Vitamins and Minerals alone will not protect you from Heart Disease.
The guy who promoted vitamin C as a magic cure for heart disease literally died of heart disease. He was still in his 60’s.
He believed that vitamins alone would protect him from heart disease, and wrote numerous books about this.
He died in 2024 from congestive heart failure. He was still in his 60’s.
The #1 cause of congestive heart failure is advanced ischemic heart disease.
Anecdotally there is a lot of testimonials online that high doses of Vit C combined with high dose Lysine helping with cardiovascular disease. I doubt Vitamin C alone will be of any help. Don’t know about Lysine and longevity though.
Health Benefits of the Lysine and Vitamin C Combination – Healthy Goods
Vitamin C and Lysine Powder Help Prevent Heart Attacks - Vitality Magazine
I’ll stick with lowering my ApoB and LDL for preventing heart disease.
But, I also take vitamin C daily. I just don’t expect it to save me from heart disease.
I agree, if there is one thing I regret it’s putting too much hope in things like diet/lifestyle/supplements. The only thing I probably did right and that was completely by accident with no thought for my heart was going on the estrogen patch at menopause. My 52 y/o SIL barely survived a heart attack recently and that was quite a reality check. I still eat a heart healthy diet and exercise etc but no longer think those alone are enough to protect me.
Simon Hill from “The Proof” podcast recently had a CT angiogram to determine his coronary calcium score and to see if any evidence of heart disease was present. This video is a detailed exploration of the test, his results, and a plethora of lipid related topics.
For context, in 2015 Simon had an LDL of 120 mg/dl - at that point he shifted to a plant-based diet. Within a year he had an LDL of 70-80mg/dl. It should be noted that Simon has a strong family history of CVD. Simon’s results included a clearly AI analysis.
The transparency and honesty in the video is very much apparent, and it includes a great discussion around plaque progression, cardiovascular/metabolic health blood test results, and input from Dr. Thomas Dayspring and Dr. Dan Soffer. I would encourage folks to check it out.
And if Dr Miller added even more fat to the ITP mice’s diet, resveratrol would have beaten rapamycin for life extension. Trust the plan!
Did Simon get his Lp(a) checked as well?
Yup - he did and it came back in the normal range.
Amgen made a documentary about the dangers of high LDL. You can watch it on their site:
Here’s an article about it:
We need bold action’: Amgen enlists NFL star to tackle dangers of LDL cholesterol in 1st documentary film
O3:
(Filler words, sponsor spots, repeated phrases and time-stamps removed; section headings added for clarity.)
Intro & Motivation
Simon Hill (nutrition-science M.Sc.) opens by asking cardiologist Dr Thomas Dayspring for his first reaction to Hill’s coronary CT angiogram; Dayspring says he “can’t say I was shocked.” Hill explains he has eaten a whole-food plant-based diet for 10 years, has “perfect” annual blood tests, but wanted to know his true arterial status given a powerful family history (father and grandfather suffered MIs in their 40s).
Background & Definitions
Hill reviews atherosclerosis (plaque in the artery wall) and why apolipoprotein-B (ApoB) is now preferred over LDL-C as a particle count.
Why he ordered imaging
Approaching 40—the age his father’s first MI struck—Hill underwent:
Imaging results
CTA: 61 mm³ total soft plaque, described by Dr Matt Budoff as “minimal non-obstructive.”
CAC: Agatston score = 4 (≈50th percentile for men age 39).
Blood tests (Function Health panel)
Glucose 87 mg/dL, HbA1c 5.3 %, insulin 4 µIU/mL, triglycerides 75 mg/dL, hs-CRP < 0.2 mg/L.
However, LDL-C rose from 77 → 103 mg/dL and ApoB from 69 → 89 mg/dL after adding two daily servings of coconut-based yoghurt during marathon training.
Expert commentary (Dr Dayspring & Dr Dan Soffer)
Lifetime-LDL exposure concept
Hill plots Ference’s 5 000 mg·year LDL burden threshold:
Pharmacologic options discussed
Statins as foundation (largest outcome-trial base), with ezetimibe, bempedoic acid, PCSK9 mAbs or siRNA as add-ons for potency/tolerability.
Safety of very-low cholesterol
Dayspring reviews endogenous cholesterol synthesis: peripheral and brain cells do not rely on LDL delivery; thus, plasma LDL < 30 mg/dL is not harmful to membranes, hormones or cognition.
