[Videos] - These 5 independent Medical Doctors all separately say NO to both taking and prescribing Statins for High Cholesterol

[Lifeinmotion]

Nick Norwitz publication.

Ludwig D.S., Brand-Miller J., Ebbeling **, Friedman M.I., Norwitz NG, Soto-Mota, A. Testing ths Carbohydrate Insulin Model: The Data Are Supportive. Cell Metabolism. 2025.

• Soto-Mota, Feldman D, Norwitz NG, Manubolu VS, Kinninger A, Wood TR, Budoff M. Plaque Begets Plaque. ApoB does not: Longitidinal data from the KETO-CTA trial. JACC Advances 2025; doi:10.1016/j.jacadv.2025.101686

• Buchanan L, Calkins M, Kalayjian T, Norwitz NG, Teicholz N, Unwin D, Soto-Mota A. TOWARD a metabolic health intervention demonstration robust 1 year weight loss and cost-savings through Deprescription. Front Nutr 2025;doi: 10.3389/fnut.2025.1548609

• Norwitz NG, Soto-Mota A. Carnivore-Ketogenic diet for treatment of inflammatory bowel disease: a case series of 10 patient. Front Nutr 2024; doi: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1467475 (Video abstract)

• Budoff M, Manubolu VS, Kinninger A, Norwitz NG, Feldman D, Wood TR,CuryR, Feldman T, Fialkow J, Nasir K. Carbohydrate restriction-induced elevations in LDL-cholesterol and atherosclerosis: The KETO trial. JACC Advances 2024;doi: 10.1016/j.jacadv.2024.101109 (Video abstract)

• Javier DA, Manubolu VS, Kinninger A, Norwitz NG, Aldana JB, Ghanem A, Ahmad K, Vicuna WD, Hamidi H, Bagheri M, Villanueva B, Flores F, Hamal S, Feldman D, Budoff, MJ. The impact of carbohydrate restriction-induced elevations in LDL cholesterol on progression of coronary atherosclerosis: the ketogenic diet trial study design. Coronary Artery Disease 2024; doi: 10.1097/MCA. 0000000000001395

• Cayabyab KB, Shin MJ, Heimuli MS, Kim IJ, D’Agostino Dominic P., Johnson RJ, Koutnik AP, Bellissimo N, Diamond D, Norwitz NG, Arroyo JA , Reynolds PR, Bikman BT. The Metabolic and Endocrine Effects of a 12-Week Allulose-Rich Diet. Nutrients. 2024; doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16121821

• Norwitz NG, Cromwell WC. Oreo cookie treatment lowers LDL cholesterol more than high-intensity statin therapy in a lean mass hyper-responder on a ketogenic diet: A curious crossover experiment. Metabolites. 2024; doi: 10.3390/metabo14010073 (Video abstract)

• Sota-Mota A, Flores-Jurado Y, Norwitz NG, Feldman D, Pereira MA, Danaei G, Ludwig DS. Increased LDL cholesterol in adults with normal but not high body weight: a meta-analysis. Amer J of Clin Nutr. 2024; doi: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2024.01.009 (Video abstract)

• Sota-Mota A, Flores-Jurado Y, Norwitz NG, Feldman D, Pereira MA, Danaei G, Ludwig DS. Reply to P Phalak et al. Amer J Clin Nutr. 2024. doi: 10.1016/j.ajcnut/2024.02.011

• Sota-Mota A, Flores-Jurado Y, Norwitz NG, Feldman D, Pereira MA, Danaei G, Ludwig DS. Reply to JT Gonzalez et al. and M Kamikski and P Jarecki. Amer J Clin Nutr. 2024. doi: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2024.05.015

• Sota-Mota A, Jansen L, Norwitz NG, Pereira M, Ebeling C, Ludwig DS. Physiological Adaptation to Macronutrient Change Distorts Findings from Short Dietary Trials: Reanalysis of a Metabolic Ward Study. J Nutr 2023. doi: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2023.12.017 (Video abstract)

