Diet is also a factor. Nicotinic Acid (vitamin B3) will lower Cholesterol because it converts cholesterol into hormones starting with Pregnenolone, 500mg of nicotinic acid on an empty stomach or fat free meal is the fastest cheapest way to get a growth hormone boost, if you can handle the prostaglandin 9sun burn) flush! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steroid_hormone#/media/File:St...

Manganese also affects cholesterol. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3705654/ "a favourable influence of manganese was shown which effected a decrease of the cholesterol content of serum, liver and aorta and inhibited the entry of lipids into the aorta. The influence of the manganese on various enzymes as well as a manganese-copper interaction are discussed as possible causes." Manganese is one of those minerals in constant decline from birth when Reactive Oxygen Species starts, before then we all get about 9months to build up levels in the body, provided the mother is healthy and has an healthy diet.

And there isnt much discussion on the content of HDL. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-density_lipoprotein#Overv...

And on the point of macrophage accumulation, no mention of how vit K1 keeps calcium out of tissue which prevents elastic fibres from hardening and thus causing their own problems.

Thing is whatever science looks at can be portrayed in a positive or negative light.