Cholesterol shot up statins required??

They don't give LDL as its the Total/HDL ratio that is important. As the LDL is just another component of this it doesn't add any more information.

stuffedolive said:

They don't give LDL as its the Total/HDL ratio that is important. As the LDL is just another component of this it doesn't add any more information.

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You should push for that on your results.
You have good figures there.
LDL is a "bad" cholesterol, I'm trying to improve mine.
I get a print out of my bloods each time.
Total 4.6
HDL 1.1
LDL 3.0
ratio total/HDL 4.2
ratio LDL/HDL 2.7

I want my HDL over 1.6, and my LDL below 1.6, so I've a way to go.

LDL is rarely directly observed .The Friedwald formula is the formula usually used for LDL (as long as trigs aren't very high) is
LDL cholesterol = Total cholesterol – HDL cholesterol – Total triglyceride/ 2.19
so in this case LDL = 4.7-1.7-0.5/2.19 = 2.77
formula from
file http://www.bhf.org.uk/idoc.ashx?docid=a ... version=-1

Thanks, I didn't know that was how it was worked out.
I'm trying to get my HDL up, my LDL down, and my triglycerides down.
My LDL target is below 1.6,
HDL target above 1.6
Trig below 0.7

you should be aiming to change the nature of your LDL from the nasty small dense LDLs to the large fluffy LDLs...

But the NHS won't pay for the test that gives you those figures, they just deduce the total LDL from a formula and tell you to cut your total LDL down...

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/35058886/

http://www.mayoclinic.org/news2011-mchi/6264.html

http://www.examiner.com/article/so-you- ... -particles

http://www.johnshopkinshealthalerts.com ... 886-1.html

douglas99 said:

Thanks, I didn't know that was how it was worked out.
I'm trying to get my HDL up, my LDL down, and my triglycerides down.
My LDL target is below 1.6,
HDL target above 1.6
Trig below 0.7

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Douglas99,
I changed my cholesterol makeup without statins (because they nearly destroyed my health) by going lowcarb and changing the fats I ate. I ditched polyunsaturates and ate loads of saturated fats - cream, butter, cheese, fatty meat. I only use olive oil for cooking and I eat a lot of fish - salmon, anchovies, pilchards, sardines, kippers, tuna, and a lot of nuts esp walnuts. I also eat porridge (whole rolled oats). I eat almost no processed food, just chorizo and some dips.
good luck
stuffed'

my cholesterol was 8 so put simvastatin no problems been on about 6 months now.
Was at drs the other day as bad chest infection & he as put me on codiene linctus & erythromycin stearate 250mg so having to stop statins for 10 days destiny

stuffedolive said:

douglas99 said:

Thanks, I didn't know that was how it was worked out.
I'm trying to get my HDL up, my LDL down, and my triglycerides down.
My LDL target is below 1.6,
HDL target above 1.6
Trig below 0.7

Click to expand...

Douglas99,
I changed my cholesterol makeup without statins (because they nearly destroyed my health) by going lowcarb and changing the fats I ate. I ditched polyunsaturates and ate loads of saturated fats - cream, butter, cheese, fatty meat. I only use olive oil for cooking and I eat a lot of fish - salmon, anchovies, pilchards, sardines, kippers, tuna, and a lot of nuts esp walnuts. I also eat porridge (whole rolled oats). I eat almost no processed food, just chorizo and some dips.
good luck
stuffed'

Click to expand...

Why olive oil for cooking?
I agree with you on the processed foods, I avoid them as well.
You're doing well with the porridge, a lot of people find it spikes them badly.
Keep it up, you're doing really well with that diet.

Paul's references are all from the US so are in mg/dl.
I've put in the mmol/l figures in this quote from one of the references

In fact, your doctor can usually predict whether you have small, dense LDL particles based simply on your levels of triglycerides and HDL: Triglyceride levels higher than 120 mg/dL (1.35 mmol/l) and an HDL level below normal :less than 40 mg/dL (1.03mmol/l)in men and less than 50 mg/dL (1.29mmol/l) in women are usually associated with small, dense LDL particles.

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I think that some researchers are beginning to suggest that the number of LDL particles is a better indicator than the type and quality. > Even more recently they have started looking at the type of HDL and whether all types are protective.
Given all that, we aren't going to get any of these things tested so the quote above is probably the best we will be able to get for the moment.

There is a cholesterol convertor here (NB remember to tick whether it is HDL or Trigs/ldl you are converting, they have different factors)

http://www.onlineconversion.com/cholesterol.htm

Douglas, I'm curious as to why you want to try to get your LDL below 1.6mmol/, that is low.
British guidelines for diabetes areas far as I can see:

Total cholesterol below 4.0mmol/l or a 25 per cent reduction
(whichever gives the lower value).
• Low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol below 2.0mmol/l
or a 30 per cent reduction (whichever gives the lower value).

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http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Documents/Ne ... port07.pdf
(that's just about the same as the 80mg/dl often used in the US and elsewhere)

Exercise, monounsaturated fats and soluble fibre seem to help raise HDL and lower LDL

It was suggested on a few US websites that 60/60/60 is the golden number to aim for.

At the moment they're

Triglycerides are 88, (1.0)
HDL 42, (1.1)
LDL 116, (3.0)

so whilst ok, still too close to the bottom levels for me to be happy.

I want my HDL over 1.6, and my LDL below 1.6, so I've a way to go.

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Your HDL target is achievable but I think your LDL target is a tad ambitious on diet alone, you will probably need statins to get anywhere near 1.6

Sorry, should have said I'm on statins.

I heard that Milk Thistle from health food shops is very good for the Liver and reducing cholesterol, I would try it as I want to avoid statins at all costs,
Why don't you google it, and read all about it