Office Hours: Cholesterol and Heart Disease — What I've Changed My Mind About — Episode 1112

Hosted by Mark Hyman 32 recommendations extracted ▶ Listen ↗

Auto-extracted preview. These recommendations were transcribed and classified from the episode audio. Timestamps link to the source; classifications are not yet editorially verified.

What Mark Hyman recommended

In transcript order

Endorses Function Health service ▶ 0:45

Sponsor read

Hyman promotes Function Health membership offering 160+ lab tests for $365/year, including advanced cardiovascular markers most doctors don't run.

“
over 160 lab tests at just $365 a year

Dosage
functionhealth.com/Mark, code Mark2026 for $50 off membership
Caveats
Hyman is co-founder/CMO of Function Health
Certainty
explicit
strong endorsement

Lab TestingPreventive HealthCardiovascular Risk
Avoids Low-fat diet practice ▶ 1:15

Low-fat diets are not protective for heart disease and contributed to the diabetes and heart disease epidemic.

“
low-fat diets are good for heart disease. Well, that ain't true

Certainty
explicit
strong warning

DietHeart Disease
Endorses ApoB test practice ▶ 2:00

In a protocol

Get ApoB tested — it's the most reliable marker of heart attack risk and a surrogate for poor metabolic health.

“
ApoB, which is far more important than all the other cholesterol tests

Certainty
explicit
strong endorsement

Cardiovascular RiskLipidsTesting
Endorses Lipoprotein(a) test practice ▶ 2:10

In a protocol

Test Lp(a) — a genetic marker elevated in ~20% of people that is a strong independent risk factor for heart disease.

“
LpA, which most people don't check, which is a highly important genetic marker

Caveats
Currently difficult to directly lower; manage other risk factors
Certainty
explicit
recommendation

Genetic RiskCardiovascular
Nuanced Statins supplement ▶ 2:30

Hyman is critical of reflexive statin prescribing for high LDL without addressing underlying metabolic/inflammatory causes.

“
a statin deficiency that's causing heart disease

Caveats
Acknowledges medication is sometimes needed
Certainty
hedged
mild caution

MedicationsCholesterol
Endorses Eat Fat, Get Thin book ▶ 3:15

Hyman's book on why dietary fat isn't the main driver of obesity or heart disease.

“
my book, Eat Fat, Get Thin

Caveats
Self-authored
Certainty
explicit
recommendation

BooksDiet
Endorses Advanced lipid particle testing practice ▶ 4:40

In a protocol

Do lipoprotein fractionation to know cholesterol particle size, density, and number — not just total weight.

“
the quality and the size and the number of your cholesterol particles

Certainty
explicit
recommendation

LipidsParticle Size
Endorses hsCRP test practice ▶ 5:40

In a protocol

Check hsCRP as a marker of inflammation — possibly more predictive of heart disease than LDL.

“
high-sensitivity C-reactive protein is important, maybe more important than LDL

Certainty
explicit
strong endorsement

InflammationCardiovascular
Avoids Sugar food ▶ 8:10

Avoid sugar and refined starches — they drive insulin resistance, inflammation, and heart disease.

“
it's sugar, not fat that's causing you to die of heart attacks

Certainty
explicit
strong warning

DietInsulin ResistanceInflammation
Endorses The Blood Sugar Solution book ▶ 8:20

Hyman's book about sugar as the main driver of metabolic disease.

“
a book called The Blood Sugar Solution

Caveats
Self-authored
Certainty
explicit
recommendation

BooksBlood Sugar
Endorses Triglyceride-to-HDL ratio concept ▶ 13:00

In a protocol

Track triglyceride/HDL ratio as a simple proxy for insulin resistance; aim for ~1:1 or less.

“
Your triglyceride divided by your HDL

Dosage
HDL >60 ideal (>50 ok); triglycerides <100 (better <70); ratio ~1:1
Certainty
explicit
strong endorsement

Insulin ResistanceLipids
Endorses High-fat low-carb (ketogenic) diet practice ▶ 16:00

Alternative

Many overweight or insulin-resistant people do better on a higher-fat, low-sugar/starch diet, though responses vary individually.

“
more likely to do better on a high-fat diet than a low-fat diet

Caveats
Some people's cholesterol worsens on keto — individual variation
Certainty
hedged
recommendation

DietMetabolic Health
Avoids Trans fats food ▶ 17:00

Hydrogenated (trans) fats increase heart disease risk and should be avoided.

“
Lose fat, for sure, increase the risk, that's hydrogenated fat

Certainty
explicit
strong warning

DietFats
Avoids Refined starches food ▶ 17:10

Cut refined starches like bread, rice, and potatoes — they raise insulin and drive metabolic dysfunction.

“
refined starches and sugar

Certainty
explicit
strong warning

DietCarbohydrates
Endorses Fasting insulin test practice ▶ 18:00

In a protocol

Check fasting insulin — possibly the most important test for health and longevity, but rarely done.

