Uploaded October 2019 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
I discuss the launch of the Citizen Science Foundation and its central focus: the Lean Mass Hyper-responder Measurement Project.
CitizenScienceFoundation.org
The Lean Mass Hyper-responder (LMHR) phenotype is characterized by LDL cholesterol of 200 mg/dL (5.17 mmol/L) or higher, HDL-C of 80 mg/dL (2.07 mmol/L) or higher, and Triglycerides of 70 mg/dL (0.79 mmol/L) or lower. We are likewise interested in “borderline” LMHRs that are near these same cut points.
We are seeking to help provide wide spectrum blood panels and cardiovascular testing such as CT Angiogram, Carotid Intima Media Thickness (CIMT), and Coronary Artery Calcium (CAC) score to this phenotype of interest.
We further wish to encourage ongoing communication and follow up with participants, including a further set of measurements in five years.
With your support, we hope to gather data for at least 25 of these “hyper-responders”, but hope to meet our stretch goal of 100. We currently estimate costs for these tests to be between $1,000 to $2,000 and will cover wide spectrum blood tests as well as advanced physical testing such as CTA, CIMT, and CAC.
100% of proceeds will go toward testing and service costs for this project.
Again, we’re honored to have your consideration in helping us move this research forward. Thank you!
CitizenScienceFoundation.org
I discuss the launch of the Citizen Science Foundation and its central focus: the Lean Mass Hyper-responder Measurement Project.
CitizenScienceFoundation.org
The Lean Mass Hyper-responder (LMHR) phenotype is characterized by LDL cholesterol of 200 mg/dL (5.17 mmol/L) or higher, HDL-C of 80 mg/dL (2.07 mmol/L) or higher, and Triglycerides of 70 mg/dL (0.79 mmol/L) or lower. We are likewise interested in “borderline” LMHRs that are near these same cut points.
We are seeking to help provide wide spectrum blood panels and cardiovascular testing such as CT Angiogram, Carotid Intima Media Thickness (CIMT), and Coronary Artery Calcium (CAC) score to this phenotype of interest.
We further wish to encourage ongoing communication and follow up with participants, including a further set of measurements in five years.
With your support, we hope to gather data for at least 25 of these “hyper-responders”, but hope to meet our stretch goal of 100. We currently estimate costs for these tests to be between $1,000 to $2,000 and will cover wide spectrum blood tests as well as advanced physical testing such as CTA, CIMT, and CAC.
100% of proceeds will go toward testing and service costs for this project.
Again, we’re honored to have your consideration in helping us move this research forward. Thank you!
CitizenScienceFoundation.org



![BREAKING – New Analysis of Heart Scan Data (CCTA) for Extremely high LDL vs Average LDL Cholesterol
BREAKING: Dr Matt Budoff has now presented the matched analysis for:
KETO (#LMHRstudy) vs Control (#MiHeart)
METHODS – 80 Participants of #LMHRstudy fell within #MiHeart age range and were then matched 1:1 for age, gender, race, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and past smoking to asymptomatic subjects from the #MiHeart cohort.
PRIMARY ANALYSIS – High resolution heart scans (#CCTA) allowing for primary analysis of Total Plaque Score (TPS), Total Stenosis Score (TSS) and Segment Involvement Score (SIS)
RESULTS
The matched mean age was 55.5 years, with mean #LDL cholesterol of 272 mg/dL (max LDL-C 591) mg/dl and mean 4.7 years duration on a ketogenic diet.
🚨 There was no significant difference in coronary plaque burden of #LMHRstudy (mean LDL-C 272) cohort as compared to #MiHeart controls (mean LDL 123 mg/dl); nb: pre-KETO LDL-C in KETO group was 122 mg/dl
🚨 There was no significant difference in CAC (median and IQR) [0 (0,56)] versus [1 (0, 49)], p = 0.520
🚨 No relationship of LDL-C elevations and plaque
⚠️ is still ongoing for second CCTA completion in our cohort by February of 2024. And as always, please continue to work with your doctor.
- I will have my own video reaction and thoughts in the coming hours.
