Peptides and cholesterol

[teetee07]

Hey guys 👋🏽 Question............ ?? Are there any peptides to anyone's knowledge here that is helpful with cholesterol reduction or is that even a thing? Thank you in advance for any helpful information anyone can give.

 

[lessthanhalf]

The entire point of lowering cholesterol is to prevent cardiovascular disease. Some of the other peptides might in theory but there are none that I know of that have been tested in humans that lower cholesterol, and taking something that has never been tested in humans to reduce long term risks does not really make sense. Glp-1 agonists all lower cholesterol a bit. And semaglutide mainly as it has been around longer has been definitively proven to lower the chances of heart attack, stroke and cardiovascular death in those at higher risk. And the other GLP's probably do as well but proof is going to take a few more years.

But this effect is much weaker than statins or high intensity statins plus ezetimibe plus others if required. If cholesterol levels are high and more importantly ldl and hdl levels are bad then treatment mainly depends on calculation of absolute risk, which is determined by age, cholesterol, family history, blood pressure, smoking, obesity, diabetes etc. If the absolute risk is high enough then treating with statins etc is one of the most thoroughly proven treatments in medicine ever. There are plenty of online risk calculators, and obviously doctors do this all the time.

 

[yrrdead]

The entire point of lowering cholesterol is to prevent cardiovascular disease. Some of the other peptides might in theory but there are none that I know of that have been tested in humans that lower cholesterol, and taking something that has never been tested in humans to reduce long term risks does not really make sense. Glp-1 agonists all lower cholesterol a bit. And semaglutide mainly as it has been around longer has been definitively proven to lower the chances of heart attack, stroke and cardiovascular death in those at higher risk. And the other GLP's probably do as well but proof is going to take a few more years.

But this effect is much weaker than statins or high intensity statins plus ezetimibe plus others if required. If cholesterol levels are high and more importantly ldl and hdl levels are bad then treatment mainly depends on calculation of absolute risk, which is determined by age, cholesterol, family history, blood pressure, smoking, obesity, diabetes etc. If the absolute risk is high enough then treating with statins etc is one of the most thoroughly proven treatments in medicine ever. There are plenty of online risk calculators, and obviously doctors do this all the time.

Not sure that I would agree with your assessment. But not a Dr. just a guy on the internet.

Retatrutide has been shown to significantly improve your lipid panels. Was touted after the first phase II trial afaik.

Here's a blurb from the google machine;

According to Eli Lilly’s results presentation at ESC 2024, retatrutide reduced non-HDL-C by up to 22.2% at 24 weeks and by up to 26.9% at 48 weeks, in a dose-dependent manner; apoB was reduced by up to 19.6% and 24.2% at 24 and 48 weeks, respectively. At 48 weeks, the drug reduced triglycerides and apoC-III levels by up to 40.6% and 38.0%, respectively, and it also reduced the total number of TG-rich lipoprotein particles (TRLP) regardless of their size. Reduction in large and medium TRLP was greater than in small TRLP, therefore the average size of TRLP was smaller following treatment with the drug. Retatrutide also reduced the number of total and highly atherogenic small LDL particles (LDLP), while total and small HDL particles (HDLP) were only slightly reduced. The average size of HDLP increased following treatment with the drug. At 48 weeks, the NMR-derived lipoprotein insulin resistance score was decreased by 27.4%, 31.7%, and 32.5% with the 4mg, 8mg, and 12mg dosages, respectively, following treatment.

 

[teetee07]

Not sure that I would agree with your assessment. But not a Dr. just a guy on the internet.

Retatrutide has been shown to significantly improve your lipid panels. Was touted after the first phase II trial afaik.

Here's a blurb from the google machine;

Wow what you posted here is interesting. So is it that Reta seems to do better with lipid panels so far in the trials even more than Tirz?

 

[MsGizmo]

Taking a glp1 makes it much easier to get a handle on your diet which would then help to lower your cholesterol. Not everyone needs to jump on a statin ... BUT its also something you need to decide for yourself. I mean how high is your high cholesterol? What is you family history of heart disease? Do you have other medical issues that could indicate a potential heart issue?

