Maasai Cholesterol Myth
Today we talk Maasai warriors. A population of young men in East Africa. Several research papers and articles have referenced them because of their resilient and unique health qualities.
The basis of their diet comes from 60 to 70% fat, specifically fat from animal sources. So, no grains, sugar or vegetable oils. Despite a fat-heavy diet, the Maasai have cholesterol LDL levels half that of the average American and no clinical heart disease. On this diet, they maintain a lean body composition and low BMI all the way into their 40s. Extraordinary by most standards.
The poster child for reference of the carnivore diet and a constant reference nullifying the lipid hypothesis. Just for reference, the lipid hypothesis in a simple form states that if you eat less animal fat, this lowers your cholesterol and you have less heart disease and heart attacks. A bit more complex at the core, but a paraphrased definition.
Imagine the average total cholesterol was 128 mg/dl on a milk, blood, meat and honey diet and no heart disease. Autopsies of the Maasai showed spick and span clean heart arteries. Kinda bizarre.
The untold backstory. Their lifestyle and additional dietary habits.
We never hear about the fermented-milk magic or cultivated antioxidant-rich bark they drank. Not to mention genetics and daily energy burn. Although they primarily consumed high amounts of animal-based calories, we never hear about calorie scarcity. Drought and loss of cattle meant weeks of near starvation. Fasting and ketosis meant autophagy, insulin sensitivity and muscle preservation.
We want to note-taking one individual factor in these warriors' daily lives and pinning the lack of heart disease from diet alone misses the forest ecosystem for the tree. We basically shove a round peg in a square hole rather than find the several missing puzzle pieces to see the bigger picture unlocking the truth chest.
So what gives? The basics
These warriors were undercover endurance athletes. They herded cattle. 8-10 hours per day. The impressive feat unfolded with the sheer distance traveled on foot; estimates range from 22 to 26 miles a day. That’s around 6400 kcal per day. These guys were energy-burning machines.
From further examination, we can also point out beneficial probiotics. We know probiotics strengthen the gut microbiome improving gut health, immune function and cognitive health. Enter Mursik. A fermented cow’s milk. Beneficial bacteria grows as a fermented by product in a calabash gourd for 1-3 days. Besides the aforementioned benefits, this also has the potential to provide protective qualities blocking excessive cholesterol absorption.
Complete protein and absorption probably helped staying lean and mean. Milk, blood, meat and bone. High protein content with high absorption, minus the common processed excessive sugar or today's diet, makes for maintained muscle physique.
Context sheds light on the dark side
These warriors with their supposedly super-jacked metabolisms seem almost invincible from a health standpoint. Hard to believe they can succumb to the same chronic diseases, like diabetes and obesity, if we were to expose them to a modern diet and lifestyle of Western society.
Enter the Danish study
A small study of 8 Maasai warriors during a ritual 4 week seclusion followed them while they consumed around 10,000 calories per day of roasted goat/sheep meat. The caveat was they weren’t herding or covering ground over vast distances. Very sedentary. Contrary to the intended purpose of the ritual — to build strength from gorging on meat, half the warrior developed metabolic issues. One developed full-blown diabetes, three pre-diabetes and all gained an increase of 4-6% visceral fat. Even worse, their triglycerides spiked over 300%.
Bringing it all together
From the perspective of heart disease, the Maasai in their natural habitat undoubtedly displayed a biological and helpful defense against the onset of heart disease. Some say that animal-based consumption of nutrition was the likely defense. Some argue genetics, but this seems like a low probability as the sole cause given the conclusion of the Danish study. Most likely, a confluence of multiple factors coming into play helps with heart disease. A calorie deficit favors a major beneficial component. Exercise in combination with nutrient dense non processed nutrition confers an interesting argument. Probiotics and antioxidants. Let’s not forget fasting. As for the lower cholesterol level, we can assume the combined effect of their lifestyle and daily habits the likely cause and not just diet. You don’t have to live like the Maasai; you just need to apply the health habits that make them thrive.