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If you’ve been told you have high cholesterol, don’t jump straight to a medication that may have some serious side effects—dig deeper to understand what’s really going on.

Instead of focusing only on LDL cholesterol, ask for:

➕ An NMR Lipoprotein Panel or ApoB test. These measure LDL particle number and size, which provide a clearer picture of cardiovascular risk. Small, dense LDL particles are more concerning than large, fluffy ones.

➕ Triglyceride-to-HDL ratio. A ratio below 2 suggests better metabolic health. High triglycerides with low HDL often indicate insulin resistance.

➕ hs-CRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein). A key marker of inflammation, which plays a major role in heart disease risk.

➕ Check your fasting insulin, fasting glucose, and HbA1c to assess blood sugar stability and insulin resistance—major drivers of cardiovascular disease. Cholesterol doesn’t operate in isolation, metabolic health plays a big role.

Cholesterol is actually a symptom, not the root cause.

High cholesterol can be a response to:

→ Inflammation from poor diet, gut issues, or chronic infections

→ Metabolic dysfunction like insulin resistance or fatty liver

→ Chronic stress, which raises cortisol and impacts lipid metabolism

Takeaway: Don’t fear cholesterol—understand what’s driving it. Numbers alone don’t tell the full story; context is everything.

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