol and now will wait to do the blood test before trying that.
By the way, probably any suggestion you may have, I have already tried.
I appreciate how Simon provides helpful education for anyone, no matter how or what 14:05 they choose to eat.
Excellently done, Simon. What a cogent explanation of this very complex topic....so appreciated ! Thank you !
My pleasure!
`Wasting away in Margaritaville`, well, Czech Republic actually and as always I`m enjoying your videos. Love the new format and I wish you increased success.😉
Thank you Simon. I am a hyperabsorber. Therefore I eat plant based and habe an LDL level of 50 mg/dl. I eat for example: Pomegranate, grapefruit, cucumber, onion, oat, cashew nuts...This food is high in campesterol and sitosterol. Could this food cause plaque and artheriosklerosis?
Please excuse my english, I live in Germany. I love your episodes, I have studied biochemistry, have a nice day!
Hi, how does diet affect the results of these tests? How can it be high on a carnivore diet? How does a whole plant exclusive diet affect the results?
Simon, thank you very much for this review. It is the best info I have seen about eggs.
Glad you enjoyed it
Great content and insight. Please continue to do these shorter style videos as they’re all I have time for.
Thank you for giving detail on how to approach eating eggs. Also clarity on what diet is the best for long term health.
You’re welcome
Great Video !!! keep them coming Thank You, JKR
Thank you for the clear and concise summary, very much looking forward to a future discussion on choline! As for personal consumption - it varies, but I probably eat 4-5 eggs a week on average. I wasn’t thrilled with my last lipid test though, so I may look into a phytosterol test and think about making them an even more infrequent part of my diet.
Thanks for sharing!
Im goin into thia video with great skepticism, especially after watching his video on promoting seed oils.
What are your claims about seed oils? Can you share those and references?
Thank you, Simon. Beyond the cholesterol conversation, can you share if egg consumption is associated with extended or reduced longevity in meta analyses?
Depends on what you swap it with. Results are highly variable and likely depends on someone’s overall dietary pattern and nutrient status
@@TheProofWithSimonHill I swap eggs for beans, lentils, vegetables, and pea protein, and am happy with my tradeoff. I do that based on many studues showing plant-based protein results in higher healthspan than animal-based protein. I do eat them occasionally (once a month) for the nutrition value (and taste!) but keep the dose low. Thank you for your excellent information in all of your videos. I read a lot, and you certainly provide top-notch information in a highly responsible manner. Thank you.
Thank you for the interesting Video, but cholesterol is not the only thing about eggs, is it? What about TMAO?
@@melomel1643 And the animal cruelty. None of his videos include animal behavioural research and what farming does these very social sentient beings.
When we continue to have an egocentric speciesism focus rather than being honest and truthful with ourselves and the suffering we’re creating, it’s a missed opportunity for humanity to evolve.
It’s not all about health and nutrition. It should be about creating less violence and suffering in this world not more. It starts with us and what’s on our plates. Every meal is a chance to do better, to be more compassionate, honest, and kind.
@@mandy5478 Someone forgot to take their meds this morning...
@7:30
That chart is exactly how egg and cholesterol studies are designed.
If you start off with a group of people with a relatively high level of dietary cholesterol intake and then add a couple of eggs per week to their diet their blood lipid barely change or might not budge, thus they can then claim that the cholesterol in eggs or additional meat, dairy, cheese, etc. doesn't raise circulating cholesterol.
In other words, they lie.
Baseline matters and if you start off with unhealthy groups, or in this case groups of people that already have a high intake of cholesterol, and then you add a dietary challenge that would show negative impact in healthy people you, instead, don't really move the needle.