“
probably the most important test for understanding your health and longevity

Certainty
explicit
strong endorsement

Insulin ResistanceMetabolic Health
Endorses Waist circumference measurement practice ▶ 18:50

Use a tape measure (or mirror jiggle test) to assess belly fat as a simple marker of metabolic risk.

“
the tape measure test

Dosage
Measure widest belly circumference
Certainty
explicit
recommendation

Body CompositionMetabolic Health
Endorses Eggs food ▶ 19:40

Don't worry about dietary cholesterol — eat your eggs; the 2015 guidelines removed cholesterol as a nutrient of concern.

“
cholesterol is no longer a nutrient of concern, meaning eat your eggs

Certainty
explicit
recommendation

DietCholesterol
Endorses Continuous glucose monitor device ▶ 21:40

Use a CGM at least for a short period to learn how individual foods affect your blood sugar.

“
everybody needs to do this, at least for a short period of time

Dosage
At least short-term use
Certainty
explicit
strong endorsement

GlucoseMetabolic Health
Endorses Coronary artery calcium score service ▶ 22:40

In a protocol

Get a coronary calcium score as a baseline to actually image arterial plaque rather than rely on cholesterol surrogates.

“
a calcium score, which I think is important for most people as a baseline

Certainty
explicit
recommendation

ImagingCardiovascular
Endorses Ezra imaging brand ▶ 23:00

Sponsor read In a protocol

Function offers calcium score imaging via partner Ezra — cheap, quick, safe way to assess plaque.

“
through our partner Ezra, which you can do imaging

Caveats
Partnership disclosure
Certainty
explicit
recommendation

ImagingCardiovascular
Avoids Ultra-processed food food ▶ 24:00

Eliminate ultra-processed foods; they aren't really food and harm health.

“
Ultra-processed food does the exact opposite

Certainty
explicit
strong warning

Diet
Endorses Strength training practice ▶ 24:25

In a protocol

Build muscle through strength training to lower ApoB and improve insulin resistance.

“
it helps to build muscle, it helps to lower ApoB, corrects insulin resistance

Certainty
explicit
strong endorsement

ExerciseMetabolic Health
Endorses Cardiovascular exercise practice ▶ 24:35

In a protocol

Do cardio in addition to strength training for heart health.

“
Cardio is also important

Certainty
explicit
recommendation

Exercise
Endorses Omega-3 fatty acids supplement ▶ 24:50

In a protocol

Take high-quality omega-3 fish oil to lower triglycerides, inflammation, and blood pressure.

“
good high quality omega-3 fish oil to lower your triglycerides and inflammation

Caveats
Hyman is investor in recommended brand
Certainty
explicit
strong endorsement

SupplementsCardiovascular
Endorses Omega-3 Rejuvenate by Big Bold Health brand ▶ 25:00

Endorsement In a protocol

Hyman recommends Big Bold Health's Omega-3 Rejuvenate, disclosing he is an investor and that founder Jeffrey Bland is his mentor.

“
I recommend omega-3 Rejuvenate by Big Bold Health

Caveats
Speaker is an investor in the company
Certainty
explicit
strong endorsement

SupplementsOmega-3
Endorses Multivitamin supplement ▶ 25:30

In a protocol

Take a good quality multivitamin/mineral covering folate, zinc, magnesium to fill nutritional gaps.

“
good quality multivitamin and mineral, cover all the gaps

Certainty
explicit
recommendation

SupplementsNutrition
Endorses Coenzyme Q10 supplement ▶ 25:40

In a protocol

Take CoQ10 to support mitochondrial and vascular health and blood pressure.

“
CoQ10 is also really important for heart health

Certainty
explicit
recommendation

SupplementsCardiovascular
Endorses Magnesium glycinate supplement ▶ 25:50

In a protocol

Take magnesium glycinate to relax blood vessels and support insulin/blood sugar regulation and heart rhythm.

“
I like magnesium glycinate

Certainty
explicit
recommendation

SupplementsMinerals
Endorses Magnesium citrate supplement ▶ 25:55

In a protocol

Use magnesium citrate if constipated, as alternative form of magnesium.

“
if you're constipated, you can use magnesium citrate

Certainty
explicit
recommendation

SupplementsDigestion
Endorses Fiber supplement ▶ 26:05

In a protocol

Take fiber as a supplement or eat fibrous foods to support lipid balance.

“
Fiber's great

Certainty
explicit
recommendation

SupplementsFiber
Endorses Plant sterols supplement ▶ 26:10

In a protocol

Plant sterols and compounds like those from soy can help lower LDL and balance lipids.

“
plant sterols, also are other compounds...can be very helpful in lowering LDL

Certainty
explicit
recommendation

SupplementsCholesterol
Endorses Brain Shaping Academy service ▶ 27:40

Sponsor read

Hyman's six-week program using nutrition and lifestyle strategies to support mental, emotional, and cognitive health.

“
Brain Shaping Academy, a six-week program

Dosage
drhyman.com/brainshaping
Caveats
Self-promotional
Certainty
explicit
strong endorsement

Brain HealthPrograms