It’s Cholesterol Awareness Month: Exposing the Number Scam

shelleybholisticnu
Sep 18
2 min read

The Cholesterol Number Scam: What Really Happened

Since September is National Cholesterol Education Month, you’ll probably see lots of headlines and reminders to “know your numbers.” But what if the very numbers we’ve been taught to fear were quietly shifted to benefit drug companies... not your health?

How the “Healthy” Ranges Changed

In the early 2000s, U.S. health authorities revised the recommended "normal" levels for LDL cholesterol (the so-called “bad cholesterol”).

Old guideline (pre-2004): LDL under 130 mg/dL was acceptable
New guideline (post-2004): LDL under 100 mg/dL, and later under 70 mg/dL for "high-risk" individuals

These changes immediately reclassified millions of people as needing medication - specifically statins - even if they were healthy and symptom-free.

Who Was Behind It?

In 2004, the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) published new guidelines to lower LDL targets. But here’s the catch:

8 out of 9 doctors on the panel had financial ties to statin manufacturers—companies like Pfizer (Lipitor), Merck (Zocor), and AstraZeneca (Crestor).

This was confirmed by investigations from groups like the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI).

Why Lowering the Numbers Mattered

Lower targets = more people qualify for medication
After the guideline change, statin prescriptions skyrocketed
Lipitor alone became the #1 selling drug in the world, generating over $125 billion for Pfizer

The Problem with This Approach

Cholesterol is not the enemy.Cholesterol is vital for:
- Hormone production (estrogen, testosterone, cortisol)
- Vitamin D synthesis
- Brain and nerve function
- Cell membrane integrity
Low cholesterol can actually be dangerous.Studies have linked excessively low cholesterol to:
- Depression and mood disorders
- Hormonal imbalances
- Cognitive decline and memory issues
- Higher all-cause mortality in the elderly
Statins come with real risks:
- Muscle pain and weakness
- Liver damage
- Blood sugar spikes and increased diabetes risk
- Depletion of CoQ10, essential for heart and mitochondrial function

The Bigger Picture

Cholesterol is not the cause of heart disease... inflammation, oxidative stress, insulin resistance, pathogens and toxic exposure are the true root causes.

Lowering cholesterol without addressing those underlying issues is like turning off the smoke alarm while the house is on fire.

What You Can Do Instead

Focus on eating a whole foods, anti-inflammatory diet (kick those seed oils to the curb!)
Support liver health and detox pathways
Improve gut health and balance blood sugar
Consider natural compounds (plant-based Omega 3, COQ10, Nattikinase) to optimize cholesterol levels without side effects
Always ask: “What’s the root cause?” Not just, “How do we suppress the symptom?”

Ready To Take Action?

The good news is, you don’t have to rely on medications or fear-based guidelines to protect your heart and health. Detox, nutrition, and simple lifestyle shifts can make a huge difference in balancing cholesterol, lowering inflammation, and helping you feel your best.

If you’d like to see how these strategies can support your own wellness goals, shoot me a DM - I’d love to chat and point you in the right direction.