Cholesterol levels rising despite diet

[KK123]

Hi,

A few personal facts (as I know these are important):

56 year old female, diagnosed as type 1, 6 months ago but not definitive (usual symptoms of thirst etc plus ketones over 4 and hba1c 15.2) - BMI 22, physically fit, no other issues, left hospital on low dose of novarapid and lantus but gradually reduced by Consultant and now on 4 units lantus per evening. Islet test negative but awaiting result of GAD test (had 3, none came back!) - all glucose readings between 4 and 8 but goes lower than 4 on a regular basis. C Peptide of 148 described as 'low side of normal' but only taken 3 months after starting insulin. Incidentally had pre diabetes 3 years ago and I wish I knew of this forum then!!

My cholesterol was 9.2 at diagnosis with HDL - 1.93, trigs at 0.5. I always thought my diet was fine but have cut out ALL the simple carbs and now eat roughly 60 carbs a day (mainly veg, NO fruit, the very odd slice of lowish carb bread and am FULLY up to date with all carbs etc) - because of the reduced carbs I was hungry so added up to 50g cheese a day and eggs and a fair few nuts. All my bloods came back within range, hba1c now 6.00, and cholesterol dropped to 5.9 2 months ago but latest is 7.2.

HDL - 2.23, trigs still 0.5, LDL 4.74 (It increased along with the HDL for some reason). Ratio of 3.23.

I just don't get it, the Consultant raises his eyes as if I was scoffing pizza every day, I truly eat only fish/lean meat/nuts/lower carb veg and have always run 5 miles most days etc, etc. What can I do to bring the LDL down as I do not want to take statins which is what they have prescribed.

I cannot run more/eat less without losing more weight, BMI now 21. My glucose levels are fine and I test often so I know I am ok with the amount of carbs I eat, they are all healthy carbs for me with hardly any grains etc. Do I have to cut out the cheese now (already dropped the eggs). I work in a very safety critical job so cannot afford to risk going low on a whim.

Apologies for long post but any replies welcome. I feel I am doing everything to be healthy and was already following a healthy lifestyle so they haven't bothered to tell me the usual stuff (don't smoke or drink) but this cholesterol (none in the family) is very annoying. Are statins the only way?

 

[miahara]

Gosh @KK123 , your LDL is certainly very high. I'm afraid I can't suggest anything specific, but if you haven't already come across it there's some advice on the the Heart UK site.
https://heartuk.org.uk/cholesterol-and-diet/six-super-foods-for-lower-cholesterol

 

[KK123]

Gosh @KK123 , your LDL is certainly very high. I'm afraid I can't suggest anything specific, but if you haven't already come across it there's some advice on the the Heart UK site.
https://heartuk.org.uk/cholesterol-and-diet/six-super-foods-for-lower-cholesterol

Gosh @KK123 , your LDL is certainly very high. I'm afraid I can't suggest anything specific, but if you haven't already come across it there's some advice on the the Heart UK site.
https://heartuk.org.uk/cholesterol-and-diet/six-super-foods-for-lower-cholesterol

Miahar, thank you for your reply, it does worry me, thanks for the link also but I already eat those superfoods so am not sure what to try next other than statins.

 

[miahara]

Statins may be worth trying for a few months to see if they have any effect.

 

[bulkbiker]

HDL - 2.23, trigs still 0.5, LDL 4.74 (It increased along with the HDL for some reason). Ratio of 3.23.

From my relatively extensive reading on the subject the important ratio is triglycerides/HDL.
With yours of 0.5/2.23 you have a ratio of 0.22 any lower than 0.87 is considered good so yours is pretty **** great.

"If lipid values are expressed as mmol/L (like in Australia, Canada, and Europe);

TG/HDL-C ratio less than 0.87 is ideal

TG/HDL-C ratio above 1.74 is too high

TG/HDL-C ratio above 2.62 is much too high"

In this case it is thought that the LDL particles are large and fluffy and nothing to fear.

In your shoes I would be jumping with joy and certainly not even thinking about statins... (not that I would ever take them anyway).

 

[Jo123]

Hi that Would worry me.

I would cut the cheese out and up the extra Virgin olive oil, nuts and avocados,all the healthy fats to lower my ldl and maintain my calories. I would also increase my soya protein, it's low carb and supposed to lower cholesterol levels. I'd also take high strength omega 3 fish oil tablets. I had two blood tests one where I had stopped taking them, had the blood test, then restarted my omega 3 tablets and my cholesterol levels had improved.

 

[4ratbags]

Coincidentally your body produces up to 75% of your cholesterol per day so even slight amounts of cheese etc may be too much for your system.

 

[KK123]

Thank you for all your replies, I will definitely cut out the cheese (which was only a matchbox size lump each day) but yes, for me even that may be too much. I eat at least 100 grams of nuts per day so would struggle to eat more. Bulkbiker, thank you for your reply too as that gives me some hope! I won't take statins at this stage, I think I will review it in a few months. Jo123, I will give the fish oil tabs a try as well. I am trying not to become ridiculously strict with it all but it is hard when the GP looks at you and says 'omg, that's high'!!!!! Thank you all.

 

[Jo123]

When you buy the fish oils look for a high proportion of epa, that's supposed to be best for your heart.

 

[Guzzler]

Here is an interesting lecture on fats and cholesterol and statins.
Up to the 25min mark is on sat fat and the remainder of the hour concerns cholesterol and statin use.
Note the adulteration of data which, imo, is responsiblefor cholesterol as a whole being demonised just about as much as sat fat has been. Note also the 'French Paradigm'.

 

[Speedbird]

This may be of interest.
https://www.dietdoctor.com/watch-the-movie-that-exposes-the-cholesterol-cover-up

 

[NicoleC1971]

Btw another resource to try is Fat Empetor on You Tube and Chilestetol Clarity. Pointing out that the LDl calculation in the UK does not check the crucial ldl particle size and as others have indicated HDl/rriglycerides ratio to be much more imporyant as a risk factor especially for women.

 

[Freema]

I am trying to change from butter and cream to a lot of coconut oil.... just to see what difference that´ll do to my cholesterol levels... as I can see I need to eat more fats to keep my blood glucose low and also as substitute calories instead... hope I'll have taken a new cholesterol sample in 2-4 month to see how that'll change my whole picture... I had a very low level of cholesterol when I ate only 1000 calorie daily... but that I can do eternally... and certainly at the moment.. so see no other way to get cholesterol down again... then to experiment with my food kinds and fat kinds

but there are really a lot of paradoxes going on when it comes to cholesterol levels... it seems drinking full-fat milk normalizes cholesterol level according to this trial/ statistic: https://www.diabetes.co.uk/news/2018/jan/full-fat-milk-improves-cholesterol-levels-90626725.html

 

[bulkbiker]

it is hard when the GP looks at you and says 'omg, that's high'!!!!!

Agreed but then again consider when he last learnt anything about it? 20 years ago? maybe more...

 

[Guzzler]

We should be aware that when you are actively losing weight this can skew cholesterol levels. When weight then stabilises cholesterol levels return to normal (for the individual).