Your Doctor Is Watching the Wrong Number. LDL, ApoB & Heart Risk Explained. - Dr. Kevin Maki

Most people think the cholesterol number on their lab report tells them whether their heart is at risk. But former National Lipid Association President Dr. Kevin Maki explains that LDL is just one piece of a much bigger picture and focusing on it alone can mean missing the markers that matter most.In this episode, Dr. Gabrielle Lyon sits down with Dr. Kevin Maki, former President of the National Lipid Association and co-editor-in-chief of the Journal of Clinical Lipidology, to discuss:Why ApoB and Lp(a) are better predictors of heart risk than LDL and why only about 2% of people ever get Lp(a) testedWhat a beef-vs-chicken feeding study revealed about red meat and cholesterol (the LDL results came back identical at 112 mg/dL)The evidence behind the seed oil debate, including why higher linoleic acid levels tracked with lower inflammation markers across a 2,000-person datasetWhy the balance of cholesterol-raising and cholesterol-lowering foods matters more than saturated fat aloneThe simple "ABCs" framework: A1c, blood pressure, cholesterol - for actually lowering long-term cardiovascular riskBy the end, you'll know which numbers actually predict heart risk, which tests to ask your doctor for, and how to cut through the conflicting noise around fat so you can make evidence-based decisions for the long haul.Thank you to our sponsors:OneSkin - Get 15% off at https://bit.ly/4tZnOpk with code DRLYONBodyHealth - Use the code LYON20 to get 20% off your first order https://bit.ly/48SJ7AC Amp - Visit https://bit.ly/3RcmqBz to get your AI-powered at-home gym for smarter, personalized training.Explore More from Dr. Gabrielle LyonPremium Podcast Subscription: Ad-free episodes, key takeaway summaries, exclusive Q&A, and behind-the-scenes content https://foreverstrong.supercast.comWeekly newsletter: Recipes, podcast updates, and practical weekly insights https://drgabriellelyon.com/sign-up/Apply to become a patient: Personalized care with Dr. Lyon’s clinical team https://drgabriellelyon.com/new-patient-inquiry/Find Dr. Kevin Maki at:Midwest Biomedical Research: https://www.mbclinicalresearch.com/ LinkedIn: / kevin-c-maki-phd-497ba34 Connect with Dr. Gabrielle Lyon:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drgabriellelyon/TikTok: @drgabriellelyon X (Twitter): https://x.com/drgabriellelyonFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/doctorgabriellelyon Chapters00:00 - Introduction00:31 - Dr. Kevin Maki and the National Lipid Association01:04 - New dietary guidelines and the LDL confusion02:04 - What raises and lowers LDL cholesterol03:51 - Cholesterol levels from birth through puberty05:11 - The lipid panel kids should get before age 1106:42 - Lp(a): the test only 2% of people get08:18 - ApoB and the three risky particle types11:35 - Do we have evidence for "lower is better"?14:09 - The F