For decades, medical professionals have warned the public about the dangers of high cholesterol, linking it directly to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. However, a prominent cardiologist of Indian origin is now challenging this long-held medical belief, calling into question a fundamental principle of preventive cardiology.
The Cholesterol Challenge: A Paradigm Shift?
Dr Aseem Malhotra, a British cardiologist and health adviser to the Donald Trump-aligned Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative, has made a bold claim. He asserts that cholesterol has nothing to do with heart disease for the majority of people. Dr Malhotra, who previously linked King Charles and Princess Kate Middleton's cancer to COVID-19 vaccines, is now turning his critical eye towards established cholesterol guidelines.
Most global cardiology protocols treat elevated levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), often called 'bad' cholesterol, as a primary cause of cardiovascular issues that requires early intervention. Since high cholesterol presents no symptoms, the standard medical approach has been to encourage preventive measures, including the widespread prescription of statin drugs.
Questioning the Evidence and Saturated Fat Dogma
Dr Malhotra's skepticism stems from his review of the underlying data. He points out that most major statin trials are funded by the pharmaceutical industry rather than being independently verified, which he believes introduces bias. His investigation led him to a startling conclusion about dietary advice as well.
"There was a dogma that saturated fat causes heart disease. It's complete bullsh*t now," Dr Malhotra stated bluntly. He explained his methodology: "I wasn't cherry-picking. I looked at all the data and put it together. It clearly showed that there was no relationship. So, if saturated fat doesn't cause heart disease, that means cholesterol can't be that important a risk factor for heart disease."
He further elaborated, "So, I looked at all the cholesterol data, and I thought, hold on a minute. For most people, it isn't a risk factor for heart disease, only in extreme cases. So, cholesterol isn't that important a risk factor."
"Lowering Cholesterol is a Complete Waste of Time"
This revelation prompted Dr Malhotra to investigate how statin drugs, which are designed to lower cholesterol, actually work. In 2021, he collaborated with two other cardiologists to conduct a comprehensive analysis of published randomized controlled trials on cholesterol-lowering medications.
"We took all of the published data up to date on randomised controlled trials on cholesterol-lowering drugs, and said, ‘Is there a correlation from those trials that you lower LDL cholesterol, and you prevent cardiovascular events?’ No correlation at all," Dr Malhotra reported.
Based on this independent analysis of what he considers the best available evidence, Dr Malhotra has adopted a radically different approach to patient care. "So, my approach to patients, and everyone should hear this, is that lowering cholesterol is a complete waste of time," he concluded. This stance directly contradicts the preventive strategies promoted by heart associations worldwide, potentially sparking significant debate within the medical community and among patients reliant on statin therapy.