 

[lessthanhalf]

The biggest factor as to whether statins are needed or not is age, the concept of absolute risk is so that especially in a country like Australia where medicines are subsidised by the government, you spend money treating those who need it most, and heart attacks etc get much more common as you get older. And you need to balance costs and risks of side effects versus the benefits in anyone regardless of who pays for them.
For example, I was assessed by my cardiologist as being at the 97th percentile for risk for my age, mainly based on a very high coronary calcium score, but also high blood pressure , high cholesterol, obesity etc. Converting that to the standard normally used for cardiovascular risk which is the chance of heart attack, stroke, or cardiovascular death over the next 10 years works out to about 25 to 30%, which is very bad, especially for someone relatively young at 58.
This risk percentage tells you how aggressively you need to treat cholesterol, blood pressure etc., and normally anything over about 10% justifies using statins. And in my case very aggressive treatment is the right approach. My medical knowledge in this area had become pretty out of date so I did quite a bit of reading , including all the guidelines for management of cardiovascular disease put out over the past few years.
Statin treatment is a lot more effective than the numbers quoted above for GLP's in lowering cholesterol of about 25%, usually you are aiming to drop levels of LDL by at least 50%. For me I had levels checked after losing about 55 kilos and LDL was 4.8 mmol/l , after treatment with fairly standard dose rosuvastatin it went down to 1.5 or a drop of about 70% ( using measurements normal in Aus , US units might be different. ) Glp's do provide additional reductions in cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure as well as overall cardiovascular risk.
Getting this issue looked at and treated better than doubles my odds of getting another 10 years of reasonable health, now maybe only 12.5% not 25 to 30% of a major cardiovascular event within 10 years. And these odds are based on me staying at my current weight, putting weight back on to where I started more than doubles the chances of these things happening. Without the medications, and at my original weight the odds of getting to 68 in reasonable health become close to zero. So losing weight and having those risks treated changes the chances from about 0% to about 87% of staying in good health over the next ten years. This is not a small difference, and is absolutely worth a few tests and staying on some pills and glp medications permanently. It is literally lifesaving and reduces the chances of surviving but in poor health with heart failure etc.
Anyone on Glp's with a history of severe obesity is at significantly increased cardiovascular risk, even if weight has returned to normal with treatment, and everyone of them should be checked for cardiovascular risks and treated if the risks are high ( assuming you would like to not have a heart attack or stroke ) . Severe obesity with bmi over 40 or 45 can increase cardiovascular risk by up to 40 x normal, partly due to increased blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, but it is still an independent risk factor. The other super important issue is age, it is not impossible for heart attacks etc to happen in your 30's or 40's but is not common even in high risk groups, but if you are in your 50's or 60's and have obesity or recently had obesity, the absolute risks are usually going to make treatment of high cholesterol with medication a good idea.

 

[latviantower]

Hey guys 👋🏽 Question............ ?? Are there any peptides to anyone's knowledge here that is helpful with cholesterol reduction or is that even a thing? Thank you in advance for any helpful information anyone can give.

Short answer: Yes, but….

All GLP meds will lower overall cholesterol, LDL (“bad”), and triglycerides while raising HDL (“good”) cholesterol. But mostly in a modest way compared to statins. Reta is showing greatest results. GLP’s actively lower production of cholesterol in the liver, while the weight loss itself does the rest.

I was on low dose statin keeping my cholesterol at 180-185, then tirz helped drive it to 160. Then had coronary CT and posted a near record high calcium score. Referred to cardiology and put on high dose atorvastatin. Today cholesterol at 100, LDL 45, HDL 48.

In my case, tirz and statin work. Obviously the CV risk isn’t (and will never be) eliminated, but I’m doing what I can!

 

[Zydeceltico]

Short answer: Yes, but….

All GLP meds will lower overall cholesterol, LDL (“bad”), and triglycerides while raising HDL (“good”) cholesterol. But mostly in a modest way compared to statins. Reta is showing greatest results. GLP’s actively lower production of cholesterol in the liver, while the weight loss itself does the rest.

I was on low dose statin keeping my cholesterol at 180-185, then tirz helped drive it to 160. Then had coronary CT and posted a near record high calcium score. Referred to cardiology and put on high dose atorvastatin. Today cholesterol at 100, LDL 45, HDL 48.

In my case, tirz and statin work. Obviously the CV risk isn’t (and will never be) eliminated, but I’m doing what I can!

