Busting 9 Myths About Cholesterol and the Dangers of Statins

What Your Doctor Isn’t Telling You: Cholesterol Myths, Statin Risks, and the Real Causes of Heart Disease

Confusion around high cholesterol levels and statin recommendations with question mark overlay

The Cholesterol Myth Is Crumbling—And It's Costing Lives

For decades, we’ve been told that high cholesterol causes heart attacks, saturated fat clogs arteries, and statins are the only way to protect your heart.

But here’s the catch: despite over 40 million Americans taking statins daily, heart disease remains the #1 cause of death in the U.S., killing one person every 33 seconds (1).

At the same time, the global market for cholesterol-lowering drugs has exploded to over $19 billion a year (2)—driven not by better outcomes, but by fear-based marketing and outdated science.

So if we’re doing everything "right," why aren’t we getting healthier?

Spoiler alert: the war on cholesterol may have been misdirected from the start.

In this blog, we’re busting 9 of the biggest cholesterol myths, exposing the real drivers of heart disease, and exploring natural, functional medicine solutions that support your cardiovascular system—without the side effects.

Why This Matters

🫀 Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is still the #1 killer in the U.S.—despite decades of statin prescriptions and low-fat dietary guidelines (1).

💊 Over 40 million Americans are on statins, yet heart disease still claims 1 in every 5 lives (3).

📉 This mainstream approach is failing millions—and it’s time for a smarter, root-cause strategy.

Myth #1: High Cholesterol Causes Heart Disease

For decades, cholesterol has been cast as the villain behind heart disease—but the science tells a different story.

The Truth: Cholesterol Is Essential, Not Evil

Cholesterol is a vital substance your body depends on for numerous biological functions. It’s needed to produce:

Hormones like estrogen, testosterone, and cortisol
Vitamin D, essential for immune and bone health
Bile acids that help break down and absorb dietary fats (4, 5)

In fact, your brain is composed of about 60% fat, and cholesterol is a critical component of neuronal function, learning, and memory (6).

The Real Risk: Oxidized and Small, Dense LDL

Not all LDL cholesterol is created equal. While conventional medicine focuses on lowering total LDL, research shows that what matters most is:

Particle size: Small, dense LDL particles are more likely to penetrate arterial walls and become oxidized.
Oxidation: Oxidized LDL is what triggers inflammation and plaque formation—not LDL itself (7).

These harmful changes are often driven by poor diet, insulin resistance, environmental toxins, and chronic inflammation, not simply by having “high cholesterol.”

Myth #2: The Lower Your Cholesterol, the Better

We’ve been told to fear cholesterol—but having levels that are too low can be just as dangerous, if not more.

The Truth: Cholesterol Is Essential for Health and Longevity

Cholesterol isn’t just a fat molecule floating in your bloodstream—it’s a foundational building block for your entire endocrine system.

Your body needs cholesterol to produce critical hormones, including:

Estrogen
Testosterone
Cortisol
Progesterone

When cholesterol drops too low, hormone production suffers, which can contribute to fatigue, infertility, mood disorders, and adrenal dysfunction (7).

Research also links low total cholesterol to an increased risk of:

Depression and anxiety
Hemorrhagic stroke
Certain cancers
Cognitive decline (7)

Cholesterol and Healthy Aging

Surprisingly, in elderly individuals, higher cholesterol levels are often associated with better memory, improved cognitive function, and increased longevity (6). In other words, nature may be telling us that cholesterol plays a protective role—especially as we age.

Myth #3: Statins Are Safe and Effective for Everyone

Statins are often prescribed as the default solution for lowering LDL cholesterol—but that doesn’t mean they’re safe or universally beneficial.

The Truth: Statins Come with Real Risks

While statins can lower LDL, they may do so at a significant cost. Common and well-documented side effects include:

Muscle pain and weakness
Liver enzyme elevations
Cognitive issues, such as memory loss or brain fog
Increased risk of type 2 diabetes, especially in women and older adults (9,11)

Even more concerning: statins block the production of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)—a vital nutrient for mitochondrial energy production and cardiac muscle function (19). Since the heart is the most energy-demanding organ in the body, this depletion can undermine heart health over time, the very thing statins aim to protect.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Despite being prescribed to millions, statins offer minimal benefit for primary prevention (people without existing heart disease). And in many cases, they address symptoms, not root causes, while depleting nutrients essential to long-term vitality.

Myth #4: Cholesterol Numbers Are the Best Way to Assess Heart Disease Risk

Relying solely on total cholesterol or LDL levels to gauge your heart health is like judging a book by its cover. Standard lipid panels provide an incomplete and often misleading picture of cardiovascular risk.