Decision point
Hill sees two paths:
He is leaning to immediate therapy but has not decided; radiation dose of a second CTA is a remaining concern (modern CTA ≈ 1–4 mSv vs background 2.4 mSv/y). (PMC)
Closing
Hill pledges follow-up episodes on imaging, medications, nutraceuticals, and reversal evidence, and invites viewer feedback.
| Aspect | Strengths | Limitations / Caveats |
|---|---|---|
| Transparency | Hill publicly shares raw imaging data and blood panels, rare among influencers; invites expert critique. | Single baseline scan means no personal progression rate yet; conclusions about past vs. current plaque are inferential. |
| Use of evidence | Correctly emphasises ApoB and lifetime exposure, in line with 2023 AHA/ACC guidance to target ApoB < 60 mg/dL in very-high risk. (AHA Journals) | The 5 000 mg·year “cliff” is illustrative but not a rigid threshold; real risk curves are probabilistic and modulated by blood pressure, smoking, etc. |
| Expert selection | Invites respected lipidologists (Dayspring, Soffer) and imaging authority (Budoff); discussion reflects mainstream preventive-cardiology consensus. | All guests are lipid-centric; absent are dissenting voices on CAC utility or on dietary strategies beyond low-SFA plant-based. |
| Dietary analysis | Admits coconut yoghurt raised his LDL—good illustration of saturated-fat sensitivity. | Underplays variability: some individuals may see minimal LDL change with coconut; viewers could misinterpret as universally “bad.” |
| Medical advice framing | Reiterates that decision is personal, encourages viewers to test and consult clinicians. | Nevertheless, episodes double as promotion for Hill’s supplement affiliates (Imate, Momentous, Bragg). Potential COI is disclosed but the interleaved ads may blur lines between education and marketing. |
| Radiation risk portrayal | Acknowledges follow-up CTA carries radiation and plans to investigate. Modern low-dose protocols ~2–4 mSv (≈1–2 years background) are indeed modest. (PMC) | Could quantify cumulative lifetime cancer risk (~0.01 %) to give viewers context. |
| Comparison with ketogenic CTA study | Notes keto group added ~31 mm³ plaque in 12 mo vs his 61 mm³ lifetime—useful but fair. | Study populations and LDL levels differed; mentioning confidence intervals and small sample caveats would guard against over-interpretation. |
| Physiology section | Dayspring’s explanation that LDL is a return-to-liver carrier, not essential delivery, is accurate and pedagogic. | Segment risks oversimplifying: endocrine tissues can up-regulate LDL-R under stress; nuance lost for lay audience. |
| Overall balance | Episode is an excellent case study of “lifetime risk” thinking and how lifestyle + meds are complementary (Medicine 3.0). | Heavy episode length (56 min) with mid-roll ads may fatigue viewers; a shorter companion video or infographic would broaden reach. |
Bottom line: The video is a well-crafted, evidence-aligned n-of-1 exploration that models proactive cardiovascular prevention. Its main message—that blood tests alone are not enough and “lower ApoB earlier” pays dividends—is strongly supported by current guidelines. Viewers should, however, recognise the single-person context, the promotional segments, and the probabilistic (not deterministic) nature of risk when applying these insights to their own care.
I think it’s unlikely anyone on the internet will be persuaded by Amgen to control their LDL-C nor might they not want to.
I think expert lipidologists who’ve researched the topic for 50+ yrs like Allan Sniderman, Braunwald, etc, would be more helpful.
While developing Afib?
Only if you take too much. If you read the research, you’d know that the key is dosing levels. 1 g of Omega 3s with high EPA seems to be the sweet spot.
Based on the VITAL trial that detected no effect on CVD? What are you taking it for?
VITAL used EPA + DHA. For EPA only, association studies, RCTs and Mendelian randomization studies all point towards some cardiovascular benefits (not huge but still).
I think the RCT’s for EPA might’ve been used in those with high triglycerides (and @DeStrider said high EPA, not EPA only). If that’s the case then someone is taking EPA not Omega-3’s (which also can be alpha-linolenic acid, or DHA).
EPA/DHA combo is useless at best and possibly harmful for CVD, it’s so bad the STRENGTH trial had to be stopped early as they were throwing money down the drain.
You’re preaching to the choir. I spent a lot of time debunking the omega-3 myth here.
I know (I had a name change from AnUser).
I’m just tired of the Omega-3 psuedoscience, the most overhyped supplement ever. EPA for high triglyceride CVD prevention okay, but these people never discuss it. I haven’t seen physionic’s video but he’s probably grabbing the 
from the algorithm from people who don’t understand CVD prevention and think omega-3 cures everything.
This should be forbidden haha. But anyway, all good, we’re on the same page!