#617 The Truth About Cholesterol & Plaque Regression with Dave Feldman

The Truth About Cholesterol, LDL, and Plaque Regression with Dave Feldman | Lean Mass Hyper-Responder Research Explained What if everything you've been told about cholesterol and heart disease is incomplete — or even wrong? In this eye-opening episode of The Coach Debbie Potts Show, I sit down with Dave Feldman, engineer turned citizen scientist, founder of Own Your Labs and The Citizen Science Foundation, and the mind behind the Lean Mass Hyper-Responder (LMHR) study and the groundbreaking Keto-CTA trial on plaque progression and regression. We unpack the latest findings from Dave's multi-platform coronary imaging study — comparing HeartFlow, QAngio, Cleerly, and expert readouts — to explore how some individuals with very high LDL cholesterol and low inflammation show no increase in plaque and, in some cases, true regression. You'll learn: 🧬 What the Lipid Energy Model reveals about metabolism and cholesterol transport 🩸 Why LDL-C and ApoB aren't always the villains — and when they actually matter 🧠 What "soft" vs. "hard" plaque really means for your risk 🩺 The best ways to measure and track plaque (CAC vs. CCTA vs. AI-based imaging) ⚡ How insulin resistance, inflammation, and oxidative stress drive true cardiovascular risk 🥑 Why many keto and low-carb athletes become "Lean Mass Hyper-Responders" — and what to do about it Whether you're a clinician, health coach, or curious biohacker, this conversation will completely change the way you think about cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic health. 🔍 Topics Covered: 00:00 – Intro & Dave Feldman bio 03:00 – The cholesterol paradox in metabolically healthy individuals 08:00 – The Lipid Energy Model explained 12:00 – What is plaque? (Soft vs. hard) 16:00 – How the Keto-CTA study tracked plaque regression 25:00 – The role of LDL, ApoB, and Lp(a) in context 33:00 – Imaging tools: CAC vs. CCTA vs. AI platforms 42:00 – Insulin resistance, inflammation, and endothelial damage 54:00 – Root cause solutions for cardiovascular health 💡 Key Takeaways: Cholesterol is not the enemy — context and inflammation are. The best way to manage heart disease risk is to measure plaque, not just LDL. Metabolic health > cholesterol numbers when it comes to longevity. Functional and nutritional therapy can stabilize or reverse soft plaque. 🔗 Connect & Learn More: 🌐 Website: www.DebbiePotts.net 🎧 Podcast: The Coach Debbie Potts Show 📺 YouTube: @CoachDebbiePotts 🧬 Learn about Root Cause Revolution™: www.rootcausedoc.com 🩺 Explore Own Your Labs: https://ownyourlabs.com 📚 Read more about the Keto-CTA study: https://citizensciencefoundation.org 🧠 Affiliate Links & Partners: 💊 Functional Nutrition Favorites — Fullscript Dispensary 🧬 Seeking Health Supplements — Code COACHDEBBIEPOTTS 🌿 BEAM Minerals — Code COACHDEBBIEPOTTS 💡 Sunlighten Sauna — Mention Coachdebbiepotts for savings #Cholesterol #DaveFeldman #HeartHealth #ApoB #LDL #PlaqueRegression #KetoDiet #MetabolicHealth #FunctionalMedicine #RootCauseRevolution #CoachDebbiePotts