Re: LDL tests are in

Yes DQ,
I thought this may cause a bit of a stir.
I am just waiting for the flak from everyone else!!!

I think Pauling/Rath were right in their assessment of the causes of arterial plaque, and why humans are subject to heart-disease and animals are not: as you have rightly said DQ, they manufacture their own ascorbate, whereas we do not, and where our own dietary sources are woefully inadequate.
However, I think the High-Cholesterol-Hypothesis (HDL, LDL, exclusively) as to the only cause of arterial plaque and therefore heart disease is entirely erroneous, and has become a billion$$$$ earner for Big Pharma........on the basis of a lie.

Without sufficient Ascorbate not enough collagen (Elastin) is formed to repair the damage to arterial walls caused by mechanical and/or oxidative stress, so the body uses whatever happens to be floating around in the blood stream at the time to act as a repair crew: fats (Lipids) AND cholesterol-deposits, but also blood platelets, decomposing muscle cells, and other discarded tissues, which then forms the plaque we are all aware of.
However, if sufficient Ascorbate is taken by supplementation, then this would prevent this artificial "repair-crew" from intervening in this mechanical/oxidative stress-damage, and would be used as a first-choice repair by the body, which in turn prevents the formation of any arterial plaque.

The answer lies then NOT with reducing cholesterol, but in the prevention of arterial plaque by adequate quantities of Ascorbate.
So Vitamin C is the answer: not lowering cholesterol by Lipitor and other statins, which Luella has so rightly pointed out has just so many serious side-effects.

There is not much profit from Ascorbate, when the patented statin is a nice little earner for Big Pharma.
Big Pharmas sense of altruism is boundless don't you think!!!!

Regards

Chrisb1.