🙏🙏🙏 to everyone and I mean everyone who helped us get to this pivotal milestone. 🙏🙏🙏 BREAKING – New Analysis of Heart Scan Data (CCTA) for Extremely high LDL vs Average LDL Cholesterol](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ny2JqAgoORo/mqdefault.jpg)





![#CholesterolScience – with Ethan Weiss, MD
Hosted by Dave Feldman :: Produced by Siobhan Huggins
0:00 Intro and Ethan’s background
3:33 Cholesterol Skeptics and Concerned Medical Professionals – meeting in the middle.
( https://cholesterolcode.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/CholesterolScience-with-Ethan-Weiss.png )
8:20 How many patients does Ethan feel reach a decent level of knowledge about lipidology and cardiology?
10:15 Navigating the discussion on the benefits/risks of lipid changes from diet
17:15 When cholesterol is elevated for a metabolic reason alone – does it pose a greater risk?
( https://cholesterolcode.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/CholesterolScience-with-Ethan-Weiss-1.png )
( https://cholesterolcode.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/key-question.png )
23:00 Giving doctors the benefit of the doubt – are doctors just trying to help?
27:10 Dave’s disappointment with perceived lack of curiosity from the medicalsphere.
30:15 The difficulty in discussing possible benefits from lipoproteins and potential influence on all-cause mortality
36:50 Nuances of data collection and statin trials
- Study mentioned: MRC/BHF Heart Protection Study of cholesterol lowering with simvastatin in 20 536 high-risk individuals: a randomised placebo controlled trial https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(02)09327-3/fulltext
Note from producer:
In the efficacy and safety statement for the trial mentioned it lists Merck Sharp & Dohme (manufacturers of simvastatin) as well as Hoffmann-La Roche (manufacturers of the vitamins used) as providing partial funding for the study:
The study is being funded by the UK Medical Research Council, the British Heart Foundation, Merck Sharp & Dohme (manufacturers of simvastatin[…]) and Hoffmann-La Roche (manufacturers of the vitamins[…]) https://doi.org/10.1053/euhj.1998.1350
- However in the published paper of the results it states the following:
The Clinical Trial Service Unit has a staff policy of not accepting honoraria or other payments from the pharmaceutical industry, except for the reimbursement of costs to participate in scientific meetings. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(02)09327-3
44:56 If there were a trial that showed that people with high HDL, high LDL, and low triglycerides didn’t benefit from statins would [Ethan] want to know that information? (https://twitter.com/erreyedoc/status/1162070100037574656)
- Study mentioned: Influence of Low High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol and Elevated Triglyceride on Coronary Heart Disease Events and Response to Simvastatin Therapy in 4S https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/hc5001.100624
52:40 Open data, machine learning, and possibilities moving forward
56:20 Non-HDL and mortality from the NHANES dataset
https://twitter.com/DaveKeto/status/1133177415486693376?s=20
58:30 Changes in ability to connect with researchers and scientists
1:00:05 What does Dave mean by risk?
1:04:10 Modifications to low carb to achieve lower LDL
1:08:55 What Dave has learned about the importance of rigorousness in self-experimentation
1:13:29 Can self-experiments have benefits applicable to people beyond the person doing them?
1:17:29 Cholesterol biosynthesis
1:18:40 Reverse causality – is there a possibility that the lipoproteins are reflecting a problem and not causing it?
Note from producer: I attempted a follow-up to see if I could find any studies looking at the impact of infusion of native mouse lipoproteins on atherosclerosis development, but I have not found any thus far.
1:24:33 Clotting, vascular injury, and engineering
1:29:55 The impact of placebo
Podcast mentioned: The Hidden Brain: The Untapped Potential of Placebos to Heal (transcript available) https://www.npr.org/2019/04/29/718227789/all-the-worlds-a-stage-including-the-doctor-s-office
1:33:23 The impact of seeing lipids change – could this impact the results of the study?
1:35:56 If it were dose dependency would all drugs that lower LDL have a likewise decrease in cardiovascular disease mortality?
1:38:46 Drug trials – ideals, replication, and funding
1:42:35 Wrap up and outro
Ethan Weiss Contact:
Twitter: @ethanjweiss #CholesterolScience – with Ethan Weiss, MD](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/phfHRZ_aME8/mqdefault.jpg)