Virtually same exact story here.
6/1/25:
Total=254
LDL=194
Triglyderide=140
ApoB=148

6/6/25: started tirz (first time ever - nothing prior)

7/31/25:
Total=181
LDL=130
Triglyderide=94
ApoB=121

9/17/25: started rosuvastatin

11/6/25:
Total=109
LDL=60
Triglyderide=44
ApoB=54

Tirz got a runner on second base.
Rosuvastatin drove an out of the park 2-run homer.

 

[Jfrick11]

Hey guys 👋🏽 Question............ ?? Are there any peptides to anyone's knowledge here that is helpful with cholesterol reduction or is that even a thing? Thank you in advance for any helpful information anyone can give.

It depends on why cholesterol is high.
For weight-related/metabolic cholesterol, GLP-1s can absolutely help indirectly by improving fat loss and insulin sensitivity, lowering triglycerides, LDL and raising HDL.

For hereditary or genetic high cholesterol, GLP-1s usually aren’t enough. Statins are the main treatment, and for extra lowering, PCSK9 inhibitors or inclisiran can be added.

So the cause really determines the best approach.

 

[Zydeceltico]

For hereditary or genetic high cholesterol, GLP-1s usually aren’t enough. Satins are the main treatment,

A very good point and there does happen to be a measurable blood test for this very thing: Lp(a). My Lp(a) of 99 indicates an elevated and hereditary predisposition for high cholesterol. It can't really be lowered - it is like built-in risk.

Here's what RequestATest.com says about Lp(a):

Lipoprotein-a or Lp (a) is a type of fat that can build up in the blood vessels and increase a person's risk for cardiovascular disease. It is similar in structure to LD (the bad cholesterol.) A person's level is typically genetically determined so it is not affected by lifestyle changes and most medications. A person with elevated Lp (a) levels is usually advised to take extra care in managing other more controllable risk factors for heart disease.

What causes high Lipoprotein a?​

About 20-30% of people have elevated levels of Lp(a). High lipoprotein A is usually inherited from at least one parent. Factors such as race, diet, and some medications can also contribute to Lp(a) levels.

What is an Lpa blood test?​

The Lipoprotein (a) blood test measures the level of Lp(a) in a person's blood. test is usually ordered when someone has a family history of heart disease or has been diagnosed with conditions that are linked to high Lp (a) levels.

 

[Dos-Dox]

Hey guys 👋🏽 Question............ ?? Are there any peptides to anyone's knowledge here that is helpful with cholesterol reduction or is that even a thing? Thank you in advance for any helpful information anyone can give.

My experience has been a 37-point drop in total cholesterol (compared to the average of the 5 previous results spanning multiple years) and an 86-point drop in triglycerides (compared to previous average) with a low (<2 mg/week) dose of reta.

 

[Habibibi]

Not sure that I would agree with your assessment. But not a Dr. just a guy on the internet.

Retatrutide has been shown to significantly improve your lipid panels. Was touted after the first phase II trial afaik.

Here's a blurb from the google machine;

Maybe. It definitely didn't make a dent on my ldl levels.

 

[HumanusExMachina]

Three months on reta dropped my triglycerides down to the middle of the normal range. They're usually 2-3 times the top of the range. My cholesterol numbers have never really been out of range (though usually near the top), but those are also mid-range now. As with all these, YMMV.

 

[Airborne Daddy]

My experience is on a statin for over a year and a half brought my triglycerides down from 399 to 298... dont know if it was tirz or reta cuz i switch back n forth every few months but last lipid test had them at 138.... hdl went up, ldl came down. For me glp1's absolutely help me more than max dose of atorvastatin.... non negotiable for my experience i can post bloods. And its not solely from weight loss cuz im only down 18lbs in a year.

 

[Jfrick11]

My experience is on a statin for over a year and a half brought my triglycerides down from 399 to 298... dont know if it was tirz or reta cuz i switch back n forth every few months but last lipid test had them at 138.... hdl went up, ldl came down. For me glp1's absolutely help me more than max dose of atorvastatin.... non negotiable for my experience i can post bloods. And its not solely from weight loss cuz im only down 18lbs in a year.

That’s awesome you saw that kind of improvement, and I don’t doubt your labs at all. GLP-1s do more than just cause weight loss: they improve insulin sensitivity, reduce liver fat, and lower triglyceride production, so for some people (especially with metabolic syndrome) they can outperform statins on triglycerides and HDL/LDL.
That said, it’s still very individual. If someone has familial hypercholesterolemia, GLP-1s usually won’t replace statins or PCSK9 inhibitors. In metabolic cases, they can be incredibly effective even without huge weight loss, like you’re seeing.

