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LCHF diet - effect on Cholesterol levels?

oldgreymare said:
Total cholesterol level doesn't really give much guidance - other than this should be below 4.0 for high cardiac risk patients(ie. diabetics). You should check if your doctor has your breakdown to HDL-C, LDL-C and triglycerides. HDL-C is the good cholesterol and typically you want levels as high as possible. LDL-C and triglycerides ideally as low as possible.

Unfortunately it is still a common myth that dietary cholesterol is the major cause of high blood lipids. In fact carbohydrates are a bigger factor especially for raised triglycerides and implicated in low HDL-C levels. But some find that LDL-C can stay high or rises slightly on LCHF.

At diagnosis as Type 1 my total Cholesterol was 7.74, HDL-C 1.58 (should be > 1.00), LDL-C 5.44 (should be < 2.60) and Triglycerides 1.53 (should be < 2.30).

After a few years mostly low carbing my LDL-C is often still over optimum level, say 3.0, while HDL-C is always above 2.50 and triglycerides under 0.70. Key ratio of Total C /HDL-C under 2.25 (should be < 4.50). Unfortunately not total consensus among doctors which numbers matter most - some still monitor LDL-C as most important (hence those statins prescriptions...), other prefer to track Total cholesterol to HDL-C ratio.
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Thanks for this oldgreymare :) ive got my breakdown now and put it below. My triglyceride and LDL levels are too high from that and HDL too low. Im going to add some Omega 3 to my diet to help the triglyceride level for a start and see if the increased fibre from all the veg also helps. i didnt think i ate very high saturated fats as i am vegetarian, but i have gone a bit mad on the greek yogurt and cheese since i started the diet i suppose. I might moderate it a bit... but then again i have to eat something :(
 
SamJB said:
My cholesterol sky rocketed after I started low carbing, total went up to 7. Lots of people on here argue about whether high cholesterol causes heart disease or not. I try to err on the side of caution as I think there's conflicting evidence. What happened to me was that my gall bladder became blocked by gall stones, caused by excessive fat consumption.

It's because I took the mickey with fats; over eating butter, cheese etc. The lack of decent dietary advice from the NHS was the cause of this. You'd think that dieticians would be able to advise more than one type of diet, but hey ho.

It's actually easy to keep your lipid levels under control and low carb. I replaced carbs with veg, seeds and nuts. Only eat so-called good fats. My total cholesterol is now back to normal and my HDL is a lot higher.

The bottom line is that a high HbA1c is hugely excessive risk indicator of heart disease, than high cholesterol levels. So if low carbing gives you a good HbA1c, but a higher cholesterol level, then you've done well.
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Hi Sam, I think ive been doing the same.. taking the mick lol, going overboard on the dairy, as i got quite panicky about the change in diet the first couple of weeks and comfort ate on cheese and greek yogurt. Its a good point you make about the gall bladder, as i have had a bit of trouble with this over the years, dont want to spark that off... I do eat a lot more veg, seeds and nuts now in place of carbs and i'll be a bit more careful with the high fat dairy i think. Im glad your levels are okay now, and thanks for the advice, it does help :)
 
Mud Island Dweller said:
Spiker nhs say eat low fat you know how anal they are...EISH

Anyhow will take upto 6 months for your choleatrol to turn round on lchf. On high carb your ldl is small tight sticky bad news
On lchf your ldl is big and fluffy and cleans the arteries.
Not read the link just woke up brain not fully connecting but lot of info out there though
l refused statins my numbers for each going the way of the forecast.

look up scientific papers and cholestrol low carb high fat

A you need cholestrol to digest fat
B They do not measure cholestrol (except l understand in huge scientific expensive tests) they measure the carrier and extrapolate in nirmal cholestrol tests.
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I like the 'small tight sticky and big and fluffy' bit :D it might help me remember which is which. i didn't realize it could take up to 6 months to turn around on the lchf , i will try and be patient... thanks M.I.D :)
 
Indy51 said:
Just read an interesting blogpost about this today:
http://authoritynutrition.com/low-carb-diets-and-cholesterol/
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This is a very interesting link Indy, thank you. I've just given it a bit of time and its quite in depth tho easy to follow. It mentions things i hadnt come across before such as the LDL-p (LDL particle number) and reasons why cholesterol sometimes goes up on a lo carb diet. A lot of food for thought there , still digesting it . Ohh i mentioned food.... :(
 
