🧪 Protecting Yourself From Cholesterol Risk

Last week was my first wedding anniversary.

I cannot believe it’s been a year; it’s absolutely flown. Of course, as I’m about to have my first child, I’m fully expecting time to speed up even more.

So one thing I’m determined to do is savour every milestone: wedding anniversaries, birthdays, Father’s (and Mother’s!) days and all the rest.

When I’m 80, these are the days I’ll want to remember, so I’m not letting a single one pass me by.

What you'll learn in this newsletter:

🧪 The test that’s more important than LDL-C for cardiovascular health

🙌 What the latest clinical data says about LOAM

🏁 Why you should always finish what you started

heart health

🧪 New Cholesterol Guidelines

The American Heart Association updated cholesterol guidelines for the first time in 7 years this week and there are some big changes.

Cholesterol is essential, but LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) is atherogenic, meaning it can form plaques that increase heart attack and stroke risk.

Under the new guidelines, recommended values for LDL-C have changed and, depending on your risk profile (determined by family history, genetics, current health), look like this:-

Borderline/intermediate risk: any LDL value below 100mg/DL

High risk: keep LDL below 70mg/DL

Very high risk: keep LDL below 55mg/DL

There’s an increased emphasis on lifetime management of LDL-C. Simply put, the longer your exposure to high LDL-C, the greater your risk.

So, if you don’t know your LDL-C levels, get them tested now.

However, the new guidelines focus on other particle levels that may be even more important than LDL-C.

One of those is Lipoprotein A - Lp(a). Lp(a) is a subclass of LDL-C that carries an extra protein called apolipoprotein A.

That extra protein makes the particle more “sticky” and more likely to cause plaque buildup and inflammation.

The real kicker is that Lp(a) is genetically determined and can’t be significantly modified.

As a result, everyone is being encouraged to get their Lp(a) levels measured at least once.

LDL-C and Lp(a) aren't the only atherogenic particles, however. Apolipoprotein B (ApoB), is a measure of the overall number of plaque-forming particles, so everyone should check this number too.

Quick summary:

ApoB measures the total number of atherogenic particles (inc LDL-C and Lp(a))
LDL-C measures the cholesterol they carry
Lp(a) represents a higher-risk particle type

The guidelines recommend getting all of them tested although ApoB might be the most important.

To reduce ApoB:-

Replace saturated fats (fatty meat and dairy) with unsaturated fats (olive oil, nuts, oily fish)
Increase soluble fibre (oats, legumes, fruit)
Lose excess body fat

Finally, reproductive history is now recognised as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

If you’ve experienced any of the following, your doctor should be using them to gauge your overall heart health.

Preeclampsia
Gestational diabetes
Gestational hypertension
Preterm delivery
Early menopause (before 45)

So, here’s what you need to do

If you can’t remember the last time you had your LDL-C tested, get it done now.
Get Lp(a) tested (increases risk, can't be modified).
Get ApoB tested (modifiable - see above).
Plan for regular LDL-C testing.
Women who’ve experienced any of the symptoms above should discuss them with their doctor.

These new guidelines are a good reminder that managing cholesterol is a tricky business due to many interacting factors.

This is also true of mental health and, as I discussed with Dr Rayyan Zafar recently, psychedelic therapy may have an increasingly large role to play in treating mental health issues. You can watch that interview here, right now.

GUT HEALTH

🙌 Clinical study: Benefits in 48 hours

My aim with LOAM has always been to create the single best fiber supplement in the world.

Part of that process is getting independent verification of its effects and I received the first pre-clinical trial data this week.

We asked one of the most respected gut fermentation research labs in the world two simple questions:

What does LOAM actually do to the human gut?
How does LOAM compare to inulin - the best-studied fiber in the world?

Here are the headlines:

LOAM has a measurable impact on the gut microbiome within 48 hours.

This means if you start taking LOAM, you can be confident that by day 3, it's having an effect.

All the main short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) - acetate, butyrate and propionate are up

Quick reminder: SCFAs are metabolites produced when fiber is fermented by gut bacteria in the colon. They reduce inflammation, regulate blood sugar levels and strengthen the immune system. In fact, LOAM almost doubled propionate production (cholesterol control, appetite regulation and metabolic support) compared to inulin (an increase of 117% vs 67%).

LOAM has a consistent effect among people, unlike inulin which seems to be more variable

There are all sorts of reasons why one person’s gut health might be different from the next person’s:- genetics, diet, antibiotic usage, but LOAM has a positive effect on all types of gut.

The study looked at LOAM’s effect on healthy guts and on individuals with gut problems.

