Many factors more important than cholesterol—such as stress, smoking, hypertension, insulin resistance, high triglycerides, diabetes, and low testosterone (in men)—contribute to
atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.17-19 Despite this, the theory that
cholesterol is the dominant villain responsible for atherosclerosis has been promulgated for over 60 years, making the pharmaceutical industry’s anti-cholesterol campaign the most profitable medical myth of all time.