• Soto-Mota A, Jansen L, Norwitz NG, Pereira M, Ebeling C, Ludwig DS. Reply to C M Sciarrilo et al. J Nutr 2024. doi: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2024.01.026

• Cooper ID, Sanchez-Pizarro C, Norwitz NG, Feldman D, Kyriakidou Y, Edwards Kurtis, Petagine L, Eliiot BT, Sota-Mota A. Thyroid markers and body composition predict LDL-cholesterol change in lean healthy women on a Ketogenic Diet: Experimental support for Lipid Energy Model. Front Endocrinol 2023; 14:1-7. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1326768

• Norwitz NG, Hurn M, Forcen FE. Animal-based ketogenic diet puts severe anorexia nervosa into multi-year remission: a case series. J Metab Health 2023; 6:a84. doi: 10.4102/jir.v6i1.84

• Norwitz NG, Mindrum M, Giral P, Kontush A, Soto-Mota A, Wood TR, D’Agostino DP, Manubolu VS, Budoff M, Krauss RM. Elevated LDL cholesterol among lean mass hyper-responders on low-carbohydrate diets deserve urgent clinical attention and further research. J Clin Lipidol 2022; 16:765-768. doi: 10.1016/j.jacl.2022. 10.010

• Norwitz NG, Czeisler ME, Delichatsios HK, Hoenig MP, Cywes R. Metabolic health immersion for medical education: a pilot program with continuous glucose monitors in Harvard medical and dental students. Am J Lifestyle Med 2023; 17:782-790. doi: 10.1177/15598276221119989

• Feldman D, Huggins S, Norwitz NG. Short-term hyper-caloric high-fat feeding on a ketogenic diet can lower LDL cholesterol: the cholesterol drop experiment. Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes Obes 2022; 29:434-439. doi: 10.1097/MED.0000000000000762

• Norwitz NG, Soto-Mota A, Kaplan R, Ludwig DS, Budoff M, Kontush A, Feldman D. The Lipid Energy Model: reimagining lipoprotein function in the context of carbohydrate-restricted diets. Metabolites 2022; 12:460. doi: 10.3390/metabo12050460 (video abstract)

§ This hypothesis paper reviews a model we developed to explain the LMHR phenotype.

• Norwitz NG, Feldman D, Soto-Mota A, Kalayjian T, Ludwig DS. Elevated LDL-cholesterol with a carbohydrate-restricted diet: evidence for a “lean mass hyper-responder” phenotype. Curr Dev Nutr 2021; 6:nzab144. doi: 10.1093/cdn/nzab144

• Ludwig DS, Norwitz NG, Feldman D, Soto-Mota A, Kalayjian. Reply to M Mindrum and J Moore et al. Curr Dev Nutr 2022. doi: 10.1093/cdn/nzac029

• Norwitz NG, Soto-Mota A, Feldman D, Parpos S, Budoff M. Case report: hypercholesterolemia “lean mass hyper-responder” phenotype presents in the context of a low saturated fat carbohydrate restricted diet. Front Endocrinol 2022; 13:830325. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2022.830325

• Norwitz NG, Saif N, Ariza IE, Isaacson RS. Precision nutrition for Alzheimer’s prevention in ApoE4 carriers. Nutrients 2021; 13:1362. doi: 10.3390/nu13041362 (video abstract)

• Mota AS, Norwitz NG, Evans R, Clarke K. Exogenous D-β-hydroxybutyrate lowers blood glucose in part by decreasing the availability of L-alanine for gluconeogenesis. Endocrinol Diabetes Metab 2022; 5:e00300. doi: 10.1002/edm2.300

• Mota AS, Norwitz NG, Evans R, Barber TM. Exogenous ketosis in patients with type II diabetes: safety, tolerability, and effect on glycemic control. Endocrinol Diabetes Metab 2021; 4:e00264. doi: 10.1002/edm2.264

• Norwitz NG, Winwood R, Stubbs BJ, D’Agostino DP, Barnes PJ. Case report: ketogenic diet is associated with improvements in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Front Med 2021; 8:699427. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2021.699427