While I am a study of n=1, I was like the group with a terrible diet. My cholesterol bounced around between the high 200's and low 300s regardless of eggs or no eggs. I finally cut out meat, milk, cheese, and other garbage. Wouldn't you know it, cholesterol dropped by more than 130 points. I bet now if I ate a few eggs per week my cholesterol would move up 15 points. But I bet if I ate tons of eggs and no other animal products to the point of a cholesterol level of 300 and then added meat a few times per week, total lipid would also barely move. The curve is a log curve, meaning the more you increase the less the change you get. But if you start off with a low to no baseline, adding in a little makes a large change.
Thank you for taking care of your friends around the world!
Great info. Always a bit technical to understand... but you do a great job of trying to make it understandable. 65 y/o, work full time and quite active (i.e. swim, bike, run and more...daily). Recent lipid panel #'s look decent (with the help of atorvastatin and ezetimibe) and 1st time I checked my apo-b = 75. I eliminated all animal products from my diet 8-10 ish years ago. I try to follow a WFPB diet. I find it to be a meaningful choice for me, but in my case, I'm not sure I can achieve cholesterol goals without meds. :( I have no plans to return to animal products! I believe the data is clear - and the ethical impact is now much more clear, as well. Thanks for all the work you do in this space to help others! Cheers!
Another awesome explanation! I'm loving these videos :)
More to come!
Ezetimibe lowered my cholesterol and TG #'s dramatically - Thanks Tom Dayspring
He’s a great Dr
I've heard some say that how much you "hyper-respond" is based on how much you've already eaten. So if you start at 0 eggs and then add 1 egg it will increase a lot. But, if you go from 1 egg to 5 eggs, it wont have much impact.
Do these studies account for this?
Most vegans say, the hardest thing for me to give up was cheese! Well, for me, it was eggs! As a genetically blessed person, I guess, I ate eggs regularly and would happily have them at any meal of the day. I also ate steak and roast chicken, never thinking a moment about cholesterol. All my life, doctors told me my levels were great, I never looked at them or even knew what to look for. After I went plant-based after learning more nutritional science- and soon after, ethically vegan - I got a blood panel, maybe a month in, out of curiosity. I dug back in my records to find the last one, over three years prior. Eggs (and all the other things!) were not hurting me in that way, my LDL in my early 40s was 82. But weeks after dropping all that, it was 54. That was super cool to see. Also, I promptly set about crafting satisfying ways to replace eggs in my meals, and quickly built up an arsenal of methods and recipes I love more than I ever loved eggs, "mimics" though they may be. I'll stick to my veganism on this one, even knowing how little harm they ever did me personally, because life - including food, as a chef and epicure - on the other side and living in alignment with my core values is so much better.
QUESTION: Thank you Simon for going over this topic. It's something I have wondered about and whether there was a simple way to test for it. My question is have they identiied the gene(s) that are responsible for this condition and, if so, can one run their genome through apps like Genetic Genie or Promethease to check to see if they have the mutation(s) responsible?
My PCP in Atlanta, GA was able to order Boston Heart lab panel which included Cholesterol Balance Test which showed I am a hyper absorber.
hi Simon -excellent presentation showing its impossible to have one rule for something in this area due to personal variables which come into play ! You do briefly touch on this but I was looking for clarfication- if you have the time -I have a healthy Apob of .85 g/litre and Ive been eating an egg a day for years would you say its rather a waste of time and money to be doing this rather esoteric phytosterol tests you describe ?
I'm on a statin which brought my LDL-C down, but not enough, so my provider doubled the statin dose. My executive functioning seemed to worsen (I'm a shrink) but I didn't know if effect was from the statin or nocebo. After hearing Dr. Dayspring, I ordered the Boston Heart Cholesterol Balance test, since I have a family history of dementia. It appears I'm a hyperabsorber but what most concerned me was that my desmosterol is so low as to be undetectable! Yikes! I'm going to ask my provider to prescribe Zetia but my fear is she's never heard of desmosterol. She's very tied to "guidelines."
Cholesterol is not dangerous, that is a myth. Statins on the other hand are extremely dangerous and will bring on dementia, you will lose your mind....
