Cholesterol News and Research

RSS

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.

Poor lipid metabolism may reduce cognitive performance in teens

A new Finnish study shows that blood markers of dysfunctional lipid metabolism are associated with poorer cognitive function in 15-17-year-olds.

27 May 2026

Healthy hearts prior to pandemic reduced severe COVID-19 risk

Better heart health before the pandemic was linked to a lower risk of severe COVID-19 events, according to research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open-access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

27 May 2026

How the right diet could support the gut bacteria that matter most

This review examines how gut keystone bacteria shape microbiome stability, disease risk, and responses to diet. It highlights why better identification methods, experimental validation, and precision diet-probiotic strategies are needed to restore gut homeostasis.

26 May 2026

One-time gene editing cuts LDL cholesterol in early hypercholesterolemia trial

A phase 1 NEJM interim analysis found that a single infusion of the investigational base-editing therapy VERVE-102 produced dose-dependent reductions in circulating PCSK9 protein and LDL cholesterol in adults with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia or premature coronary artery disease.

26 May 2026

Blood proteins can predict multiple sclerosis years before diagnosis

A new study has revealed a group of blood proteins, that are altered in people who go on to develop multiple sclerosis (MS), in some cases more than a decade before diagnosis.

26 May 2026

Hydroxychloroquine lowers heart risks in skin lupus patients

A study led by investigators from Johns Hopkins Medicine found that some patients with discoid lupus erythematosus - a form of skin lupus commonly diagnosed in young to middle-aged Black women that causes disc-shaped plaques to form on the body - were less likely to experience complications, such as diabetes, hypertension and coronary artery disease if they were prescribed hydroxychloroquine.

26 May 2026

Chronic liver disease threatens millions across Europe, report finds

Europe is facing a growing chronic liver disease threat, according to a new Series published today in The Lancet Regional Health – Europe, that engaged more than 75 co-authors from 30 countries and was led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), an institution supported by the "la Caixa" Foundation.

25 May 2026

Indian adapted Mediterranean diet targets inflammation in heart disease trial

The paper describes a single-center randomized controlled trial testing whether an Indian Adapted Mediterranean Diet can reduce dietary inflammation in adults with stable coronary artery disease or moderate-to-high cardiovascular risk. The protocol will assess changes in the Dietary Inflammatory Index, inflammatory biomarkers, cardiometabolic risk factors, body measurements, and metabolic hormones over six months.

25 May 2026

Yoga and meditation show promise for gut health

This systematic review found that yoga and Buddhist meditation were associated with favorable gut microbiota and metabolite profiles in four human studies involving healthy adults. However, because participants largely followed vegetarian or vegan diets and no randomized controlled trials were included, the findings cannot prove that meditation alone reshapes the gut microbiome.

24 May 2026

Early lung damage patterns uncovered in children with cystic fibrosis

Researchers have mapped how lung damage begins early in life for children with cystic fibrosis, providing new insights that will help reshape future care.

24 May 2026

Targeting lipid enzymes triggers starvation states in aggressive tumor cells

While many American adults are trying to reduce cholesterol levels, certain cancerous tumors have a relentless appetite for the metabolite.

22 May 2026

Semaglutide helps patients who gain weight after bariatric surgery

New UCL research supports use of the weight loss drug semaglutide for patients who do not get enough benefit from bariatric surgery.

22 May 2026

Weight loss helps older AF patients slim down, but does not ease symptoms

An 8-month low-calorie diet plus behavioral support helped older adults with overweight or obesity and persistent atrial fibrillation lose weight safely, with no intervention-related serious adverse events. However, the LOSE-AF trial found no meaningful improvement in AF symptoms, rhythm control, AF burden, cardiac remodeling, or further AF procedure rates compared with usual care.

22 May 2026

Researchers uncover new genetic links influencing blood lipid composition

DZNE researchers have generated new insights into how the human genome shapes the chemical composition and concentration of blood lipids.

20 May 2026

Ensitrelvir cuts household COVID-19 risk when given after exposure

Ensitrelvir, an oral SARS-CoV-2 3C-like protease inhibitor, reduced symptomatic RT-PCR-confirmed COVID-19 among household contacts when given within 72 hours after symptom onset in the infected index patient. In the phase 3 SCORPIO-PEP trial, COVID-19 occurred in 2.9% of ensitrelvir recipients versus 9.0% of placebo recipients, with similar overall adverse-event rates.

20 May 2026

New guidelines urge earlier cholesterol treatment to prevent heart disease

Doctors should consider treating high cholesterol much earlier and more aggressively than they have in the past, according to a new perspective by Weill Cornell Medicine, NewYork-Presbyterian and Yale School of Medicine investigators.

19 May 2026

Chia seeds may boost fetal brain DHA during obesity-linked pregnancy

Chia seed supplementation during pregnancy increased maternal omega-3 long-chain fatty acids, including DHA, in a rat model of high-fat-high-sugar diet-induced obesity. The findings suggest plant-derived ALA from chia seeds may improve maternal, placental, and mid-gestation fetal brain lipid profiles, but human relevance and offspring outcomes still need testing.

17 May 2026

Healthy plant-based foods may improve pregnancy cardiometabolic markers

Higher-quality plant-based diets were associated with more favorable cardiometabolic biomarkers in pregnant U.S. women, especially higher HDL-C and lower TG/HDL-C ratio. Indices that emphasized healthy plant foods, rather than simply penalizing animal foods, showed the strongest links with insulin resistance and lipid markers.

15 May 2026

Stanford scientists map the molecular diversity of different global populations

Researchers at the Stanford School of Medicine have found that ethnicity and geography may influence human molecular makeup - from metabolism and immunity to gut microbiota and biological aging.

14 May 2026

Study warns of rising cognitive impairment following a heart attack

The chance of developing cognitive impairment was significantly higher for people who have had a heart attack, according to a study published today in Stroke, the peer-reviewed scientific journal of the American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association.

14 May 2026