The Truth: It’s Not Just About the Numbers

What truly matters is the quality and behavior of your cholesterol—not just the quantity.

A more accurate, functional approach includes:

Advanced lipoprotein testing – Measures particle size and density of LDL (small, dense LDL is more inflammatory than large, fluffy LDL)
hs-CRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein) – A marker of systemic inflammation, a key driver of plaque formation
Lp(a) – A genetically-influenced, sticky lipoprotein linked to higher cardiovascular risk
Fasting insulin and the triglyceride/HDL ratio – Strong indicators of metabolic health and insulin resistance

These deeper, root-cause-driven labs shine a light on the underlying triggers of heart disease, such as oxidative stress, poor metabolic function, and chronic inflammation (10).

Functional Medicine Focuses on the "Why," Not Just the "What"

By going beyond surface-level labs, functional practitioners can tailor strategies that address the root of cardiovascular dysfunction, not just suppress symptoms or chase numbers.

Myth #5: A Low-Fat Diet Prevents Heart Disease

Low-fat diets have been promoted for decades, but research continues to show that this advice has missed the mark. When people cut out fat, they often replace it with refined carbs, added sugars, and inflammatory seed oils—all of which promote insulin resistance, systemic inflammation, and weight gain.

In contrast, healthy fats—especially saturated fats from whole, nutrient-dense sources—play a critical role in cardiovascular and metabolic health.

Saturated fats (like those found in pasture-raised meats, grass-fed butter, and coconut oil) are structural building blocks for cell membranes and hormones.
They provide stable energy and support the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K), which are vital for heart, immune, and bone health (2).
Saturated fats also help raise HDL ("good" cholesterol) and improve the LDL particle size, making it less likely to oxidize and become dangerous (5).

Healthy fats—like pasture-raised eggs, wild-caught fish, avocado, raw nuts and seeds, extra virgin olive oil, and grass-fed dairy—nourish the brain, regulate blood sugar, and protect against inflammation.

What really drives heart disease isn't dietary fat—it's the combination of processed foods, excess sugar, and damaged oils. (5,10).

Myth #6: Saturated Fats Should Be Avoided

For decades, saturated fat has been painted as the dietary villain behind heart disease. But this myth is based on outdated science and misinterpreted data from the 1960s. Newer, high-quality research has debunked the link between saturated fat intake and cardiovascular disease in healthy individuals (10).

In fact, saturated fats serve several essential roles in the body:

They are critical for hormone production, especially sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone.
They help build strong, resilient cell membranes, which protect against damage and maintain cellular integrity.
They support the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K), which are vital for cardiovascular, immune, and bone health (5).
Saturated fats like stearic acid (found in grass-fed beef and cocoa butter) may even reduce inflammation and improve mitochondrial function.

Not all saturated fats are equal—quality matters. When consumed from whole, unprocessed sources such as grass-fed meat, pasture-raised eggs, raw dairy, coconut oil, and dark chocolate, saturated fats are part of a nourishing, anti-inflammatory diet.

What truly harms heart health is the overconsumption of:

Refined carbohydrates
Industrial seed oils (canola, soybean, corn oil)
Ultra-processed foods

It's time to stop fearing fat—and instead focus on eating real food in its most natural form.

Myth #7: Dietary Cholesterol is Dangerous

For decades, we've been told to avoid foods high in cholesterol—like eggs, shellfish, and organ meats—out of fear they’ll raise blood cholesterol and increase heart disease risk. But modern research has flipped this myth on its head.

The Truth: Dietary Cholesterol ≠ Blood Cholesterol

For most people, eating cholesterol-rich foods has little to no impact on blood cholesterol levels (10). That’s because your liver regulates cholesterol production based on intake—when you eat more, it makes less, and vice versa. The body knows how to maintain balance.

In fact, nutrient-dense cholesterol-containing foods like pasture-raised eggs and grass-fed liver are loaded with choline, vitamin A, B12, and essential fats—all critical for brain health, detoxification, and hormone production.

The Real Culprits Behind Heart Disease

It’s not dietary cholesterol we should fear—it’s the modern processed diet that’s wreaking havoc:

Refined sugars
GMO grains and flours
Trans fats (often hidden in packaged foods)
Inflammatory seed oils (like canola, soybean, and corn oil)

These ingredients promote oxidative stress and inflammation, which can damage LDL particles, leading to oxidized LDL—the form that actually contributes to plaque buildup and arterial damage (10).

Bottom line: Cholesterol-rich whole foods are not the enemy. Ultra-processed, industrialized junk foods are.

