🎧🎥 Episode 34: Statins Are Not the Answer What Cholesterol Really Does—and Why Lower Isn’t Always Better
Tue Feb 03 2026
Cholesterol has been painted as the villain in heart disease—but what if that story is incomplete?
In this episode of Fire Your Doctor, Dr. Dani Lockwood and Richard Lockwood challenge one of the most entrenched beliefs in modern medicine: that lowering cholesterol is always the key to protecting your heart. Instead, they unpack what cholesterol actually does in the body—and why suppressing it without context can backfire.
This conversation reframes cholesterol as a repair molecule and signal, not a disease—and asks the more important question: Why is cholesterol elevated in the first place?
🔍 In this episode, we unpack:
What cholesterol actually does in the body (hint: it’s essential)
Why cholesterol rises as a response to stress, inflammation, and injury
The difference between cholesterol as a marker vs a cause
Why treating lab numbers instead of physiology misses the real issue
What statins do well—and what they don’t address
Common nutrient depletions associated with statin use (including CoQ10)
When medication may be appropriate—and when it shouldn’t be the first move
Why inflammation, insulin resistance, and metabolic health matter more than LDL alone
🧠 Clinical Insight
Research from cardiologists like Dr. Aseem Malhotra (UK) highlights that:
LDL cholesterol alone is a poor predictor of heart disease
Inflammation and insulin resistance are stronger drivers of risk
Lifestyle and metabolic repair often outperform medication alone
The heart doesn’t fail because cholesterol exists—it struggles when the body is under chronic stress without repair.
✝️ Spiritual Reflection
Proverbs 4:23 (AMP)
“Watch over your heart with all diligence,For from it flow the springs of life.”
Protecting the heart means more than lowering numbers—it means addressing what’s happening upstream in the body, mind, and life.
🔗 Learn more or get in touch
FireYourDr.com
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Cholesterol has been painted as the villain in heart disease—but what if that story is incomplete? In this episode of Fire Your Doctor, Dr. Dani Lockwood and Richard Lockwood challenge one of the most entrenched beliefs in modern medicine: that lowering cholesterol is always the key to protecting your heart. Instead, they unpack what cholesterol actually does in the body—and why suppressing it without context can backfire. This conversation reframes cholesterol as a repair molecule and signal, not a disease—and asks the more important question: Why is cholesterol elevated in the first place? 🔍 In this episode, we unpack: What cholesterol actually does in the body (hint: it’s essential) Why cholesterol rises as a response to stress, inflammation, and injury The difference between cholesterol as a marker vs a cause Why treating lab numbers instead of physiology misses the real issue What statins do well—and what they don’t address Common nutrient depletions associated with statin use (including CoQ10) When medication may be appropriate—and when it shouldn’t be the first move Why inflammation, insulin resistance, and metabolic health matter more than LDL alone 🧠 Clinical Insight Research from cardiologists like Dr. Aseem Malhotra (UK) highlights that: LDL cholesterol alone is a poor predictor of heart disease Inflammation and insulin resistance are stronger drivers of risk Lifestyle and metabolic repair often outperform medication alone The heart doesn’t fail because cholesterol exists—it struggles when the body is under chronic stress without repair. ✝️ Spiritual Reflection Proverbs 4:23 (AMP) “Watch over your heart with all diligence,For from it flow the springs of life.” Protecting the heart means more than lowering numbers—it means addressing what’s happening upstream in the body, mind, and life. 🔗 Learn more or get in touch FireYourDr.com