So great to see your channel growing! 🎉
Thank you!! 😊 slowly slowly
About 13-14 years ago I ate a few eggs plain (boiled, no seasoning at all, not even any salt). They tasted pretty weird. I ate the occasional egg, mostly in a fast food breakfast, for another year or two, then I stopped eating them.
Why are you telling us this???
@@convid1941 Mainly to feed the TH-cam algorithm. Simon doesn't always get a lot of engagement with his posts, even though they are usually very well done.
What about being a high producer (lathosterol and desmosterol high)?
Great information! Lifestyle Medicine Maine is a small practice out of Portland, ME that offers phytosterol testing.
Good info, but there is a large factor missing from the podcast: the gut microbiome is capable of removing cholesterol from the enterohepatic circulation.
Excellent (FREE) masterclass, Simon. Excellent!
Many thanks!
I'm already on statins. I'd like to test for the markers mentioned in the video. Would the statins skew the results?
I basically had a client asking these points just the other day. Too bad your video didn't come out sooner. But glad we're basically on the same page! I eat 2 eggs/day more days of the week than not and have low-normal LDL!
My APOE alleals are 3/4 and my understanding is that I am a hyper-absorber of cholesterol. This 3/4 cohort is also 30 % of the population. Do you know if the hyper-absorber tests you mentioned get at the same pheno type as mine? Thanks
@TheProofWithSimonHill Thank you for this excellent presentation! Would you happen to know if someone could still use the campesterol and beta-sitosterol values to find out if they would be a cholesterol hyper-absorber even if their current dietary cholesterol consumption is non existent (vegan) or very minimal (let’s say around 50 mg/day) and their LDL-C is currently less than 60 mg/dl?
This is amazing! 🙏 thank you.
I’m just coming from listening the podcast (not yet this video): Q, may I? If you are a cholesterol hyperabsorber, do you also hyperabsorb good cholesterol / HDL? -gracias very much 🤗🤗🤗
HDL and LDL are not what are hyper-absorbed, its the raw cholesterol. HDL and LDL (and VLDL) are lipo-protein boats that carry the cholesterol around. HDL may to up a bit in hyper-absorbers as the increase cholesterol traffic impacts both HDL and LDL to some level. HDL is far more sensitive to metabolic issue so if not healthy it may not change much at all.
Hello, I have a simple question I don't know if you could answer me. I grow my own sunflower seeds, and I would like to know If I can grind them whole into flour and eat it mixed in my recipes or if I have to remove the shell. From what I've read the shell is mainly fiber. So would that be a good idea?
I'm saying this because this would make the process of eating the seeds much easier, since I wouldn't have to take the shell off.
Thank you !
After watching this, I looked up The Proof's episode on "mushroom nutrition" with Julian Mitchell. Compare this to Christopher Gardner's interview on the Twin Study where, I think, the question of how plant sustainability will actually accommodate more plant based consumers comes up near the end. I wondered if, in both their growth processes in forests (ie, Just Alex, Harvester on YT) and new mushroom farms (ie, Derek Sarno, Chef on YT), are mushrooms part of the sustainability conversation? I find the "mushroom craze" amusing (in coffee, in cooking, in supplements). As many young people are concerned with the future of farming and buying sustainable products, it would be interesting to know what kinds of healthier food options are becoming available to markets and also support the environment in "plant forward" scenarios, if any. Thanks!
Are there sugar, lectin etc hyper absorbers??
If you’re a hyperabsorber, would Tudca circulate more bile and make it worse or does it clean out bile?
Sorry I’m so confused! I heard that Tudca can lower cholesterol but now I wonder if that excludes hyperabsorbers.
Why does the doctor not test the phytosterols level? They must. Great video. Thanks 🙏.
Hi Simon, is it still useful and why to do these two tests if one has normal levels of ldl, hdl and/or apob? i was wondering when should one worry and go after specialized labs?
Would eating fiber at the same time as the egg help get rid of the cholesterol through the rear hole?