I also posted a link to a really interesting video on the subject of interpreting cholesterol test results on another thread, but this also seems like a logical thread for it, so I'll add it here too since people don't always get around to reading every topic:


The main ratio to concern yourself with is the Triglyceride/HDL-C ratio. I'm pretty sure a lot of the advanced testing the USA use for cholesterol (like particle size/number) isn't available in the UK, Australia & NZ.
 
sheebee said:
Thanks for this oldgreymare :) I've got my breakdown now and put it below. My triglyceride and LDL levels are too high from that and HDL too low. Im going to add some Omega 3 to my diet to help the triglyceride level for a start and see if the increased fibre from all the veg also helps. i didnt think i ate very high saturated fats as i am vegetarian, but i have gone a bit mad on the greek yogurt and cheese since i started the diet i suppose. I might moderate it a bit... but then again i have to eat something :(
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Glad to be of help. :)
May I suggest don't worry about LDL too much if still early into LCHF and especially if your weight is dropping - LDL can rise. Aim to improve trigs and HDL - the more you can reduce carb intake the easier this will be. Also you're 100% right you need to eat - LCHF is not about starvation rations! Many LCHF protocols aim to have 2/3rds or more of calories from fat. Saturated fat iin moderation s not necessarily bad - recent review of old studies have shown it is NOT a major contributor to heart disease (though note you mention you've had some gallbladder issues? if yes, then need to monitor fat effect). Transfat is absolute no-no and is in almost all processed food... If you can't take fishoil omega 3 supplements, then flaxseed (linseed) is by far the best vegetable source - walnuts the best nut source. Unfortunately with omega 3 its not just levels in isolation - omega 6 : omega 3 ratio matters and many plant sources overload omega 6. For cooking - olive, safflower and rapeseed (canola) oils are considered good - but cornoil, sunflower and soya oils are too high in omega 6.

Also consider if you could be Vitamin D deficient - quite common in diabetics. D3 supplements are helpful (don't bother with D2). But best is 30 min daily exposure to bright daylight or sunshine with no sunblock!

Good LCHF resource is this Swedish doctor's site : http://www.dietdoctor.com/
 
sheebee said:
The initial booklet the gp gives out offers only general quidelines eg the Eatwell Plate. Also a negative comment from the nurse regarding cream cheese! got me questioning the LCHF diet. Since then i was given a booklet by British Heart Foundation which although small, i found very helpful. It breaks down the different types of lipids and what increases and decreases what: http://tinyurl.com/o4v9jcf . So as you say, its not the total cholesterol its a lot more complicated, but i feel im a bit more educated on it now and have a few plans to work on getting the triglyceride and LDL level down.

My mother had type 2 diabetes and suffered from strokes from the age of 64 so that is why i am making sure i am doing this right.
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Disappointed but not surprised that the BHF booklet makes no mention of the effect of CARBOHYDRATES on cholesterol levels. :(
 
oldgreymare said:
Glad to be of help. :)
May I suggest don't worry about LDL too much if still early into LCHF and especially if your weight is dropping - LDL can rise. Aim to improve trigs and HDL - the more you can reduce carb intake the easier this will be. Also you're 100% right you need to eat - LCHF is not about starvation rations! Many LCHF protocols aim to have 2/3rds or more of calories from fat. Saturated fat iin moderation s not necessarily bad - recent review of old studies have shown it is NOT a major contributor to heart disease (though note you mention you've had some gallbladder issues? if yes, then need to monitor fat effect). Transfat is absolute no-no and is in almost all processed food... If you can't take fishoil omega 3 supplements, then flaxseed (linseed) is by far the best vegetable source - walnuts the best nut source. Unfortunately with omega 3 its not just levels in isolation - omega 6 : omega 3 ratio matters and many plant sources overload omega 6. For cooking - olive, safflower and rapeseed (canola) oils are considered good - but cornoil, sunflower and soya oils are too high in omega 6.

