Prof Ken Sikaris work on cholesterol

[Begonia]

I know there are strongly held views on the diet / cholesterol / CVD correlations and that there have been several threads discussing this. So far the most compelling information I've found is from Prof Ken Sikaris. He is a pathologist at Melbourne Pathology and does not appear to have any financial interests in the area (not selling a book or diet support plan). So from what I can see he has impeccable credentials. His explanation of the different types of cholesterol and the pathways is clear and appears to be sound science. He does say that the 'big fluffy' LDL is fine and the small dense LDL is the one that builds up in blood vessels. Also that Triglyceride level is the best marker of CVD risk. This is one of his videos but there are several others.

I'm really interested to hear alternative views and see references, as I'm trying to understand why what appears to be solid science is still in dispute.

 

[BrianTheElder]

I am a big fan of Professor Sikaris. He is an excellent communicator with a nice sense of humour.
It helps that he has the science to back him up, of course.

 

[Guzzler]

I know there are strongly held views on the diet / cholesterol / CVD correlations and that there have been several threads discussing this. So far the most compelling information I've found is from Prof Ken Sikaris. He is a pathologist at Melbourne Pathology and does not appear to have any financial interests in the area (not selling a book or diet support plan). So from what I can see he has impeccable credentials. His explanation of the different types of cholesterol and the pathways is clear and appears to be sound science. He does say that the 'big fluffy' LDL is fine and the small dense LDL is the one that builds up in blood vessels. Also that Triglyceride level is the best marker of CVD risk. This is one of his videos but there are several others.

I'm really interested to hear alternative views and see references, as I'm trying to understand why what appears to be solid science is still in dispute.

He is Associate Professor and between them he and Ivor Cummins put to bed the diet/heart myth for me. As you say, he has no financial dog in the fight so no reason to push his facts other than to let the truth be told.

Thank you for posting. For other members benefit I would also recommend viewing 'The Cholesterol Conundrum' by Ivor on youtube.

 

[Begonia]

Thanks for your replies. I’m trying to look objectively at the science. However I was a physicist not a biochemist so It could be I’m missing something.

 

[Guzzler]

Thanks for your replies. I’m trying to look objectively at the science. However I was a physicist not a biochemist so It could be I’m missing something.

Have you tried the Ivor Cummins lecture I commented on? Being a boffin you would 'get' all the techy stuff that sometimes goes over my head.

 

[Begonia]

I have seen some of Ivor Cummins stuff. I really like his approach too.

 

[NicoleC1971]

I know there are strongly held views on the diet / cholesterol / CVD correlations and that there have been several threads discussing this. So far the most compelling information I've found is from Prof Ken Sikaris. He is a pathologist at Melbourne Pathology and does not appear to have any financial interests in the area (not selling a book or diet support plan). So from what I can see he has impeccable credentials. His explanation of the different types of cholesterol and the pathways is clear and appears to be sound science. He does say that the 'big fluffy' LDL is fine and the small dense LDL is the one that builds up in blood vessels. Also that Triglyceride level is the best marker of CVD risk. This is one of his videos but there are several others.

I'm really interested to hear alternative views and see references, as I'm trying to understand why what appears to be solid science is still in dispute.

He is great and appears in the film 'THAT SUGAR FILM' which I highly recommend (Netfix or Amazon but see promos on You Tube). Many researchers and doctors seems to be coming out in favour of the view that cholesterol is not as important as once thought (even if it was never proven that high fat increases cholesterol in the blood or that cholesterol causes heart disease) but the public health guys are slow to change and the drug companies don't have a drug to promote high HDL/low trigs so have no desire to destroy their own market even if statins only prolong the life of about 0.5% of those who take them!

 

[dwnunder]

I know there are strongly held views on the diet / cholesterol / CVD correlations and that there have been several threads discussing this. So far the most compelling information I've found is from Prof Ken Sikaris. He is a pathologist at Melbourne Pathology and does not appear to have any financial interests in the area (not selling a book or diet support plan). So from what I can see he has impeccable credentials. His explanation of the different types of cholesterol and the pathways is clear and appears to be sound science. He does say that the 'big fluffy' LDL is fine and the small dense LDL is the one that builds up in blood vessels. Also that Triglyceride level is the best marker of CVD risk. This is one of his videos but there are several others.

I'm really interested to hear alternative views and see references, as I'm trying to understand why what appears to be solid science is still in dispute.

Totally agree with you and your right there are quite a few Youtube talks that Ken Sakaris has given. He's really great to listen to and explains it in a way that we without medical knowledge can understand. Aseem Malhotra the cardiologist says that within 5 years of leaving medical school that 50% of what you have learnt is outdated. So if the doctors do not do further research and keep up with the changes they are feeding us outdated stuff. It seems that some UK doctors are treating their diabetic patients with low carb, David Unwin comes to mind and I am sure that more will follow him after they see his great results, then hopefully it will get to other parts of the world. I quote from Dr Mark Hymans book.....There is a little known concept in medicine called NNT or number needed to treat. It is a way of looking at the real benefits and risks in research and is run by an independent group of doctors and scientists. Their work can be found at www.thennt.com. Their report is a bit shocking considering the passionate promotion of statins by most doctors. In patients with no pre-existing heart disease who took statins for 5 yrs showed that no lives were saved, one in 50 got diabetes and one in 10 got muscle damage. But of course the research that Industry run scientists do always come up with huge benefits. I am glad that we now have the internet and we can do our own research and pass good info on to each other especially on this wonderful forum. Breckenridge Low Carb meeting will be on again at the beginning of March and they very kindly put the video presenters online for us all to learn from, and 2017 is still available. We need to address the the root cause and reduce carbs and sugar and you will change your LDL particle size from sdLDL to large fluffy which will do you no harm. Low carb will also increase your HDL and reduce trigs. I will get off my soapbox now lol

 

[dbr10]

He is great and appears in the film 'THAT SUGAR FILM' which I highly recommend (Netfix or Amazon but see promos on You Tube).

Just watching this at the moment. Brilliant.

 

[JohnEGreen]

Well I was watching it but have had to leave it till later to finish as I have to nip out to the shop it seems we have run out of sugar.

 

[BrianTheElder]

What I found very interesting in a recent video by Professor Sikaris is that TC/HDL is a better marker for triglycerides than triglycerides themselves! This is because triglycerides vary so much that they are difficult to measure reliably. He found it amusing that the cardiologists favourite marker was right for apparently the wrong reasons.