Why a High Cholesterol Diet May Be Your Route to A Healthy Old Age

Written by John O'Sullivan CEO Principia Scientific International on May 16, 2026. Posted in Current News

Did Shunsuke Murata and Karin Modig get it right when their research into aging showed that high cholesterol rather than a low cholesterol diet may be the key to a ripe old age?

I confess to my own bias here – I breakfast on five eggs each day and have found a high natural fat, high protein diet suits me as an elite masters athlete (aged 65).

But since 2023, when I first read the astonishing findings of Swedish researchers Shunsuke Murata and Karin Modig, (referred to as the ‘AMORIS cohort’) the evidence is growing that we may have been mislead into believing low cholesterol is always best.

So, should you consider questioning the mainstream narrative ‘too much cholesterol is bad’?

A solid starting point could be the 2023 Swedish AMORIS cohort study (published in GeroScience) wherein Shunsuke Murata and Karin Modig from Karolinska Institutet were among the lead researchers.

They spent years examining biomarkers of aging through the lens of the large Swedish AMORIS cohort and Shunsuke Murata and Karin Modig  noted clear patterns that challenge conventional thinking about cholesterol, particularly for those in later life.

Their 35-year follow-up of over 44,000 individuals, with 1,224 reaching age 100, revealed intriguing associations: future centenarians tended to exhibit modestly higher total cholesterol levels (along with higher iron and lower glucose, creatinine, and certain liver enzymes) compared to those who did not.

These differences were evident already from age 65 onward, suggesting that biomarker profiles observable in mid-to-late life may reflect underlying resilience factors—genetic, lifestyle-related, or both—that contribute to exceptional survival.

The Cholesterol Paradox in Older Age

Clinical guidelines, shaped largely by evidence from middle-aged populations, generally advocate for lower cholesterol to reduce cardiovascular risk. However, the ‘AMORIS cohort’  data and supporting studies in the very old paint a more nuanced picture. In this cohort, belonging to the lowest quintiles of total cholesterol was linked to a reduced likelihood of reaching 100, while average-to-higher levels (within or slightly above typical ranges) aligned with better odds.

This aligns with the so-called “cholesterol paradox” documented elsewhere. The Leiden 85-Plus Study found that among those aged 85 and older, higher total cholesterol predicted lower all-cause mortality. Similar inverse or null associations appear in reviews of cohorts over age 60, Chinese oldest-old data, and Sardinian long-lived populations, where moderate hypercholesterolemia (LDL-C ≥130 mg/dL) correlated with longer survival.

Why might this occur? In advanced age, very low cholesterol levels can signal frailty, malnutrition, chronic inflammation, or subclinical disease processes—reverse causation rather than a direct protective effect of high levels. Centenarians in our study displayed remarkably homogenous, “favorable” biomarker profiles decade(s) before death. Higher cholesterol may simply mark individuals with greater physiological reserve, better nutritional status, or metabolic robustness that enables survival to extreme old age.

Cross-sectional comparisons sometimes show centenarians with lower cholesterol than younger elderly, but longitudinal data like the ‘AMORIS cohort’ and others suggest that maintaining higher levels in one’s 60s–80s (avoiding the drop associated with illness) tracks with longevity.

Could Dietary Approaches Play a Role for Older Adults?

These findings do not prove causation, and the authors have emphasized in corrections and interpretations that high cholesterol itself neither guarantees nor is required for reaching 100—avoiding very low levels appears key.

That said, the consistent observational pattern across studies invites thoughtful consideration: for healthy older adults without strong cardiovascular indications for aggressive lowering, a dietary pattern that supports higher cholesterol might warrant reconsideration rather than automatic restriction.

Traditional low-fat, cholesterol-restricting advice—argued as being effective for some younger high-risk groups—may not optimize outcomes in the oldest old.

Diets richer in nutrient-dense animal foods (eggs, full-fat dairy, fatty fish, organ meats, or well-marbled meats) could help maintain cholesterol and overall nutritional status, supporting muscle mass, hormone production, brain health, and immune function. These foods provide bioavailable proteins, fats, vitamins (including B12, D, K2), and minerals that counter frailty.

In the ‘AMORIS cohort’ data, centenarians also showed higher iron alongside higher cholesterol—another marker potentially tied to better nutrition and oxygen-carrying capacity. Lower glucose levels further suggest metabolic health benefits from diets that prioritize protein and healthy fats over refined carbohydrates.

