In Episode #244, cardiologist Dr Mohammed Alo joins me to talk about cardiovascular disease myths, many of which he has been brilliantly covering on Tik Tok over the past year.
Is it perfectly ok to eat a lot of saturated fat and red meat if your triglycerides and HDL are normal? Does a coronary artery scan of zero mean we won’t have a heart attack? What’s better – a coronary artery scan or a CT angiogram for measuring plaque in our coronary arteries. Are statins beneficial? Is too low cholesterol a problem? Does this affect brain health and hormone production? Eggs, fish and fish oil, cooking oils – the list goes on.
Specifically, we discuss:
- Intro (00:00)
- Fighting Misinformation on Cardiovascular Disease and Nutrition (03:49)
- TikTok and Cardiology: Reaching Diverse Audiences and Navigating Challenges (18:30)
- The Risks of the Carnivore Diet and False Claims on LDL Cholesterol (26:50)
- Atherosclerosis, Familial Hypercholesterolemia, and Treatment Options (36:30)
- The Importance of Non-HDL Cholesterol as a Predictor of CVD (43:41)
- Optimizing LDL Cholesterol Levels and Avoiding Unnecessary Medications (49:39)
- Assessing Cardiovascular Risk in Prediabetes (55:21)
- Cardiac Imaging and Detecting Heart Attack and Stroke Risk (57:24)
- Artery Calcification in Endurance Athletes: Understanding Imaging Tests (1:08:48)
- Debunking Myths on Coconut Oil and Fish Oil (1:20:02)
- Oils of choice and Dr. Alo’s stand on canola oil (1:30:00)
- Eggs and Cholesterol: How much is too much? (1:32:40)
- Can Unprocessed Red Meat Raise Your Risk of Cardiovascular Disease? (1:36:39)
- Grass-Fed vs. Grain-Fed Beef: Examining the Debate (1:46:39)
- Salt, Salt Substitutes, and Hypertension (1:57:25)
- Outro (2:00:04)
We covered a lot.
To explore more of Dr Mohammed Alo’s work, check out his website or connect with him on YouTube and TikTok.
The best way to support the show is to use the products and services offered by our sponsors. To check them out, and enjoy great savings, visit theproof.com/friends.
Enjoy, friends.
Simon
More about Dr Mohammed Alo
Dr. Alo grew up in Toledo, Ohio, attended St. John’s Jesuit High School and then went on to complete an Economics degree Magna Cum Laude at the University of Toledo. He worked in politics, business, and networking and then went to medical school in Chicago at Midwestern University’s Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine. He would later move back to Toledo to practice medicine and take care of the community that he grew up in and loves.
Supporting studies
- Prevalence, Vascular Distribution, and Multiterritorial Extent of Subclinical Atherosclerosis in a Middle-Aged Cohort: The PESA (Progression of Early Subclinical Atherosclerosis) Study – PMID: 25882487
- Low-density lipoproteins cause atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. 1. Evidence from genetic, epidemiologic, and clinical studies. A consensus statement from the European Atherosclerosis Society Consensus Panel – PMID: 28444290
- Low-density lipoproteins cause atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. 1. Evidence from genetic, epidemiologic, and clinical studies. A consensus statement from the European Atherosclerosis Society Consensus Panel – PMID: 28444290
- The Effect of Coconut Oil Consumption on Cardiovascular Risk Factors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trials – PMID: 31928080
- Optimal low-density lipoprotein is 50 to 70 mg/dl: lower is better and physiologically normal – PMID: 15172426
- Effect of potentially modifiable risk factors associated with myocardial infarction in 52 countries (the INTERHEART study): case-control study – PMID: 15364185