• Norwitz NG, Naidoo U. Nutrition as a metabolic treatment for anxiety. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:598119. doi: 10.3389/fp-syt.2021.598119

• Norwitz NG, Loh V. A standard lipid panel is insufficient for a patient on a high-fat, low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet. Front Med 2020; 7:97. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2020.00097

• Norwitz NG, Sethi S, Palmer C. Ketogenic diet as a metabolic treatment for mental illness. Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes Obes 2020; 27:269-274. doi: 10.1097/MED.0000000000000564 (video abstract)

• Norwitz NG, Dearlove DJ, Lu M, Clarke K, Dawes H, Hu MT. A ketone ester drink enhances endurance exercise performance in Parkinson’s disease. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:584130. doi: 10.3389/fnins/2020/584130

• Norwitz NG, Querfurth H. mTOR mysteries: nuances and questions about the mechanistic target of rapamycin in neurodegenerative disease. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:775. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00775

• Mota AS, Norwitz NG, Clarke K. Why a D-b-hydroxybutyrate monoester? Biochem Soc Trans 2020; 48:51-59. doi: 10.1042/BST20190240

• Norwitz NG, Jaramillo JG, Clarke K, Mota AS. Ketotherapeutics for neurodegenerative disorders. International Review of Neurobiology. 2020; 155: 141-168. doi: 10.1016/bs.irn.2020.02.003.

• Norwitz NG, Hu MT, Clarke K. The mechanisms by which the ketone body D-b-hydroxybutyrate may improve the multiple cellular pathologies of Parkinson’s disease. Front Nutr 2019; 6:63. doi:10.3389/fnut.2019.00063

• Norwitz NG, Mota AS, Norwitz SG, Clarke K. Multi-loop model of Alzheimer disease: an integrated perspective on the Wnt/GSK3b, a-synuclein, and type 3 diabetes hypotheses. Front Aging Neurosci 2019; 11:184. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2019.00184

• Norwitz NG, Mota AS, Misra M, Ackerman KE. LRP5, bone density, and mechanical stress: a case report and literature review. Front Endocrinol 2019; 10:184. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2019.00184

 

[sellbuyboy]

So take or don't take

 

[Checkyrmed]

LDL cholesterol on its own is the weakest marker for cardiovascular disease risk, yet it remains the most emphasized in standard practice. A more accurate picture comes from looking at the right markers in order of importance.

The strongest driver is insulin resistance, which underlies most cases of atherosclerosis and metabolic dysfunction. The triglyceride-to-HDL ratio is a practical and reliable reflection of this risk. Lipoprotein(a) adds significant genetic risk and should not be overlooked. Inflammatory markers such as hs-CRP indicate vascular inflammation, a key factor in plaque rupture and heart attack. By comparison, LDL cholesterol without context is far less informative.

Statins are widely prescribed, but their benefits are often framed in terms of relative risk while their side effects, including worsening insulin resistance and increased susceptibility to infection, are understated. A focus on the right markers provides a clearer and more effective approach to preventing cardiovascular disease.

 

[ahnyaahnya]

I rather believe qualified doctors than edmwers or internet video.

My sibling doctor no take

 

[Mecisteus]

These are all the woke, quack internet, anti vax or anti big pharma doctors.

You don't want to bank your life on them.

 

[ahnyaahnya]

I jialat, thought was my age but 6 months of stations I got trouble rising or keep it rose.

I came across an article online.
IIRC,it was a medical site. It actually advised DOCTORS not to prescribe it for old folks (75 y o though)

 

[ahnyaahnya]

ehhh no..

but her diet is usually quite light, she just like floury and starchy stuff.

In other words, she likes deep fried stuff?
That's heavy, not light

 

[Mystyque]

I jialat, thought was my age but 6 months of stations I got trouble rising or keep it rose.

The following are my findings when I was first asked to take statins. Do your own research though.

