You exercise. You eat clean. You get annual bloodwork.

You’re doing everything right.

But you can't fix problems you don't even know exist. And when it comes to heart health, that blind spot can be deadly.

If you're young and healthy, standard tests won't flag you as "high risk", even when hidden plaque is already forming in your arteries. By the time standard tests raise an alarm, prevention isn't an option anymore. It's damage control¹.

Here's the good news:

One simple advanced test and a few proven lifestyle tweaks can slash your risk—and add nearly 9 healthy years to your life².

🫀 From here, Cardiovascular Disease = CVD, the umbrella term for any of these³ heart-related diseases, unless specified.

Why standard heart test procedures fail young people

For young people, the first symptom of CVD is often sudden death⁴.

Autopsies⁵ show shocking signs of hidden heart disease, even in the young and healthy. One study⁶ of people under 35 found nearly 80% already had heart disease.

Doctors regularly underestimate heart risk in young people, especially as early signs often appear symptom-free.

Why? Common risk models rely too much on age. Primary care physicians usually don’t screen until age 45 (men) or 55 (women).

Young people therefore look “low risk,” even when their arteries are silently filling with cholesterol or fat.

So waiting until you're "old enough" for routine screenings? Not the best game plan.

What you should be testing for

Standard blood tests (like annual cholesterol checks) are good—but not good enough.

To truly stay ahead, you need advanced lab tests.

Check these two lipid panel tests (basic and advanced) for the same under 35 patient:

Basic Lipid Panel

Basic test? Looks fine. The LDL marker appear only slightly elevated, but they are young.

Not a concern.

Advanced Lipid Panel

Advanced test? Serious red flags.

ApoB, Lp(a), and hsCRP all high—showing hidden heart risk.

The LDL and HDL cholesterol levels, while on the basic panel are fine, show up outside of the optimal range on an advanced panel.

And we want you optimal, not average.

These tests give a clearer, truer picture of your real CVD risk.

Why ApoB beats LDL in testing

Atherosclerosis⁸ happens when fatty deposits like cholesterol clog your artery walls, squeezing the oxygen supply and damaging the tissue.

This is just one way cholesterol fuels CVD.

A standard blood test (or lipid panel) checks your LDL cholesterol.

But here’s the issue: they measure how much cholesterol is inside each particle — not how many particles are actually clogging your arteries.

Heart risk is about the number of LDL particles, not just the cholesterol volume inside them.

Think of your arteries as a busy highway.

Measuring LDL cholesterol is like counting how full each car is, rather than how many cars are actually blocking traffic on the road (your arteries).

So why measure ApoB?

Because every harmful LDL particle has exactly one ApoB.

ApoB is like a license plate—one per LDL particle. Count the plates, know exactly how many ‘cars’ are clogging your arteries.

Your GP won’t run ApoB tests if you are young and seemingly healthy, but advance testing can be done.

Check out this ApoB panel from Superpower. You can easily track progress consistently, even monthly or weekly.

Below 80 mg/dl is good. But lower ApoB—ideally 20-30 mg/dL—is even better for slashing heart risk.

Or, you can also request a pathologist do a serum apolipoprotein study.

These are more complex, and hard to understand how your tracking.

At risk? Here’s exactly what to do next

Some heart-health basics are obvious. Others? Less so.

Doing everything below might feel overwhelming. But we're here to level you up. Strap in.

Lifestyle changes:

• Quit smoking. Just one cigarette/day boosts heart disease risk by 50%. That includes vaping⁹ and weed¹⁰.

• Manage weight. Excess belly fat, even with healthy BMI, drastically raises heart risk¹¹.

• Sleep more. Less than 6 hours/night = 13% higher heart risk¹².

• Exercise.

  • Moderate: 150–300 min/week cuts risk 19–25%.

  • Vigorous: 150–300 min/week cuts risk 35–37%¹³.

• Stress less. Chronic stress triples heart disease risk¹⁴.

