Potential treatment for High LDL (still in trial stage)

[MarieIG]

https://www.technologyreview.com/2022/07/12/1055773/crispr-gene-editing-cholesterol/

This article discusses ongoing trial for gene editing as a treatment for high LDL.

 

[sengsational]

Even if I had familial hypercholesterolemia, I wouldn't join that trial. This changes your human cells' DNA. Once this is loose in your body, there is no way to undo the treatment.

I'm excited and glad there are volunteers, though, because if this doesn't cause harm, it opens up a door for treatment of so many other health problems. And it has the potential to be a one and done.

 

[braumeister]

Even if I had familial hypercholesterolemia, I wouldn't join that trial. This changes your human cells' DNA.

It is also assuming that you subscribe to the hypothesis that high LDL is harmful and needs "treatment". I don't.

 

[MarieIG]

It is also assuming that you subscribe to the hypothesis that high LDL is harmful and needs "treatment". I don't.

I don't believe that all LDL is created equal . . . nor that there is one cause of heart disease. I saw an interesting video on cholesterol by Sten Ekberg where his analogy was (IIRC) the police responding to the scene of the accident; but not being the cause of the accident. Here, I was particularly interested in the gene editing aspect of the treatment.

 

[Koolau]

Even if I had familial hypercholesterolemia, I wouldn't join that trial. This changes your human cells' DNA. Once this is loose in your body, there is no way to undo the treatment.

I'm excited and glad there are volunteers, though, because if this doesn't cause harm, it opens up a door for treatment of so many other health problems. And it has the potential to be a one and done.

I'm with you. Not fond of the idea of permanently altering DNA until someone ELSE tries it for me. My meds very nicely control my HDL (like 20 or some such).

I'm gonna wait for the movie.

 

[sengsational]

It is also assuming that you subscribe to the hypothesis that high LDL is harmful and needs "treatment". I don't.

Yes. Not all "high LDL" is going to lead to CVD. Besides, LDL isn't even the best marker for CVD...APO(b) is better.

One thing, though, is that if you have this familial form, where you're genetically disposed to having this weird blood lipid profile, it seems there's legit evidence that treatment actually does help. Of course the pharma drug companies mistakenly extended that to prescribing statins for all.

 

[trumpeting_angel]

Thanks for sharing that interesting new research! So fascinating that MRna technology is making its way into more and more uses.


I cruised for several years with elevated LDL and total cholesterol. My doctor said that my "risk profile" including weight, blood pressure, family history and whatnot, kept me at low risk for heart disease.


Turned out to be wrong. Mild coronary artery disease, only 20-30% occlusion, but really, I'd be happier with zero! The statin lowered my cholesterol immediately. The doctor said she wanted me on a statin right away, since my diet was already so good that there was very little room for improvement. I had fiddled with diet for years, and the cholesterol just went up. The rapid change from the statin shows that fiddling with diet was not going to improve things.


I just wish I'd known earlier that it was causing me arterial occlusion.

 

[Highbeam]

It is also assuming that you subscribe to the hypothesis that high LDL is harmful and needs "treatment". I don't.

I agree but with some limits. I have no problem with LDL levels under, say, 300 but if you're pushing 600 and getting cholesterol blobs squirting out of your eye (I forget the name) then it is probably time to reel that in. Not a fan of statins at all and have found diet to be amazingly good at increasing or decreasing LDLC.

Be careful about a diagnosis of FH as an adult after a long life of normal cholesterol test results. If it was really genetic, it would have been a problem all along. Insist on actual genetic testing.

One year of low carb eating moved my LDL from under 100 to over 300. If your body burns mostly fat for fuel instead of sugar you can expect a lot more LDL in your blood.

 

[braumeister]

Be careful about a diagnosis of FH as an adult after a long life of normal cholesterol test results. If it was really genetic, it would have been a problem all along. Insist on actual genetic testing.

That's a good point. FH is not really very common.

 

[Freedom56]

I don't think the world is ready for another $20K injection. Just eat oatmeal everyday.

 

[Koolau]

It sounds like the consensus (here and in previous cholesterol threads) is to ignore your doc's expensive advice and do your own thing. My recommendation, save the money on the doc if you don't want to follow their advice. It's the FIRE thing to do.

 

[Time2]

The doctor said she wanted me on a statin right away, since my diet was already so good that there was very little room for improvement. I had fiddled with diet for years, and the cholesterol just went up. The rapid change from the statin shows that fiddling with diet was not going to improve things.

What does a good diet, and fiddling with diet, mean in this context?