To be clear, I am not suggesting everyone should consider choosing universal high-cholesterol diets or ignoring individual risk. People with existing atherosclerotic disease, genetic hypercholesterolemia with complications, or high ApoB/particle counts may still benefit from management. But skepticism of ‘mainstream’ health advice is growing for a reason – we are in an age where doing your own research is leading many of us to follow our own judgment on health-related choices.

However, for many in their 70s, 80s, and beyond—especially those who are lean, active, or without prior events—obsessive cholesterol-lowering (via diet or statins) risks unintended consequences like sarcopenia, cognitive impacts, or reduced resilience if it leads to very low levels.

Clinically defined “normal” ranges, derived from younger populations, may not represent the optimum for exceptional longevity. The ‘AMORIS cohort’ centenarians often operated with profiles that would prompt intervention in standard practice, yet they thrived.

A Call for Nuanced, Age-Appropriate Guidance

Exceptional longevity likely arises from a interplay of genetics, lifelong habits, and chance. Biomarker differences appearing 10–30+ years prior to age 100 point to modifiable elements. Maintaining robust nutritional status—potentially including acceptance of higher cholesterol as a marker of vitality rather than a target for reduction—could be one piece.

Future research should test whether deliberate nutritional strategies in older adults (higher saturated fat and cholesterol from whole foods, resistance training, adequate calories) can safely support these favorable profiles without increasing meaningful harm. Randomized trials focused on all-cause mortality and quality of life in the elderly, rather than surrogate LDL targets, are needed.

In summary, while the AMORIS findings and corroborating studies do not license unrestricted high-cholesterol eating for all, they strongly suggest that for many older individuals, the risks of driving cholesterol too low may outweigh theoretical benefits.

A high-cholesterol diet, understood as part of a nutrient-rich, anti-frailty eating pattern, may indeed be the more appropriate choice for those seeking not just longer life, but the robust health to enjoy reaching 100.

References

1. Murata S, Ebeling M, Meyer AC, Schmidt-Mende K, Hammar N, Modig K. Blood biomarker profiles and exceptional longevity: comparison of centenarians and non-centenarians in a 35-year follow-up of the Swedish AMORIS cohort. GeroScience. 2024;46(2):1693-1702. doi:10.1007/s11357-023-00936-w (Correction published 2023).
2. Weverling-Rijnsburger AWE, Blauw GJ, Lagaay AM, Knook DL, Meinders AE, Westendorp RGJ. Total cholesterol and risk of mortality in the oldest old. The Lancet. 1997;350(9085):1119-1123. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(97)04430-9.
3. Ravnskov U, Diamond DM, Hama R, et al. Lack of an association or an inverse association between low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol and mortality in the elderly: a systematic review. BMJ Open. 2016;6(6):e010401. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2015-010401.
4. Errigo A, Dore MP, Portoghese M, Pes GM. The Cholesterol Paradox in Long-Livers from a Sardinia Longevity Hot Spot (Blue Zone). Nutrients. 2025;17(5):765. doi:10.3390/nu17050765.
5. Hu F, et al. Association between total cholesterol and all-cause mortality in oldest old: a national longitudinal study. Frontiers in Endocrinology. 2024. doi:10.3389/fendo.2024.1405283.
6. Barzilai N, Atzmon G, Schechter C, et al. Unique lipoprotein phenotype and genotype in centenarians. JAMA. 2003;290(15):2030-2031. (Ashkenazi Jewish centenarian offspring study on LDL particle characteristics).

Additional supporting references and context are available in the original AMORIS cohort publications and related reviews.

About the author: John O’Sullivan is CEO and co-founder (with Dr Tim Ball among 45 scientists) of Principia Scientific International (PSI).  He is a seasoned science writer, retired teacher and legal analyst who assisted skeptic climatologist Dr Ball in defeating UN climate expert, Michael ‘hockey stick’ Mann in the multi-million-dollar ‘science trial of the century‘. From 2010 O’Sullivan led the original ‘Slayers’ group of scientists who compiled the book ‘Slaying the Sky Dragon: Death of the Greenhouse Gas Theory’ debunking alarmist lies about carbon dioxide plus their follow-up climate book. His most recent publication, ‘Slaying the Virus and Vaccine Dragon’ broadens PSI’s critiques of mainstream medical group think and junk science.

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