Dr. Paul Mason: Rethinking Cholesterol & Blood Tests - Ep 116
25,410
Published 2024-06-28
Meet Dr. Paul Mason
Dr. Mason uses an evidence-based approach to challenge conventional medical wisdom on topics such as saturated fat, cholesterol, dietary fiber, and sun exposure. He has authored a chapter on nutrition in the textbook Clinical Sports Medicine and is actively involved in curriculum development and teaching within the Australasian College of Sports and Exercise Medicine. His approach to managing complex medical conditions spans patients from the general public to elite athletes, including the Australian Olympic rowing team.
Revolutionizing Blood Test Interpretation
In the podcast, he offers profound insights into the often misunderstood realm of blood tests. "The concept of having biomarkers that reflect our health is a very good one," he explains, "but the trouble is, some of them are more reliable than others, and sometimes the reference intervals are completely out of whack." He emphasizes the need to interpret blood test results through the lens of optimal health rather than population averages and he believes reference intervals should be set using data on longevity. "The people who take statins whose cholesterol actually lowers the most actually have the worst survival," he noted, highlighting issues with overly aggressive cholesterol lowering.
He went on to explain, "Every blood panel I do is actually personalized to their history." He also discussed the complexities of evaluating markers like ferritin and the importance of considering inflammation. His meticulous and systematic approach ensures that each patient receives a nuanced and accurate health evaluation.
Optimizing Health for Longevity
Dr. Mason advocates for using all-cause mortality data to set health benchmarks, stating, “My favorite outcome in science is mortality. And that's because you can't fudge it. In terms of clinical outcomes, nothing beats living. And you can't fake that. You can't have a mischievous researcher come through and manipulate the methodology too much when you've got mortality as an outcome.”
Listeners also learned how subtle factors like thyroid function can influence cholesterol levels. He provides valuable insights on the importance of thyroid health and its impact on cholesterol levels. "An underactive thyroid can elevate your triglyceride levels and your cholesterol levels," he explains, emphasizing the interconnectedness of various health markers.
Join Us at the Symposium in San Diego, August 15-18
This podcast episode is just a glimpse of the comprehensive, science-backed health insights Dr. Mason will share at the 9th Annual San Diego Symposium for Metabolic Health, August 15-18 (www.lowcarbusa.org/smhp-symposiums/sd-2024/). Don't miss this opportunity to gain invaluable knowledge and interact with leading experts in metabolic health. This year’s symposium will feature a full day, Thursday, August 15th, dedicated to exploring the connection between mental health and metabolic disease.
All Comments (21)
-
I had a cardiologist who wanted me to take statins because my LDL was 'too high'. He got a bit annoyed when I asked him what level we were trying to get down to. His answer was "zero would be a good outcome"! My wife and I looked at him and I said "If I could get my LDL down to zero, I'd be dead wouldn't I, given that LDL is an essential component of life"? He gave me the prescription, I got them and didn't take them, I also didn't consult him again.
-
Dr. Paul Mason is a brilliant physician & educator, and is always a pleasure to listen to and to learn from. Glad to see there's a new generation of Masons on the way 😊
-
Paul Mason is the best. I would watch anything with him, so insightful and relaxed. Lovely family.
-
Here is what I learned from this video. If you eat the SAD, you are going to need a genius of a doctor like Dr. Paul Mason to keep you well. Good luck with that. If you eat Carnivore, you are good to go. The body is too complicated to mess around with things that we did not evolve to eat. Your body is amazing. Give it what it needs.
-
If only there was a Paul Mason in every suburban general practice. Alas it can not be so so I am searching out a new doctor. Haven't found one yet and I haven't visited my regular GP for over a year for various reasons.
-
Can you please post a link to the research showing lower LDL leads to higher all cause mortality? Every doctor should see that.
-
I have plaque, CAC score of 12. Ive been given the statin talk many times. When I didnt want those I was offered the other type , fancy inhibitors. I said if you can tell me the numbers needed to treat, ill consider it. Silence. Cardiologist didnt know. The alternatives she wanted me on are not for use on their own but in combo with statins according to the Cochrane Review. I've done my 'Mesa' score. I'm low risk. The letter back to my GP from cardiologist said I "wasnt interested "in cholesterol lowering meds. Not true and I told my GP so. I told her It's important to ask the patient not just read the letters because Ivey never said I wasnt interested, Im VERY interested . If in my case there's a benefit please enlighten me, I do want to live! Never has anyone in my medical team enlightened me appropriately.
-
This guy is brilliant!!!
-
Videos like this are extremely helpful. Thank you very much.
-
It’s refreshing to know we can trust Dr. Paul. He’s so up-to-date with latest medical knowledge. 👏🇦🇺
-
So so interesting. Hoping videos from the conference in San Diago will be available for us who live around the globe Thank you
-
Now I’ve been waiting to hear this.. I read “Rethinking Diabetes “ by Gary Taubes.. we need to “Rethink Cholesterol “. We have been lied to for years… mostly for the medical profession and big pharma to push their drugs.
-
Thank you, had bloods and health check yesterday. BP/HR/BMI all in optimal range, LDL 5.25mmol/l.. 9 month carnivore and feeling terrific !
-
Paul Mason always makes me happy! This vid is packed with info. I swear I remember Comprehensive Metabolic Panels containing LDH AND CK. Four days ago I ordered a lot of blood work on myself. I sure wish I had ordered CK and also PT/PTT just to give me some extra info about my liver.
-
Totally agree with Australian blood tests not designed to detect any problems. My dr kept testing me and of course it was always in the "normal" range, but mysteriously disappeared when I started 3000mcg a day of Methyl B12. My dr apologised for the system!
-
Oh to find a GP like Dr Paul Mason here on the Sunshine Coast in Qld. Someone who will actually look for the cause rather than prescribing drugs to block the symptoms. What a champion.
-
Thankyou for a great interview dr Mason is brilliant . God bless u both x😊
-
I learned to not look at single inflammatory markers in isolation.
-
Thank you so much Dr. Mason! You'd better come back from San Diego! Don't let the Anericans steal you from us!
-
The irony is that in Oz 🙃🦘🇦🇺🙃 the results come back with a reference range, as Paul says - but for cholesterol, they suddenly start caring about TARGET ranges for primary and secondary interventions. They then say to aim for LDL under (some very silly number). Then the doc pushes statins. I dont recall any other ones with a "target" like that. There is a LOT of pushing. They even wanted to put statins in the water, like fluoride. 😮