 

[janedoe]

Began Tirz 5/24. Cholesterol historically super high for me. Didn't eat foods that were normally reported to increase, but been like that since early 20s thru late 40s ( on several statins during those years with barely a decrease), and in shape during that time. Peri hit, and i blew up and Cholesterol became higher. Doctors told me early on " familial/ cultural" disposition bc I was Mediterranean decent ( I'm Italian). I laugh about that to this day.
Anyhow, by 8/24, I went for blood work 3 month bloodwork after I began Tirz. My numbers were normal!( I went to gray around that time, can't recall exactly when this far in the game).
I actually went off my statins, after that blood work, and every check up since, my Cholesterol has been normal. ( I did switch to Reta 5/25 for maintenance .. everything is still level). That was my experience, but from my reading, it's not uncommon, but everyone is different. I'm due for another work up in May.

 

[Airborne Daddy]

Began Tirz 5/24. Cholesterol historically super high for me. Didn't eat foods that were normally reported to increase, but been like that since early 20s thru late 40s ( on several statins during those years with barely a decrease), and in shape during that time. Peri hit, and i blew up and Cholesterol became higher. Doctors told me early on " familial/ cultural" disposition bc I was Mediterranean decent ( I'm Italian). I laugh about that to this day.
Anyhow, by 8/24, I went for blood work 3 month bloodwork after I began Tirz. My numbers were normal!( I went to gray around that time, can't recall exactly when this far in the game).
I actually went off my statins, after that blood work, and every check up since, my Cholesterol has been normal. ( I did switch to Reta 5/25 for maintenance .. everything is still level). That was my experience, but from my reading, it's not uncommon, but everyone is different. I'm due for another work up in May.

Married an Italian and other than all the hair in the shower drain, its all good. (Price to pay for thick, luscious, italian gal hair i guess).

 

[janedoe]

Married an Italian and other than all the hair in the shower drain, its all good. (Price to pay for thick, luscious, italian gal hair i guess).

My husband is always in awe with the amount of hair I clean out of the drain hair catcher. Unfortunately, once post menopausal, my thick curly hair is half what it was. My husband says, " you had hair to spare"🫠

 

[Hambocommando]

Personal experience as well, 3 months on Tirz and a 40lbs weight loss. Labs before for years had my doc put me on statins and thyroid meds. After 3 months of Tirz, labs have me smack dab in the middle of the 'normal' range in all respects. Doc was honestly amazed and happy. So it would appear it all depends on your own personal physical situation, and I would always recommend medical supervision of all treatments. If nothing else, you get to see your doc's face when/if things miraculously improve.

 

[oldrunnerguy]

A search with Google Gemini returned this regarding lipid profile actions with tirzepatide and retatrutide:

Comparison Summary​

Feature	Tirzepatide (Mounjaro/Zepbound)	Retatrutide (Experimental)
HbA1c Reduction	2.0% – 2.4% (Highly Potent)	2.0% – 2.2% (Comparable)
Triglyceride Reduction	~15% – 25%	Up to 40%
LDL / non-HDL Reduction	~6% – 9%	Up to 26% (non-HDL)
Primary Strength	Established safety; superior glucose control	Unprecedented weight loss; superior liver fat reduction

This is why I'm here. A1C reduction and improvement in lipid profiles. I'm searching for the right dosage of reta for me, as weight reduction is not my main goal. I also think tirz actually might be the best for what I am looking for.

 

[sean326]

A search with Google Gemini returned this regarding lipid profile actions with tirzepatide and retatrutide:

Comparison Summary​

Feature	Tirzepatide (Mounjaro/Zepbound)	Retatrutide (Experimental)
HbA1c Reduction	2.0% – 2.4% (Highly Potent)	2.0% – 2.2% (Comparable)
Triglyceride Reduction	~15% – 25%	Up to 40%
LDL / non-HDL Reduction	~6% – 9%	Up to 26% (non-HDL)
Primary Strength	Established safety; superior glucose control	Unprecedented weight loss; superior liver fat reduction

This is why I'm here. A1C reduction and improvement in lipid profiles. I'm searching for the right dosage of reta for me, as weight reduction is not my main goal. I also think tirz actually might be the best for what I am looking for.