In the ulcerative colitis microbiome, LOAM produces 21% less gas than inulin. And if you think that having fewer farts is no big deal….for folks with IBS, anything that can reduce the pain and discomfort caused by excessive gas is not something to be…. sniffed at.

Finally, LOAM protects against the harmful effects of protein fermentation in the gut.

Protein normally gets digested in the small intestine, but occasionally it can reach the colon intact where it gets fermented by bacteria. This produces ammonia, which can cause inflammation and disrupt the gut lining aka leaky gut syndrome.

However, LOAM significantly reduced ammonia production in both healthy and ulcerative guts.

Yes, I’m biased. I founded LOAM and you wouldn’t expect me to say anything different from what’s above.

But first and foremost I’m a doctor, and I care more about evidence than I do about marketing or hype. We’ll be publishing the full data on our website very shortly - including some interesting data we haven’t shared yet - and if you’d like to examine it for yourself, I’ll let you know when it’s up.

In the meantime, if increased short-chain fatty acids, reduced gut dysbiosis, less gas and less ammonia sound good to you, click here to get 10% off your first order of LOAM.

And if you’d like to know some simple ways you can STOP damaging your gut and start naturally turning it into a supergut, you can watch my video here.

REFLECTIONS

🏁 Why You Should Finish What You Start

Before she was a twice-Nobel Laureate, who fundamentally changed our understanding of radiation, Marie Curie was a nobody.

A brilliant student, yes, but held back by poverty and gender stereotypes, she spent years working in isolation, doing painstaking, physically demanding research in poor conditions.

She could have given up at any moment, taken a secure job and lived a comfortable life.

Instead, she kept on and finished the job.

All around us, the world is full of paths half-trodden. Books half-written (and half-read!). Goals half-achieved.

What I’ve come to realise is you can get very far in life just by finishing things.

Even if no one else sees. Even if it’s not that good. By just finishing what you started, you’ll know, at the very least, that you are the sort of person who does what they say they’ll do.

So, close your loops.

Do what you say you’ll do.

Finish what you started.

👋 Who are you again? I’m Karan Rajan - a doctor and curious explorer of all things health and wellness. I'm the founder of LOAM Science, a microbiome company aiming to create the best fiber product in the world! I host the Dr Karan Explores Podcast, where I talk to experts in science and medicine to cut through the BS of modern health advice. If you'd like an easy way to dig through the archive, you can talk to my digital librarian and ask me any questions about the podcast here. I've also written two books "This Book May Save Your Life" and "This Is Vital Information". I'm the Chief of Science of Throne, a smart gut health tracking device.

If you feel strongly about some health things or just want to say hi? Hit reply... I’d love to hear it and hear from you! (yes I read every reply!!!)

📰 The News You Need To Know

The Unsettling Reasons Bowel Cancer Might be Rising in Under-50s

While survival rates for many types of cancer are improving, cases of early onset bowel cancer are rising. No one really knows why, but this article offers four potential explanations as well as some intriguing solutions.

How Eating the Wrong Protein is Ageing You Faster

Protein may be the internet’s favourite macronutrient, but eating less of it may help you live longer. Also, why the type of protein you eat might be more important than how much of it you have.

Python Blood May Point To A New Weight Loss Drug

Given that Burmese Pythons can go a year without eating before consuming food equivalent to their entire body weight …something’s keeping them full! Researchers have isolated a molecule from their blood

which appears to signal fullness to the brain. And the really interesting thing is: humans produce it too.

📝 WHAT I'M DOING THIS WEEK

🍼 Baby-proofing my nutrition

In a few weeks, when I become a Dad, life is going to get a whole lot more chaotic. That being the case, I’m trying to bank a couple of healthy habits now that’ll hopefully stick when life gets crazy. That’s why I’ve got back into making this smoothie this week. It has 37g of protein and 30g of fiber as well as polyphenols, Omega-3 and healthy fats and takes two minutes.

😴 Lowering my heart rate before bed

When you go to bed, your body needs to be in a parasympathetic, relaxed state in order to fully rest. Lowering your heart rate is the best way to achieve that state, so I’ve been spending the last 10 minutes before bed actively relaxing (if that isn’t a contradiction in terms!). Try slow breathing: inhale for 4 seconds, exhale for 6 seconds and repeat for 3-5 minutes.

🤰 Deep diving into the pregnant microbiome

For obvious reasons, I have a special interest in the microbiome during pregnancy at the minute. This literature review highlights one key finding: gut dysbiosis is associated with a number of complications for mother and child, both during and after pregnancy. Another reminder of the impact the gut microbiome has on all aspects of life.

Disclaimer: I’m more your friend with health benefits. None of this is medical advice.

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