It’s going to bind up bile and help clear some of that. Which means less is reabsorbed so the liver has to make more. To make more bile the liver requires cholesterol which it either synthesises or pulls from the blood - this causes LDL-C to go down.
Commenting as per the request 🙃 I used to eat 3 eggs a day…. Checked my cholesterol and LDL was 102. Then switched to WFPB (note - also giving up fish and seafood, which I ate almost every day…). Mainly due to Simon actually! Less than a year later - LDL is now 61. Very upsetting though to learn I have elevated lp(a) levels 😢
Great video with relevant information, Simon. 👍👏
@14:30
What if we just have a high level of plant phytosterol intake in our diet and supplementation? Would that make our blood level look "high"? I get in around 3,00mg per day (very high plant diet and supplement with plant sterols).
It will if you’re a hyperabsorber. I optimized my diet to mostly plant based and my cholesterol didn’t improve. I took the hyperabsorbtion blood test and found out I was a hyperabsorber. That means my gut was taking in physterols which they should not do. Because phytosterols should not be in your blood (except trace amounts) I had increased risk of arterial damage. If you’re plant based and still have cholesterol issues getting the test can help you understand the source of your higher cholesterol levels.
23:06 Your teaser made me google plant sources of choline & there are a bunch, many of which I already eat regularly. So, if I have to, I can ditch my beloved eggs.
Fantastic info, very helpful 🎉
Can you provide some labs in the US that do phytosterols testing? Quest and Labcorp do not have testing for phytosterols. Thanks, John
Empower DX
@@TheProofWithSimonHill Thank you!
If the volume of plant foods increases in my diet will there be a corresponding increase in phytosterols entering circulation regardless of whether I’m a hyper-absorber? Therefore potentially resulting in a false positive result or pushing up the percentage?
Fantastic as always.
I do have a dilemma though, I really want to get my levels checked: I clicked the link for Austin labs Australia ... it doesn't seem possible for a NSW resident to use that service. Can any one steer me in the right direction how to get the blood test in NSW ?
Ask your local doctor to look it up in their system. They might have access to a lab they can refer your to
Thank you for the tip, I shall give it a try. I really hope it works because it is somewhat frustrating having this blocker@TheProofWithSimonHill
Excellent information! Thank you! When you create your video on choline, please discuss the connection of choline to the production of TMAO (Trimethylamine N-oxide). TMO created in the gut and the O created in the liver. It’s interesting as well, that if people would eat meat/eggs more sparingly, they would not produce TMAO. It’s the daily animal consumption that changes the bacteria in our guts to create TMAO. I have heard that TMAO helps to drive cholesterol into the artery wall. Please help clarify and teach us how this truly works. I am thankful for your work. You’re doing the damage clean up work for those unfortunate to follow the very loud keto and carnivore voices on TH-cam. TH-cam can be a dangerous place. The truth you share is critical. My friend has her high school son on a keto diet. She has him drink 1/4 cup olive oil a day. Eggs for breakfast and 1 pound of bacon for dinner. Maybe a vegetable. She is a keto trained “expert” nutritionist, setting up keto clinics in Europe and works with these keto gurus directly. A pound of bacon every night for dinner cannot be good for the body. All the live enzymes, microbes from fruits/vegetables, phytonutrients, fiber, water from fruits, quality carbohydrates, diversity, etc. are all missing from his diet. It’s just a tragedy. Maybe you could expound as well on the Barnard/Mastering Diabetes understanding of insulin resistance as well. I know you have interviewed them, but somehow really teach this information. The word “Metabolic” sells. The word “diabetes” doesn’t sell as well. People recognize they have a metabolic problem, but do not understand the diabetes connection, so they tend to not be drawn to the word “diabetes”. It just seems to me that if more people understood the insulin sensitive foundation, the need for keto and carnivore would be reserved for only therapeutic epilepsy, bipolar, etc. Not as the way to health!! Insulin is not the problem. You have a lot of work to do to keep educating the truth on how the body works to combat this mess.