• Control blood sugar. Diabetes doubles your heart risk¹⁵. There are easy, scientific ways to manage your GI levels without medication, or use a CGM¹⁶.

• Change your diet. Best diets for your heart: Mediterranean¹⁷, DASH¹⁸, Plant-based¹⁹ , Nordic²⁰.

  • Common themes: plants, healthy fats, lean proteins, fewer processed foods.

• Watch fat intake: High saturated fat raises ApoB. Swap saturated fats for monounsaturated fats (like olive oil)²¹.

• Improve oral hygiene. Gum disease* bacteria can enter your bloodstream, increasing heart attack and stroke risk.

What supplements and micronutrients are worth it?

The ones that cut through the noise when preventing CVD are:

Supplements

🐟 Omega-3 — shown to significantly reduce cardiovascular risk and inflammation²³.

🍊 Vitamin C — shown to prevent stress-induced damage on the heart²⁴.

🥜 Magnesium — has wide-ranging benefits, including for heart health²⁵. Most people are deficient in magnesium.

❤️ CoQ10 — linked to improved heart function, especially in people with heart conditions or taking cholesterol-lowering medications²⁶.

🥬 Vitamin K: especially for those with low Vitamin D. Low levels associated strongly with high blood pressure²⁷.

🍇 Berberine — improves insulin sensitivity and lipid profile²⁸.

🥔 Niacin (nicotinic acid) — is known to lower lipoprotein(a) levels and improves other lipid abnormalities²⁹.

🥩 Taurine — lowers blood pressure, supports healthy blood vessels, and reduces inflammation³⁰.

🥚 Vitamin K2 — helps manage calcium metabolism, potentially reducing arterial calcification and improving cardiovascular health³¹.

🥑 Vitamin E — especially if deficient. May help combat the harmful effects of oxidized fatty acids³².

🌾 Red yeast rice³³ — has been repeatedly shown to help lower lipid levels³⁴. *Acts as a natural blood thinner. People who take it might need regular tests.

Foods

🫚 Ginger — can help by preventing the hardening of arteries and promoting overall blood flow in general³⁵, but also benefits metabolic health³⁶.

🧄 Garlic — widely recognized as agents for prevention and treatment of cardiovascular and other metabolic diseases³⁷.

🍫 Cocoa (minimally processed)— rich in antioxidants that help lower blood pressure, support healthy blood vessels, and protect your heart³⁸.

Should you medicate?

Diet first, always. But sometimes medication is essential.

Main option: Statins

• Example: Rosuvastatin (Crestor)

• How it works: Cuts cholesterol production, boosts removal of ApoB from blood.

• Possible side effects: Muscle pain, liver issues, reduced muscle growth³⁹.

Alternatives (if statins aren’t enough or cause side effects):

• Bempedoic acid (Nexletol): Lowers cholesterol production.

• Ezetimibe (Zetia): Blocks cholesterol absorption.

• PCSK9 inhibitors: Boost ApoB clearance.

• Fibrates: Lowers triglycerides.

• Ethyl EPA (Vascepa): Lowers triglycerides.

Leveraging technology

• Wearables: Devices like the Whoop and Oura Ring⁴⁰ track sleep, heart rate variability, and stress.

  • Specifically, monitor heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV) and electrocardiogram (ECG) to detect abnormal heart rhythms.

• CGMs: Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) help identify metabolic risks early.

Don’t wait until your heart demands attention.

Be proactive.

You’ve got the playbook. Now go make heart disease something you never have to worry about.

Your CVD Action List:

1. Get tested early and regularly (advanced lipid panel⁴¹, inflammation markers).

2. Adjust diet & exercise (Watch your dietary fats, daily movement).

3. Prioritize sleep and manage stress (meditation, consistent sleep routine).

4. Supplement smartly (Omega-3, Magnesium, Vitamin K2).

5. Medicate if necessary. (Statins or alternatives).

6. Embrace supportive technology (wearables, apps).

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