Why both sides of the cholesterol debate are wrong (and how choosing a side could put you at risk)

I can think of no other health practitioner who has the science of diet as wired as Chris Kresser.

Kurt Harris, MD.
Retired Radiologist

As a clinician that consults with patients around the world, and the creator of a popular health-related blog (chriskresser.com) and radio show (Revolution Health Radio), I get a lot of questions about cholesterol. It’s no wonder people are confused: there’s so much conflicting information out there, and a lot of it is wrong.

The discussion of cholesterol and its role in heart disease has become polarized over the past decade. On the one hand you have the “cholesterol believers,” who claim that cholesterol is an evil nutrient that causes heart disease and we should get it as low as we possibly can. On the other you have the “cholesterol skeptics” who claim that cholesterol has nothing to do with heart disease, and we shouldn’t even bother measuring it. So who’s right?

As is often the case with polarized issues, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. The understanding of what causes heart disease has evolved significantly over the past ten years, and the relationship between cholesterol and heart disease is far more complex and nuanced than either side lets on. Unfortunately, the two extremes (the believers & the skeptics) are still driving the debate. This means that some people that need treatment aren’t getting it, and some people that don’t need treatment are getting too much.

I’ve spent thousands of hours studying the science so you don’t have to.

I created the High Cholesterol Action Plan to offer a middle-ground perspective based more on research and less on dogma. Over the past five years I’ve read over 750 peer-reviewed studies, consulted with experts in the field and challenged everything I thought I knew about this topic. And now I want to share what I’ve learned with you so you can make smart decisions about protecting yourself and those you love from heart disease.