Nick Norwitz, a medical student at Harvard University, conducted an unusual experiment. He consumed 720 eggs over one month to study the effects on cholesterol levels. Before the experiment, he hypothesized that consuming such many eggs would not raise his cholesterol levels, and the results confirmed this.
In a recent YouTube video, Norwitz explained that during the experiment, he consumed 24 eggs daily, amounting to a total of 133,200 mg of cholesterol over the month.
Surprisingly, his low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels actually decreased. He explained that his body naturally regulated the cholesterol levels.
Notably, he observed that his LDL levels dropped even further when he resumed carbohydrate intake in the latter half of the experiment. Norwitz reported consuming about 60 mg of carbohydrates daily, primarily from fruits.
In the first week of the experiment, Norwitz’s LDL levels decreased by about 2% but then dropped dramatically by up to 18%. He noted that carbohydrates ultimately played a more significant role between consuming an enormous amount of cholesterol and a small amount of carbohydrates.
In the later stages of the experiment, Norwitz added fruits such as blueberries, bananas, and strawberries to his diet, leading to an even more significant reduction in LDL levels.
Norwitz’s experiment is an important case study illustrating the impact of cholesterol and carbohydrate intake on the body. His initial LDL level was 90 mg/dL, which he achieved while following a typical American mixed diet. However, his LDL levels began to change when he switched to a ketogenic diet.
Norwitz explained that individuals following a ketogenic or low-carbohydrate diet often exhibit the Lipid Triad phenomenon, characterized by high LDL, high HDL, and low triglycerides. This occurs due to the metabolic shift to using fat as an energy source instead of carbohydrates.
He consumed about 75 grams of saturated fat and 5,000 mg of cholesterol daily, far exceeding the American Heart Association’s recommended intake. The AHA advises that no more than 6% of daily caloric intake should come from saturated fats. Nevertheless, Norwitz’s experiment demonstrated that his body was able to regulate cholesterol levels effectively despite the high intake.
Through this experiment, Norwitz highlighted the role of cholesterol and the importance of carbohydrates. He noted that by increasing his carbohydrate intake through fruit consumption during the experiment, his cholesterol levels decreased even more significantly. This result demonstrates the significant interaction between cholesterol and carbohydrate intake.
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