BITESIZE: Cholesterol Results Explained: Beyond the LDL Number
About this episode
Dr. Bret Scher explains how to interpret cholesterol results beyond just the LDL number.
A red flag next to your LDL number can feel alarming, but LDL is only one part of a much larger cardiovascular risk picture. In this episode of Metabolic Mind, cardiologist and lipidologist Dr. Bret Scher explains how to read a cholesterol panel with more context and less fear. Dr. Scher walks through LDL, triglycerides, HDL, non-HDL cholesterol, ApoB, Lp(a), and the triglyceride-to-HDL ratio. He also explains how the 2026 cholesterol guidelines use the PREVENT risk calculator, where LDL targets currently stand, and why individual risk factors, metabolic health, family history, and direct measures of vascular disease can change the conversation. He covers: Why LDL should not be read in isolation What triglycerides and HDL can reveal about metabolic health Why Dr. Scher pays attention to the triglyceride-to-HDL ratio When LDL above 190 may raise concern for familial hypercholesterolemia Why Lp(a) should be measured at least once in adulthood How ApoB differs from LDL cholesterol What the PREVENT risk calculator includes How coronary calcium scans and CT angiograms act as tools that may help refine risk Why LDL targets vary by risk category Why metabolic health, insulin resistance…
More episodes of Metabolic Mind
- Carnivore vs. Vegan Keto: Can Both Work?
- Dr. Peter Ballerstedt on Animal Foods & Malnutrition
- BITESIZE: Low-Carb vs. Keto: Why the Difference Matters
- Making Keto Work on a College Campus
- BITESIZE: Dr. Explains: It’s Not the Fat, It’s Not the Processing, It’s THIS
- Do We Really Eat Too Much Protein?
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Metabolic Mind podcast page.