Cholesterol is used for bodily repairs. High cholesterol level is a symptom not the disease. As we get older, the level of cholesterol increases naturally because there are more repairs needed. Problem is some of the damaged sites keep getting damaged ( due to lifestyle, diet, diseases) so the repairs piled up on top of repairs eventually causing choke points. Lowering cholesterol might help reduce this risk but it increases other risks.

Some statins also had been shown to reduce brain functionality although this is still inconclusive as there are conflicting studies.

Also low cholesterol levels may actually be more harmful. A Korean study over 10 years and 12million people showed that mortality risks actually increased with lower cholesterol level.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6367420/
There is an optimal level which is actually a bit higher than the current recommended "healthy" threshold.

The mortality risk of high cholesterol level is also more strongly correlated at younger ages, i.e. young people than old people. Likely because older people tend to naturally have higher cholesterol levels due to repairs needed. While young people with very high cholesterol level are likely due to other more serious complications.

 

[ahnyaahnya]

can use cholesterol jab

‘This is revolutionary!’: Breakthrough cholesterol treatment can cut levels by 69% after one dose | BBC Science Focus Magazine https://share.google/RuH7da4COrQwQrRsX


Read HWZ Forum Rules!

Not even peer reviewed yet.
Only clinical trial with about a dozen patients.
Also meant for extreme cases with familial history.
69% reduction is way too drastic for most people. We also need certain amount of cholesterol

 

[Mecisteus]

The following are my findings when I was first asked to take statins. Do your own research though.

Cholesterol is used for bodily repairs. High cholesterol level is a symptom not the disease. As we get older, the level of cholesterol increases naturally because there are more repairs needed. Problem is some of the damaged sites keep getting damaged ( due to lifestyle, diet, diseases) so the repairs piled up on top of repairs eventually causing choke points. Lowering cholesterol might help reduce this risk but it increases other risks.

Some statins also had been shown to reduce brain functionality although this is still inconclusive as there are conflicting studies.

Also low cholesterol levels may actually be more harmful. A Korean study over 10 years and 12million people showed that mortality risks actually increased with lower cholesterol level.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6367420/
There is an optimal level which is actually a bit higher than the current recommended "healthy" threshold.

The mortality risk of high cholesterol level is also more strongly correlated at younger ages, i.e. young people than old people. Likely because older people tend to naturally have higher cholesterol levels due to repairs needed. While young people with very high cholesterol level are likely due to other more serious complications.

All the sml* theories can be of no use.

Once above 40s, do check your arterial health ie ultrasound, CT, etc. That will be the best indication.

If scan shows you are already 80% blocked, tell me if you still dare to maintain high LDL. I salute you.

 

[Mystyque]

All the sml* theories can be of no use.

Once above 40s, do check your arterial health ie ultrasound, CT, etc. That will be the best indication.

If scan shows you are already 80% blocked, tell me if you still dare to maintain high LDL. I salute you.

Ditto this. I did the scans after GP keep bugging me to go on statins but heart specialist saw nothing wrong with my heart and arteries except what was a relatively common minor heart defect.

 

[ahnyaahnya]

Why egg yolk cannot eat when u have high cholesterol?

Old advice.
Now it's ok.
Food cholesterol is ok.
It's the oils that's the problem

 

[Mystyque]

Why egg yolk cannot eat when u have high cholesterol?

It's outdated advice based on older misunderstood research in the 70s. Back then scientists haven't differentiated between the different types of cholesterol, wasn't understood that dietary cholesterol doesn't get directly converted into the blood cholesterol level ( the liver makes most of the cholesterol ). Somebody anyhow linked high cholesterol/heart attack risks to cholesterol in food and boom, suddenly egg yolks became evil for the next couple of decades.

 

[Checkyrmed]

So take or don't take

A good doctor will not hand out statins like a pain killer or a quick band-aid fix. Invest in a good doctor who looks beyond LDL and checks the deeper markers like insulin resistance, triglyceride-to-HDL ratio, Lp(a), and hs-CRP. So that the treatment plan targets the root causes rather than just masking the symptoms.