One thing that I have trouble reconciling here is people with genetically higher TMAO do not seem to have higher risk of CVD. But I will cover TMAO for sure and do some extra reading beforehand
I would like to have a better understanding of TMAO. I think a lot of people would. I did not know there was a genetic component. Thank you for doing the research.
IGF-1, TMAO, Neu5Gc, antioxidants, phytochemicals, gut microbiome and other such hypothetical nonsense made up words will be replaced in another 20 years with new made up words. Your body only cares about proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals. There are plenty of people over 100 years old who consume 1 or 2 eggs everyday and it never caused any health problems.
Can you tell us if there are any physiological differences seen in people who eat plant based saturated fats vs animal based saturated fats please. I love coconut, avocado, olives & nuts.
Only coconut is problematic due to amount of saturated fat. All the others are consider very healthy
I did a whole episode on dietary fats a few weeks ago. Check that out
My LDLc is 59.15 mg/dL
Ive been vegan for 6 years. Unfortunately I don’t know what it was prior to a plant based diet)
Does Leaky Gut have same effect as hyper absorption? or cholesterol molecules from food dont pass thrue leaky gut?
For anybody without lab results generally (UK most don’t) & / or on a low budget, are there any type of symptoms that may show to indicate one may be a hyper absorber?
Your friend that dropped his ApoB from 116 to 82mg/dl, is he considered a hyperabsorber then?
Yes
Hi Simon Thanks for all your nutrition advice it's cuts through all the nonsense. I eat 2 omega 3 rich free range eggs per day the hens are fed and omega 3 enriched diet my cholesterol test came back normal do you think omega 3 rich eggs contain less cholesterol? From Oonagh London uk
I guess it all depends on your body chemistry. My ApoB is good. My cholesterol is fine. I eat keto mainly, at least 2 dz. eggs a week. What has changed is my fasting insulin and glucose which have come way down. These are the main cause of heart disease- insulin resistance, high glucose, high fasting insulin.
I wonder if being a Lean Mass Hyper Responder (me) is the same as being a hyper-absorber of cholesterol. I am going to get one of those EmpowerDX kits and will report back my findings.
Please do.
Well, I did the test for plant sterols via EmpowerDX. I just got back the results. My production markers are 'Low', but my absorption markers (beta-sitosterol specifically) was 'High'. My cholesterol balance score marks me as an 'over producer' with a score of 0.2. Bummer.
@@Fair-to-Middling - that is a bummer. What is your next plan? Will you see a doctor or cardiologist?
For lacto-ovo vegetarians, it also may be worth mentioning that eggs may be a major source of vitamin B12 in their diet, and unfortified plant foods cannot replace sources of vitamin B12.
@@kodowdus it’s easier just to take a vitamin B12 supplement daily. Also cheaper.
@@burger101ful My point was basically that lacto-ovo vegetarians may not have any other choice (except for possibly "nutritional" yeast) once they eliminate eggs from their diet.
what about when your food choices seem to make no difference? I significantly reduced intake of cholesterol rich foods over several years and it basically made no difference whatsoever. Doctor says I'm just genetically prone to high cholesterol, but as long as blood pressure etc.. are ok, and we keep an eye on arteries it should be ok.
I guess a hyper absorber should've had high cholesterol at some stage in their blood work history, right ? Or, inversely a person who has relatively low cholesterol numbers shouldn't have to worry about being a hyper absorber. Is this simplistic view correct ?
It’s a broad brush stroke, but typically correct
Does Simon has a discord server? I would love to talk and share these kind of info with like minded people, would be amazing
I don’t! Best to chat here in the comments
topic suggestion: an episode on nutrition to optimize for athletic performance short and long term 🤗 of course it meets pretty much the same requirements as the generally recommended diet. but I would love to hear more about the little tweaks and tricks to fuel best for performance in different types of training 🫶🏼
Great suggestion!