Meat Proven Healthy (Again)

New research shows no connection between meat and heart disease

Part of an ongoing series on how to use supplement and behavior-based plans to treat common maladies. To read the detailed plan, order supplements, or download the patient resource sheets, go here to create a free patient account at Fullscript by entering your name and email address: Dr. Mark McDonald’s Fullscript dispensary

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“I’m cutting back on red meat to stay healthy.” I hear this nearly every day, both inside and outside the office. I always respond the same way. “Why?”

Most of the time, the answer I get is “to lower my cholesterol.” Again, I ask, “Why?”

It’s now clear that cholesterol does not cause heart disease, that it is a necessary nutrient, and that in some cases high cholesterol is associated with a lower—not higher—risk of cardiovascular disease. But perhaps there are other reasons to limit red meat intake to improve health.

Or perhaps not. A recently published study that involved nearly two million people ruled out not just association with but causation of heart disease from eating red meat. The association with beef intake and heart disease was negative: Eating steak is cardio-protective.

This shouldn’t come as a surprise to those who keep up with honest nutrition science. Heart disease is caused by inflammation, not dietary fat. Healthy meat (grass-fed cattle, for example) is both anti-inflammatory and packed with nutrients not found in any fruit or vegetable.

Every patient I know who switches to a low-carb, meat-focused diet loses weight, gains focus and energy, and shows improvement in blood tests, including anti-inflammatory markers, blood sugar levels, and vitamin and mineral concentration.

For those who find it difficult to obtain or eat high-quality meat, I suggest the next best thing: meat supplements. A few capsules provide a full day’s supply of bioavailable nutrients without the need to seek out a local rancher. They are also excellent in treating iron deficiency, with a much higher rate of absorption than pure iron supplements.

Below is a link to my Marvelous Meat supplement plan I provide my patients (sounds horrible but is exceptionally healthy). I am now sharing it with my Substack subscribers. To access the plan, you must first create a free patient account at Fullscript by entering your name and email address: Dr. Mark McDonald’s Fullscript dispensary