All articles tagged with #cholesterol
New guidelines from the American College of Cardiology and other groups push for earlier attention to cholesterol—potentially starting around age 30—with clearer targets and guidance on when medications like statins may help, alongside lifestyle changes; doctors emphasize regular cholesterol screening and personalized risk assessment to reduce heart disease and stroke risk.
A comprehensive look at common statin myths: large randomized trials show muscle pain is largely a nocebo effect, with true statin-related pain being rare; any diabetes risk from statins is small in absolute terms (low-dose increases ~0.12% per year, high-dose ~1.27% per year) and outweighed by big reductions in heart attacks and strokes; memory loss and liver damage are not proven causal effects and serious liver injury is extremely rare; and the greatest benefit comes from combining statins with healthy lifestyle changes. High-dose statins can lower LDL by about 50% and, when paired with lifestyle improvements, significantly reduce cardiovascular risk.
The 2026 ACC/AHA dyslipidemia guidelines call for earlier, more personalized cholesterol screening (even in children for familial hypercholesterolemia), broader risk assessment including genetic factors like Lp(a), and introduce a new PREVENT calculator to estimate 10- and 30-year cardiovascular risk, with expanded treatment options and lower LDL targets to prevent heart disease decades down the line.
The 2026 cholesterol guidelines from the ACC and AHA expand risk assessment to ages 30–79, emphasize lifetime risk, restore explicit LDL targets (<100 mg/dL for low risk, <70 mg/dL for higher risk, <55 mg/dL for very high risk), add one-time Lp(a) testing to uncover genetic risk, and encourage earlier lifestyle changes and targeted therapies to prevent heart disease.
The American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology have updated dyslipidemia guidelines, prioritizing earlier lifestyle-based prevention, a modern cardiovascular risk calculator (PREVENT) to guide treatment, and additional tests (CAC, Lp(a), ApoB) to refine risk and LDL-C lowering decisions; the updates also address hypertriglyceridemia therapies and recommend cholesterol screening for kids aged 9–11 to identify familial hypercholesterolemia early and reduce lifetime cardiovascular risk.
A phase 3 trial of the daily oral PCSK9 inhibitor enlicitide showed LDL cholesterol falls by about 60% in 2,909 patients with atherosclerosis or high cardiovascular risk, many already on statins. The pill also reduced non-HDL cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, and lipoprotein(a), with effects lasting one year. If FDA approves, enlicitide could offer an oral alternative to injectable PCSK9 therapies and improve adherence, though a separate study is needed to confirm whether these LDL reductions translate into fewer heart attacks and strokes. The trial was Merck-funded and ongoing work aims to determine cardiovascular event outcomes.
Major medical groups—including the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology—issued updated guidelines recommending cholesterol screening and lipid-lowering treatment begin as young as age 30 if lifestyle changes aren’t enough. The guidelines call for measuring lipoprotein(a) once in adulthood, set LDL targets of <100 mg/dL for lower/intermediate risk and <70 mg/dL for high risk, and emphasize statins as the foundation with non-statin therapies considered when needed to reduce long-term heart attack and stroke risk.
The AHA and ACC released the 2026 Guideline on the Management of Dyslipidemia, shifting from older risk scores to the PREVENT-ASCVD calculator to estimate 10- and 30-year ASCVD risk and emphasize lifelong heart-risk reduction through earlier screening and personalized therapy. It highlights measuring biomarkers like Lp(a) and ApoB, using coronary artery calcium scoring, and keeping statins as first-line therapy with new lipid-lowering options, advocating for earlier intervention—especially in younger adults—to reduce future heart attack and stroke risk.
A long-used hair-loss and prostate drug, finasteride, may lower cholesterol and reduce heart-disease risk, per observational human data and mice experiments. While findings are intriguing, the high-dose mouse results may not translate to humans, and potential side effects exist; further clinical trials are needed to confirm heart-health benefits and safe usage.
New cholesterol guidelines urge starting screening in your 30s and using lifetime risk (via the PREVENT calculator) alongside 10-year risk to guide treatment. Targets are LDL <100 mg/dL for most, <70 mg/dL for high-risk individuals, and <55 mg/dL for those with existing heart disease, with statins considered earlier; the guidance also recommends apoB testing after LDL goals and universal lipoprotein(a) testing once in adulthood, plus calcium scoring for those at borderline/intermediate risk, all aiming to reduce lifetime LDL exposure and prevent cardiovascular events.
A updated ACC/AHA guideline advises starting statins earlier for some adults as young as 30 with LDL ≥160 mg/dL or a high 30-year cardiovascular risk, alongside lifestyle changes. It introduces a 30-year risk calculation (PREVENT-ASCVD) to identify millions more who may benefit, with LDL targets of <100 mg/dL for most borderline/intermediate risk and <55 mg/dL for the highest risk. Treatment decisions remain clinician–patient discussions, and the guidance is supported by trial data linking longer LDL exposure reduction to lower lifetime risk.
New research shows non-psychoactive cannabis compounds CBD and CBG can significantly reduce liver fat and cholesterol, improve liver energy metabolism, and restore cellular cleanup (lysosomal) function, offering a plant-based approach to MASLD, the world’s most common chronic liver disease. The study also found both compounds normalize blood sugar, with CBG showing stronger effects on fat reduction and insulin sensitivity; further research is needed to translate these findings into treatments.
A 52-study review of research from 2000–2025 suggests that regular pecan consumption is associated with lower total cholesterol and LDL (and sometimes triglycerides), likely due to pecans’ monounsaturated fats, fiber, and antioxidants. The evidence shows association, not causation. The authors recommend about one ounce per day (roughly 15–20 halves) of raw or dry-roasted pecans, eaten as part of a balanced meal or paired with protein or fiber to boost satiety. Pecans may replace less nutritious snacks and can be added to oats, yogurt, salads, or entrées. The study, published in Nutrients and led by Illinois Institute of Technology researchers, was funded by the American Pecan Promotion Board and notes limitations including short-term designs and varied portions. Store pecans refrigerated or frozen to maintain freshness.
Rice University researchers produced the first label-free molecular atlas of an Alzheimer's brain using hyperspectral Raman imaging paired with machine learning, revealing uneven, brain-wide chemical changes—especially in memory regions—extending beyond amyloid plaques and pointing to broader metabolic disruption (not just a protein problem) that could inform earlier diagnosis and new treatments.
Unearthed columnist Tamar Haspel argues the Trump administration’s new Dietary Guidelines claim to be evidence-based, yet bias and cherry-picked data permeate the recommendations (notably treating red meat, butter, and even tallow as favorable while sidestepping alcohol). She concedes the core rule—limiting saturated fat to about 10% of calories—would generally be healthful, but the framing and specifics are compromised by political influence.