Cholesterol News and Research

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Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance made in the liver, and found in the blood and in all cells of the body. Cholesterol is important for good health and is needed for making cell walls, tissues, hormones, vitamin D, and bile acid.

Unlocking the secrets of human longevity and healthy aging

Human healthy aging and longevity are complex phenomena influenced by a dynamic interplay of genetic, epigenetic, metabolic, immune, and environmental factors.

22 May 2025

Blocking IL1RAP protein may offer new approach to treat atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is the buildup of fat and calcium in the walls of blood vessels and represents the most common cause of cardiovascular disease.

21 May 2025

Eating kombu daily enhances gut health and heart markers in men

A 12-week randomized trial found that daily intake of boiled kombu (Laminaria japonica) powder reduced body fat and raised adiponectin in Japanese men, while improving blood pressure and gut microbiota in both sexes. No significant effects were seen in women for body fat reduction or adiponectin.

20 May 2025

Air pollution fuels artery damage and accelerates heart disease, review finds

Researchers reviewed how air pollution, especially fine particulate matter (PM2.5), drives the development and worsening of atherosclerosis, a leading cause of heart attacks and strokes. Their findings highlight robust links between air pollution exposure, early artery changes, and underlying biological mechanisms fueling cardiovascular risk.

19 May 2025

Controlling key health risk factors can eliminate early death risk from high blood pressure

A new study led by researchers at Tulane University suggests that people with high blood pressure can significantly reduce - and possibly eliminate - their increased risk of premature death by controlling several key health risk factors at once.

19 May 2025

Higher McCance Brain Care Score linked to lower stroke risk in women

Women with a higher McCance Brain Care Score (BCS) – a score that measures physical, lifestyle, and social-emotional factors – have a lower risk of experiencing a stroke or other cerebrovascular event reducing blood flow to the brain, according to a new study conducted by experts from Mass General Brigham.

19 May 2025

Zebrafish study reveals hidden dangers of environmental toxins from tires

Emerging contaminants from rubber tires N-(1,3-Dimethylbutyl)-N'-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine (6PPD) and its oxidation product 6PPD-quinone (6PPDQ)-are raising new red flags for aquatic ecosystems.

19 May 2025

How 196,000 Spanish participants are helping decode heart disease risk

The CORDELIA study combines data from 35 Spanish cohorts (n = 196,632) to investigate genetic, clinical, and lifestyle risk factors for ASCVD in Southern Europe. It aims to conduct the region’s most comprehensive genome-wide association study and develop tailored risk prediction tools.

14 May 2025

Portfolio diet delays heart risk and lowers cholesterol in young adults

A University of Toronto study found that higher adherence to the plant-based Portfolio Diet was associated with lower LDL cholesterol and improved cardiovascular risk markers in young adults. Modeling suggests the diet may delay cardiovascular risk onset by up to 13 years.

14 May 2025

Hormone FGF21 reverses fatty liver disease by signaling the brain

A pioneering research study published today in Cell Metabolism details how the hormone FGF21 (fibroblast growth factor 21) can reverse the effects of fatty liver disease in mice. The hormone works primarily by signaling the brain to improve liver function.

13 May 2025

Early cardiovascular benefits of semaglutide seen within months in SELECT trial

Semaglutide can rapidly reduce heart attacks and other serious cardiovascular complications in adults with overweight or obesity who have pre-existing cardiovascular disease but not diabetes, according to a secondary analysis of the landmark Semaglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes (SELECT) trial from the same international author team being presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Malaga, Spain.

12 May 2025

Millions of women may be unaware of their risk for cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic disease

Millions of women may be unknowingly living with risk factors for heart, kidney and metabolic disease – interconnected conditions that together drive risk for cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death among women, according to experts with the American Heart Association, a global force changing the future of health for all.

12 May 2025

Australia faces critical medicine shortages amid global supply challenges

About 400 medicines are in short supply in Australia. Of these, about 30 are categorized as critical. These are ones with a life-threatening or serious impact on patients, and with no readily available substitutes.

12 May 2025

Adverse waist-to-height ratio trajectories during childhood linked to early cardiometabolic risk

New research being presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Malaga, Spain (11-14 May) reveals that adverse waist-to-height ratio trajectories (a marker for central obesity) during childhood may increase cardiometabolic and cardiovascular risk at 10 years old.

11 May 2025

New QR4 model identifies hidden risk factors in cardiovascular disease

Collaborative research, led from the University of Oxford and published today in Nature Medicine, has developed a new tool called QR4 that more accurately predicts an individual's 10-year risk of cardiovascular diseases, like heart disease and stroke, particularly identifying high-risk patients that current prediction tools miss.

9 May 2025

Study reveals regional risk factors driving heart disease in Asia and Oceania

A new study puts the spotlight on the rising burden of ischemic heart disease across Southeast Asia, East Asia and Oceania, and calls for localized, equity-focused interventions in these regions.

8 May 2025

Firefighters and health care workers show elevated PFAS levels in new study

A study including researchers from the University of Arizona Health Sciences and published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology found that firefighters had higher concentrations of certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, and health care workers had moderate elevations of PFAS in their blood with significantly higher odds of two specific PFAS when compared with other essential workers.

8 May 2025

Obicetrapib slashes LDL cholesterol by over 30% in high-risk heart patients

A large multinational trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that obicetrapib significantly lowers LDL cholesterol in high-risk cardiovascular patients. The CETP inhibitor also improved key lipid parameters with no major safety concerns, supporting its role in future combination therapies.

8 May 2025

Canadian study links ultra processed foods to poor health outcomes

A landmark study exploring Canadians' consumption of chips, frozen pizzas, breakfast cereals and other ultra-processed foods typically loaded with fat, sugar and additives has confirmed these foods are directly and significantly linked to poor health outcomes.

7 May 2025

Low testosterone linked to higher kidney stone risk in men, study finds

A large cross-sectional study in South Korea found that men with low testosterone levels (below 3.33 ng/mL) were significantly more likely to have kidney stones. This association held even after adjusting for age and metabolic risk factors, suggesting testosterone may play a protective role.

6 May 2025