 

[Taloona]

Most doctors just follow textbook, this illness gives this medicine. Doubt they will really go and find out if any medicine is really good for patients or not

I am not sure what you mean by "find out if any medicine is good for patients". What is the meaning of good? I thought all medicine has to undergo rigorous trials and all side effects have to be documented (all medicine has side effects). I would think doctor's training include how drugs are put on the market. So what do you mean by good?

Chinese medicine also has side effects. My brother, who is a heart patient, recently took Chinese medicine and his whole body went weak. He told me to check on him every day as he lives alone. After 2 weeks, I don't know what made him suspect it was the Chinese medicine but he told me after stopping the medicine, he was back to normal.

Actually, pharmacists are the ones who are more knowledgeable about drugs than doctors.

 

[Checkyrmed]

I am not sure what you mean by "find out if any medicine is good for patients". What is the meaning of good? I thought all medicine has to undergo rigorous trials and all side effects have to be documented (all medicine has side effects). I would think doctor's training include how drugs are put on the market. So what do you mean by good?

Chinese medicine also has side effects. My brother, who is a heart patient, recently took Chinese medicine and his whole body went weak. He told me to check on him every day as he lives alone. After 2 weeks, I don't know what made him suspect it was the Chinese medicine but he told me after stopping the medicine, he was back to normal.

Actually, pharmacists are the ones who are more knowledgeable about drugs than doctors.

Rigorous trials do not always mean a drug is “good” for every patient. Clinical trials are often limited in duration and population, and they rely heavily on relative risk rather than absolute benefit. Side effects may be documented, but their long-term impact, interactions with other conditions, and real-world effectiveness often emerge only after years of widespread use.

A drug can pass regulatory standards and still be more of a band-aid than a true solution if it does not address root causes. That is why “good” in this context means genuinely improving outcomes without creating bigger downstream problems, not just showing statistical significance in a trial.

 

[Mecisteus]

Ditto this. I did the scans after GP keep bugging me to go on statins but heart specialist saw nothing wrong with my heart and arteries except what was a relatively common minor heart defect.

I did CIMT, CT calcium and echo stress test before. All clear.

So I dare to maintain my borderline high LDL.

Best is to do a CT angiogram.

 

[fortunecat]

I am not sure what you mean by "find out if any medicine is good for patients". What is the meaning of good? I thought all medicine has to undergo rigorous trials and all side effects have to be documented (all medicine has side effects). I would think doctor's training include how drugs are put on the market. So what do you mean by good?

Chinese medicine also has side effects. My brother, who is a heart patient, recently took Chinese medicine and his whole body went weak. He told me to check on him every day as he lives alone. After 2 weeks, I don't know what made him suspect it was the Chinese medicine but he told me after stopping the medicine, he was back to normal.

Actually, pharmacists are the ones who are more knowledgeable about drugs than doctors.

What I meant is precisely what this thread is about. Why do the doctors in the video said no to the medicine? They probably found out more and feel the side effect is worse than helping. But most doctors won't think so much, they will just prescribe it if they see the patient has this condition etc

 

[tootired]

Not even peer reviewed yet.
Only clinical trial with about a dozen patients.
Also meant for extreme cases with familial history.
69% reduction is way too drastic for most people. We also need certain amount of cholesterol

if really depends, some people like me who has extremely high LDL cholesterol, 69% reduction is only just nice after reduction.

there are other pcsk9 inhibitor which doesn't have such high reduction.

it is simply dangerous to advise patients to stop stain without understanding their actual condition, eating habit and lifestyle. it is not just a concern of heart attack alone but stroke as well.


Read HWZ Forum Rules!

 

[Taloona]

What I meant is precisely what this thread is about. Why do the doctors in the video said no to the medicine? They probably found out more and feel the side effect is worse than helping. But most doctors won't think so much, they will just prescribe it if they see the patient has this condition etc

So what is the alternative and is this alternative evidence based and benefits outweigh the harm?