Myth #8: Statins Are the Only Way to Lower Cholesterol

Statins may be the go-to prescription for lowering cholesterol, but they are not the only option—and certainly not the best one for everyone. While statins can reduce LDL levels, they often come with significant side effects and do nothing to address the root causes of cholesterol imbalances, such as poor liver function, inflammation, metabolic dysfunction, or toxin overload.

Fortunately, nature provides powerful, science-backed alternatives that support cardiovascular health holistically—without depleting essential nutrients or damaging your mitochondria.

Natural Compounds That Support Healthy Cholesterol Levels:

Red Yeast Rice: Contains monacolin K, a naturally occurring statin-like compound that may lower LDL without the harsh side effects of synthetic statins (17).
Berberine: This botanical powerhouse improves blood sugar regulation, lowers triglycerides, and enhances insulin sensitivity—factors that directly impact cholesterol metabolism (15).
Bitters: Herbal bitters (like gentian, dandelion, and artichoke) stimulate stomach acid, bile flow, and liver detoxification. This is crucial for proper fat digestion, hormone production, and cholesterol clearance—a step often overlooked in conventional care (20).
Artichoke Leaf Extract: Enhances bile production and supports the liver’s ability to process and eliminate excess cholesterol (18).
Omega-3 Fatty Acids (EPA/DHA): Found in wild fish or quality supplements, omega-3s help reduce triglycerides, lower inflammation, and improve HDL (the “good” cholesterol) (18).
CoQ10: Statins deplete this critical mitochondrial nutrient. Supplementing with CoQ10 supports heart energy, reduces oxidative stress, and protects against statin-induced side effects (19).

Myth #9: High Blood Pressure Has Nothing to Do With Cholesterol

Conventional medicine often treats high blood pressure and high cholesterol as separate, unrelated conditions, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. These markers are often interconnected symptoms of deeper metabolic dysfunction, particularly insulin resistance and chronic inflammation.

When your body becomes resistant to insulin (often due to a high-sugar, processed-food diet), it triggers a cascade of issues that affect blood vessels, lipid metabolism, and kidney function. The result? Elevated blood pressure, imbalanced cholesterol, and a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.

Improving metabolic health is the key to naturally supporting both blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Natural Strategies to Lower Blood Pressure and Improve Lipid Balance:

Acupuncture: Proven to support parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) activity, reduce stress hormones, and help lower both systolic and diastolic blood pressure (13).
Magnesium, Potassium, and CoQ10: These nutrients help relax blood vessels, regulate heartbeat, and support cellular energy production in the heart muscle (18).
Herbal Support:

Hawthorn: Acts as a vasodilator and improves circulation.
Garlic: Helps reduce blood pressure and improves cholesterol ratios.
Hibiscus: Rich in antioxidants and shown to reduce blood pressure in clinical studies.
Olive Leaf Extract: Anti-inflammatory and supports arterial flexibility (14,17,18).

Daily Movement: Even 20–30 minutes of walking daily improves circulation, insulin sensitivity, and autonomic balance.
Nasal Breathing & Vagus Nerve Stimulation: Techniques like Buteyko breathing, cold exposure, chanting, and meditation help activate the vagus nerve, lowering heart rate and blood pressure while enhancing stress resilience.

The Functional Medicine Approach to Heart Health

At Denver Sports and Holistic Medicine, we look beyond the numbers.

We help you:

Identify root causes (inflammation, insulin resistance, toxins)
Optimize mitochondrial and metabolic health
Support detox pathways (especially bile flow and liver function)
Tailor herbs, supplements, and food strategies to your biochemistry

We use functional labs and personalized protocols to restore balance, not just mask symptoms.

Final Thoughts: Rethink Cholesterol, Reclaim Your Health

Cholesterol isn’t the villain it’s often made out to be—it’s an essential part of your body’s natural balance and overall health. By gaining a clear understanding of cholesterol’s true role and partnering with a knowledgeable functional medicine practitioner, you can take control of your heart health the natural, evidence-based way.

Don’t let outdated myths or fear-driven treatments steer your health choices.

Empower yourself with accurate information and personalized care designed to uncover and address the root causes of your cardiovascular risk.

Ready to take the next step?

Request a free 15-minute consultation today with Dr.Martina Sturm to explore your best path forward.

Resources

Functional medicine, Cardiovascular HealthMartina SturmOctober 17, 2022Denver Sports and Holistic Medicinecholesterol myths, dangers of statins, natural heart health, how to lower cholesterol naturally, functional medicine heart health, saturated fat truth, statins side effects, root cause heart disease, LDL myths, healthy fats heart health