High LDL-C (bad cholesterol) levels do not automatically lead to arterial hardening in everyone, as this phenomenon depends on other individual vulnerability factors.

noli's read

This finding is soundly validated by contemporary scientific research. A major report from the European Atherosclerosis Society, drawing on decades of observational data and clinical trials, confirms that while bad cholesterol is the primary driver of arterial clogging, it does not act alone. For fats to accumulate beneath the protective barrier of the vessels, other accomplices such as internal inflammation or arterial wall fragility are required, often promoted by stress or lack of sleep. Furthermore, a large Danish observational study revealed that more than half of adults with high LDL-C levels showed no visible plaque accumulation in their hearts. Exaggeration would come from believing that a long-term high level is completely harmless, as exposure accumulated over decades almost always ends up weakening the system. Finally, theories claiming that cholesterol has no link to vascular health lack rigorous foundation in the face of massive clinical evidence demonstrating that optimizing levels protects the heart.

the sources

No named source held this one up — that absence is part of the verdict.