I knew about the LDL reduction with Reta, didn't think about or look into the triglyceride reduction, that would be a great addition! Mine has historically been higher than I want it to be and I have blood tests coming up so we'll see if it's improved. I've been on Reta for about 3 months.

 

[Chili777]

I knew about the LDL reduction with Reta, didn't think about or look into the triglyceride reduction, that would be a great addition! Mine has historically been higher than I want it to be and I have blood tests coming up so we'll see if it's improved. I've been on Reta for about 3 months.

My cholesterol readings were all down last month. My triglycerides were as high as 700 a year ago, and now 128. LDL is 56 and HDL was 37. HDL is slightly low and my doc said no worries, this is great.

 

[randompersonrandom]

Man, I hope tirz has some effect. My cholesterol shot up fairly suddenly, and I refused statins. "No. I'ma try and get some weight off." Took fifty pounds off. My retest is next week. If it's still bad, then I gotta either say yes to statins or no to cigarettes. I'm gonna have to do that second one sooner or later anyway, but man I hope it's later. I'm not ready.

 

[Chili777]

The best thing I did to lower my triglycerides on my own was to eliminate as many sources of High Fructose Corn Syrup in my diet as possible and it's everywhere. They didn't start falling until then. I think it's poison.

 

[latviantower]

I think it's poison.

Truth.

 

[MsGizmo]

Man, I hope tirz has some effect. My cholesterol shot up fairly suddenly, and I refused statins. "No. I'ma try and get some weight off." Took fifty pounds off. My retest is next week. If it's still bad, then I gotta either say yes to statins or no to cigarettes. I'm gonna have to do that second one sooner or later anyway, but man I hope it's later. I'm not ready.

I quit smoking 16 years ago using patches. It wasn't easy and throughout the process I did light up every once and awhile. The key to my success was to not quit quitting. When I gave in to the addiction and had a smoke I went right back to getting a patch on.

 

[Zydeceltico]

Man, I hope tirz has some effect. My cholesterol shot up fairly suddenly, and I refused statins. "No. I'ma try and get some weight off." Took fifty pounds off. My retest is next week. If it's still bad, then I gotta either say yes to statins or no to cigarettes. I'm gonna have to do that second one sooner or later anyway, but man I hope it's later. I'm not ready.

I lost 50 between June and November last year and bad lipids did go down a lot - but not nearly enough and I had to have a stent placed. I also started a statin and went to nicotine patches from cigarettes and LDL, triglycerides, and ApoB all halved in a month. Tirz got me headed the right direction but it was the statin and no smokes that got me to healthy. Now I just need to quit the patches and gum. Frickin' hard.

 

[randompersonrandom]

I lost 50 between June and November last year and bad lipids did go down a lot - but not nearly enough and I had to have a stent placed. I also started a statin and went to nicotine patches from cigarettes and LDL, triglycerides, and ApoB all halved in a month. Tirz got me headed the right direction but it was the statin and no smokes that got me to healthy. Now I just need to quit the patches and gum. Frickin' hard.

NO, I do not want to hear this. Since there's a nonzero chance you and I are secret half-siblings (my father wasn't much of a traveller, but I don't know that I'd put it past him), the possibility that it may take the same combo to get our cholesterol down feels higher and I don't wanna.

 

[cujet]

Data point of one. Reta did reduce my cholesterol a bit, 255 to 229. HDL, 60 to 49 and 157 to 149. Not enough to bring me out of the 'danger red' zone on my labs.

Triglycerides are still way up, despite 100% carnivore diet, zero carbs. 200 down to 171. Not exactly earth shattering.

I've lost 65 pounds so far. A1c is 5.6 on Reta. Although my A1c has never been stupidly high, due to carnivore/zero carb.

 

[CycleSloth]

Here's another data point (see table below).

I got my bloods done in October 2025 before starting Retatrutide. I started Reta in early March on a very small dose of 1mg/week and still on that currently as I've lost 12lbs and weight is continuing to decrease - I am very happy with this decrease in just 6 weeks. I then got my bloods taken on 9th April and it shows a fairly significant reduction in cholesterol.

I was very curious to see how a combination of Reta & eating-less affected my lipids.

Still working on getting LDL a bit lower, but will get my bloods done in another 6 months and report back!

NOTE: I've used chatgpt to produce the table as the UK uses different units (mmol/L) whereas many others use mg/dL.