About Chris Masterjohn and Cholesterol-And-Health.Com

Welcome to Cholesterol-And-Health.Com. This site is dedicated to uncovering the truth about America's most demonized nutrient.

Yes, cholesterol is a nutrient. It plays an essential role in the body, and for that very reason our bodies make far more cholesterol in a day than we could eat from food. Some people, however, may not make enough of it and may need to obtain it from foods (see here).

I used to believe that cholesterol was a killer. I used to believe that animal foods were the cause of most diseases. I became a vegetarian eight years ago, thinking that I would protect myself from heart disease, tooth decay, osteoporosis, and virtually every disease under the sun. Instead, my health deteriorated.

I turned my health around by eating organ meats, butter, eggs, and other foods demonized because of their cholesterol content. You can read my story here.

My experience made me want to get to the bottom of things and learn the truth about health and nutrition. I am currently pursuing a PhD in Nutritional Sciences with a concentration in Biochemical and Molecular Nutrition at the University of Connecticut. I have published two peer-reviewed papers, which are indexed for PubMed here and here. My focus is vitamin A. Vitamin A is found most abundantly in liver, a food demonized by the American Heart Association for its rich cholesterol content.

I am not trying to bash vegetarianism or promote the meat industry. In fact, I still sympathisize with the compassion for animals and concern over the environment that drove me to consider vegetarianism in the first place. I support local farms that produce pasture-raised animal products, not industrialized meat farming.

I try to find out the truth about cholesterol, and I publish what I find on this site.

I hope you enjoy reading what I have found, and I hope you join me in the search for truth!

Chris Masterjohn