The Cholesterol Hypothesis: 10 Key Ideas that the Diet Dictators Have Hidden from Us
Professor Tim Noakes
Professor Tim Noakes takes a deep dive into the science of heart disease in this three-hour video. Based on the track record of the most popular theory of what causes heart disease—the lipid hypothesis—he concludes that no one knows the true cause. He covers the history of the lipid hypothesis from the beginning. It was invented by John Gofman and stolen by Ancel Keys. Keys’ first randomized, controlled trial was the Minnesota Coronary Experiment. That trial disproved his hypothesis, so Keys did what any good scientist would do—he buried it.
Other studies by other people have not helped at all. The Framingham study showed no correlation between dietary saturated fat and coronary heart disease. The Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial (MRFIT) showed that lowfat diets did nothing for longevity. Mary Enig’s work showed that while total fat consumption in the twentieth century increased slightly, animal fat consumption stayed the same and vegetable fat consumption increased significantly. Other studies have shown declines in consumption of butter and lard and increases in shortening and soybean oil consumption.
One of the most interesting studies Prof. Noakes looks at is the NIHONSAN study, which looked at people of Japanese descent in three locations: Japan, Honolulu and San Francisco. Where the subjects lived had more effect than any of the three risk factors examined: smoking, blood pressure and cholesterol level. The Japanese in Japan had the best outcomes, and those in California had the worst. Apparently, living in San Francisco is worse for your health than high blood pressure, smoking or cholesterol. At least it is if you are Japanese.
After detailing all the disconnects between what the experts say and what the science actually shows, Noakes says a few words about the psychology of experts. Experts as a group are brainwashed by their education and are not open-minded or objective. Noakes is fairly well-known for being attacked and taken to court by experts with whom he dared disagree publicly. The result of the court case? Complete disaster for the experts and vindication for Noakes. However, those same experts still insist that Noakes is wrong; it appears that no amount of evidence or even court decisions will change their minds. Medical experts have prescribed massive amounts of statin drugs, aggressively pushing people to lower their cholesterol, but heart disease stubbornly persists as much as ever. Could it be that the experts are wrong? Oh no. It must be the patients’ fault.
This article appeared in Wise Traditions in Food, Farming and the Healing Arts, the quarterly journal of the Weston A. Price Foundation, Spring 2021
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