Mar 7 • Articles & Studies
Cholesterol Part 4: The untold history
The Cholesterol Story Most People Were Never Told:
For decades we’ve been taught a very simple story:
High cholesterol = heart disease.
Lower cholesterol = better health.
But the real history of cholesterol guidelines is much more complicated.
In 1960 a total cholesterol of 300 mg/dL was often considered normal.
Doctors were not routinely prescribing medication for cholesterol.
Lifestyle factors were the focus.
Then the thresholds started dropping
Over time, the “normal” number kept moving.
300 → 240 → 200
Every time the threshold dropped, millions of healthy people suddenly became “patients.”
The disease didn’t change.
The definition did.
We now know, cholesterol under 240 can actually be an indicator of a number of health problems/disease itself.
When Statins Entered the Market
In the late 1980s and 1990s, statin drugs like Lipitor became some of the most profitable medications in history.
They were designed to lower cholesterol.
And they worked — cholesterol numbers went down.
But the important question isn’t just:
“Does it lower cholesterol?”
The real question is:
Does it meaningfully improve long-term health outcomes for the people taking it?
For most people in primary prevention, the benefit is negligible, and can even be more harmful, and pose a greater risk.
What Cholesterol Actually Does in the Body:
Cholesterol isn’t just some harmful substance floating in the blood.
Your body needs it to survive.
Your brain is roughly 20–25% cholesterol.
It is required to make:
• Sex hormones
• Cortisol
• Vitamin D
• Cell membranes
• Bile acids for digestion
Low cholesterol is not automatically “healthier.”
Balance matters. Context matters. Metabolic health matters.
The Real Question We Should Be Asking
Instead of focusing on one number, we should be asking deeper questions:
• Are you metabolically healthy?
• What does your insulin resistance look like?
• What are your triglycerides and HDL?
• What does your inflammation profile show?
• What does your lifestyle look like?
Cardiovascular disease is driven by metabolic dysfunction, inflammation, insulin resistance, and oxidative stress — not just cholesterol.
The Bedrock Perspective:
At Bedrock we don’t treat lab numbers in isolation.
We focus on the terrain.
That means:
• Nutrition quality
• Blood sugar control
• Sleep
• Movement
• Stress physiology
• Sunlight and circadian rhythm
• Micronutrient sufficiency
When the terrain improves, the biomarkers often improve naturally.
The Bottom Line:
Cholesterol is not the villain it was once made out to be.
But it also shouldn’t be ignored.
The goal is not fear or blind trust.
The goal is informed decision-making.
Because when you understand the system, you can ask better questions.
And better questions lead to better health.
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Cholesterol Part 4: The untold history
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