Uploaded August 2022 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
Dave interviews Professor Matthew Budoff, Chair of Preventive Cardiology at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and Principal Investigator of the Lean Mass Hyper-Responder (LMHR) Study.
LMHR are individuals who exhibit extremely high LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) on a ketogenic diet, along with low triglycerides and high HDL-C, indications of good metabolic health. This prospective study aims to assess atherosclerotic plaque development in 100 LMHR using the most sensitive non-invasive imaging technology available, a coronary artery calcium scan with coronary CT angiography.
In the interview, Dave discusses the findings from the baseline scans of the 64 LMHR recruited to date (August 2022). Highlights include that: Participant a mean age is 53 years; Have been on a ketogenic diet with extremely high LDL-C (mean of 233 mg/dl) for an average of 4 years; And, consistent with prior literature (below), LDL-C levels were normal (mean 135 md/dl) prior to their ketogenic diet, they were negative for monogenetic familial hypercholesterolemia, and were indeed leaner than the average American (mean BMI 22.6 kg/m2).
Given the participants’ age and duration of time with LDL-C levels in the top 0.1% of the population, one might expect a substantial amount of plaque in their coronary arteries. However, about two-thirds of participants have 0 Total Plaque Score; and, across all 64 participants, the highest plaque score was 8, out of a 45 scale. Professor Budoff reports the plaque findings are “much lower than I anticipated” (4:45).
DISCLAIMER: This video is based on unpublished and preliminary data that should not be used for the basis of clinical decision making.
Prior studies:
LMHR cohort, Current Developments in Nutrition:
academic.oup.com/cdn/article/6/1/nzab144/6446805
LMHR case study, low-saturated fat:
frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2022.830325/full
Lipid Energy Model:
mdpi.com/2218-1989/12/5/460
Dave’s cholesterol drop n = 1:
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35938774
Dave interviews Professor Matthew Budoff, Chair of Preventive Cardiology at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and Principal Investigator of the Lean Mass Hyper-Responder (LMHR) Study.
LMHR are individuals who exhibit extremely high LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) on a ketogenic diet, along with low triglycerides and high HDL-C, indications of good metabolic health. This prospective study aims to assess atherosclerotic plaque development in 100 LMHR using the most sensitive non-invasive imaging technology available, a coronary artery calcium scan with coronary CT angiography.
In the interview, Dave discusses the findings from the baseline scans of the 64 LMHR recruited to date (August 2022). Highlights include that: Participant a mean age is 53 years; Have been on a ketogenic diet with extremely high LDL-C (mean of 233 mg/dl) for an average of 4 years; And, consistent with prior literature (below), LDL-C levels were normal (mean 135 md/dl) prior to their ketogenic diet, they were negative for monogenetic familial hypercholesterolemia, and were indeed leaner than the average American (mean BMI 22.6 kg/m2).
Given the participants’ age and duration of time with LDL-C levels in the top 0.1% of the population, one might expect a substantial amount of plaque in their coronary arteries. However, about two-thirds of participants have 0 Total Plaque Score; and, across all 64 participants, the highest plaque score was 8, out of a 45 scale. Professor Budoff reports the plaque findings are “much lower than I anticipated” (4:45).
DISCLAIMER: This video is based on unpublished and preliminary data that should not be used for the basis of clinical decision making.
Prior studies:
LMHR cohort, Current Developments in Nutrition:
academic.oup.com/cdn/article/6/1/nzab144/6446805
LMHR case study, low-saturated fat:
frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2022.830325/full
Lipid Energy Model:
mdpi.com/2218-1989/12/5/460
Dave’s cholesterol drop n = 1:
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35938774
