How I lowered my cholesterol and ApoB without medication

The lifestyle interventions that helped me lower lipids by 60 points.

Louise Bourgeois, Les Fleurs, 2009

Earlier this year, I wrote about the biomarkers I am optimizing based on various blood tests I periodically undergo. The main area of focus has been lipids, which were suboptimal back in April with LDL at 145 (high) and ApoB at 95 (high). As I wrote before, my diet is excellent, so these results are mostly influenced by genetic factors. However, given that heart disease is the number one cause of death for women, I wanted to run a couple of experiments to try and lower my cholesterol and ApoB. Six weeks after implementing my protocol, I repeated the blood tests and the results were truly astonishing.

I will share everything I did below, but before you read, please remember that I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice. I am documenting what worked for me and you can use this information as a starting point for your own research. Always discuss with your medical provider before starting new supplements, especially if you currently take any medication.

Diet

The levels of LDL (low-density lipoprotein), total cholesterol, and ApoB (apolipoprotein B) can be influenced by various factors, including genetics, diet, lifestyle, and certain medical conditions. When it comes to diet, consumption of saturated fats and trans fats can increase both cholesterol and ApoB levels. Here are the worst offenders:

• Animal Products:

  • Red meat (beef, pork, lamb)

  • Processed meats (sausages, hot dogs, bacon)

  • Poultry with skin

• Snack Foods:

  • Packaged snacks like chips and some types of popcorn

  • Certain candies and sweets

• Baked Goods:

  • Pastries, cakes, and cookies made with butter, cream, or full-fat dairy

  • Muffins and doughnuts

  • Some types of crackers and biscuits

• Certain Oils:

  • Coconut oil

  • Palm oil and palm kernel oil

  • Partially Hydrogenated Oils such as margarine and shortening

• Fried Foods:

  • Deep-fried foods (fried chicken, french fries)

• Frozen and Pre-Packaged Foods:

  • Frozen pizza

  • Some frozen dinners and snacks

• Dairy Products:

  • Full-fat milk, cheese, and yogurt

  • Butter and cream

  • Ice cream

What I did: my diet was already very clean, but I minimized processed foods even further. No refined carbohydrates (baked goods, cookies, snacks, etc.), no coconut products, no dairy with the exception of some grass-fed Greek yogurt, and while I still consumed animal protein, I focused mostly on fatty fish (salmon), eggs, poultry and very lean cuts of beef.

If you don’t know where to start, I would suggest completely eliminating any kind of processed meats as those are so detrimental for your overall health, any type of fast food/ fried foods, refined carbs (cookies, cereal, snacks, baked goods etc), coconut products and fatty cuts of red meat, especially if the meat is not grass-fed.

Supplements

There are a number of supplements that can help lower LDL cholesterol and ApoB, but the only way to figure out what works for you is to experiment with different compounds and different doses and then repeat those biomarkers to assess the results. If you have familial hypercholesterolemia (a genetic disorder leads to very high LDL cholesterol levels), any type of metabolic issue, high levels of inflammation or thyroid problems, supplements and lifestyle interventions might have no effect and you’ll likely need to manage your lipids with medication.

What I did: Based on my research, I decided on a combination of four compounds that I took for six weeks as outlined below:

• Psyllium husk powder: 1 tbs/ day mixed in my morning smoothie

• Cocoa flavanols: 1 scoop/ day mixed in my morning smoothie

• Berberine: 1 capsule 3 times/ day for a total of 1200 mg/ day

• Alpha-Lipoic Acid: 1 capsule/ day for a total pf 800 mg/ day

Other supplements that I take on an ongoing basis and that can have a positive impact on lipid health are probiotics and omega-3.

A note on Berberine: if you have an underlying condition or are taking concurrent medications such as metformin, discuss with your medical provider before starting because berberine can potentially raise lactic acid levels. To minimize risk, pulse berberine for 6-8 weeks, then take at least a 2 week break to allow liver enzymes to normalize. Always repeat liver, kidney and inflammation markers to ensure everything looks normal.

Results

After six weeks on my supplement protocol and a very clean diet with no processed foods, I repeated the lipid biomarkers and here are the astonishing results:

• Total cholesterol went from 229 to 168 (61 points)

• LDL cholesterol went from 145 to 81 (64 points)

• ApoB went from 95 to 72 (23 points)

This was a huge drop and as you can see in the screenshot above, these are the best values I ever had since I started testing back in 2021. I will repeat these tests in three months, but for now, things look very promising.

Why you should care about your lipids

I cannot overstate the importance of cardiovascular health. Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), which include heart disease, are responsible for an estimated 17.9 million deaths each year, representing about 31% of all global deaths. Heart disease is the leading cause of death globally and no one is spared - heart disease remains the primary cause of mortality for both men and women.

Many medical providers still focus solely on the 10-year risk for ASCVD for initiating preventive treatment, but this approach makes prevention of premature disease almost impossible. By the time 10-year risk is elevated, significant atherosclerosis has already developed, missing the window for early intervention.

Atherosclerosis, the underlying cause of cardiovascular disease, begins at a very young age and is ubiquitous. Studies of pathology show that even young people who die from other causes like accidents already have atherosclerosis in their coronary arteries

The most common first presentation of a heart attack is sudden death. Over 50% of people who have their first heart attack die from it. This staggering statistic underscores the importance of preventing atherosclerosis before it leads to a catastrophic event.

Understanding your specific risk factors through advanced biomarkers like apoB and taking proactive steps can slow or prevent the progression of atherosclerosis from an early stage. Here are the practical steps you can take today:

• STOP Smoking: Quitting smoking significantly lowers the risk of heart disease and death from cardiovascular disease. Smoking is a major risk factor for heart disease, and quitting helps mitigate this risk.

• Exercise Regularly: Engaging in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week can significantly reduce heart disease risk.

• Eat a Whole-Foods, Anti-Inflammatory Diet: Consuming mostly vegetables, fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats can help prevent heart disease.

• Limit Alcohol Intake: Moderating alcohol consumption can help maintain heart health.

• Do Regular Health Screenings: Monitoring lipid levels (including ApoB, LDL/HDL subclasses, Lp(a)), inflammation markers (including Lp-PLA2, hsCRP, homocysteine) and metabolic markers is crucial for preventing heart disease. If you are over 40, also get a coronary artery calcium (CAC) score test. If you have familial hypercholesterolemia or other cardiovascular risk factors, you should start getting CAC tests earlier and also consider a CT angiography (CTA)

• Prevent Other Conditions: High blood pressure (hypertension), diabetes, metabolic syndrome, being overweight or obese are all major risk factors for developing heart disease.

If you have specific questions about my protocol, feel free to drop me a line and I’d be happy to help.