Also consider if you could be Vitamin D deficient - quite common in diabetics. D3 supplements are helpful (don't bother with D2). But best is 30 min daily exposure to bright daylight or sunshine with no sunblock!

Good LCHF resource is this Swedish doctor's site : http://www.dietdoctor.com/
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thank you so much, looks like there is some very good advice there. i will definitely get some linseed oil supplement for the omega, i didnt know that about the balance of 3 and 6, and i have got some walnuts which i love :). I'll get some vit D3 tabs too in the absence of our British sun! I havent read the link yet but i'll have a go this afternoon, and save it in my folder.
 
l put up info in a seperate thread but will repeat here. lt is dangerous to get suppliments and take them you need to have a blood test which will give Vit D levels. lt is linked to calcium balance as well and immune system.
Diabetes is linked to immune systems. lf you are low as many are you will be put on very high inital doses then lower doses. At +/- 1month another blood test should be done to say what your levels are.
l am on a hold with another test soon to see if l am maintaining or loosing my Vit D

Vit in general should only be taken as food fish meat eggs veg etc unless medical evidence states otherwise as often they interact and esp. in those whose bodies like ours have a problem it can cause imbalances.
 
ah ok MID , didnt know about that, thanks. I will ask when i see the D Nurse on Monday.
 
Mud Island Dweller said:
l put up info in a seperate thread but will repeat here. lt is dangerous to get suppliments and take them you need to have a blood test which will give Vit D levels. lt is linked to calcium balance as well and immune system.
Diabetes is linked to immune systems. lf you are low as many are you will be put on very high inital doses then lower doses. At +/- 1month another blood test should be done to say what your levels are.
l am on a hold with another test soon to see if l am maintaining or loosing my Vit D

Vit in general should only be taken as food fish meat eggs veg etc unless medical evidence states otherwise as often they interact and esp. in those whose bodies like ours have a problem it can cause imbalances.
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Your personal opinion is your personal opinion. But the Vitamin D Council don't happen to agree with you. Here is their article on Vitamin D deficiency and who is likely to have it:

http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/about-vitamin-d/am-i-deficient-in-vitamin-d/

Anyone living at latitudes like the UK is unlikely to ever be able to get enough Vitamin D just by diet and sun exposure.

I do however agree that people should be tested first. However, just recently someone on this board reported asking their GP for testing and was refused. What are they supposed to do then?

I don't think anyone who hasn't been tested should be taking massive doses, but I see nothing wrong with 1,000-2,000 iu per day or every other day.

However, I'd suggest people take a combination of Vitamin D3/Vitamin K2 to avoid problems with calcium. There is a book called "The Calcium Paradox" if people want to learn more.
 
Indy51 said:
Your personal opinion is your personal opinion. But the Vitamin D Council don't happen to agree with you. Here is their article on Vitamin D deficiency and who is likely to have it:

http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/about-vitamin-d/am-i-deficient-in-vitamin-d/

Anyone living at latitudes like the UK is unlikely to ever be able to get enough Vitamin D just by diet and sun exposure.

I do however agree that people should be tested first. However, just recently someone on this board reported asking their GP for testing and was refused. What are they supposed to do then?

I don't think anyone who hasn't been tested should be taking massive doses, but I see nothing wrong with 1,000-2,000 iu per day or every other day.

However, I'd suggest people take a combination of Vitamin D3/Vitamin K2 to avoid problems with calcium. There is a book called "The Calcium Paradox" if people want to learn more.
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I said to my diabetes nurse that i had heard diabetics can be short of Vitamin D and what did she think about having a test for it. She said that there is not much evidence to back this up and that i should just carry on as i am as i eat a good diet being vegetarian.
 
@sheebee I don't see what being a vegetarian has to do with vitamin D. I think your nurse is very wrong. There are very few foods that contain it. This is what the NHS says:

Good sources of vitamin D
We get most of our vitamin D from sunlight on our skin. The vitamin is made by our body under the skin in reaction to summer sunlight. However, if you are out in the sun, take care to cover up or protect your skin with sunscreen before you turn red or get burnt.
Vitamin D is also found in a small number of foods. Good food sources are:
  • oily fish, such as salmon, sardines and mackerel
  • eggs
  • fortified fat spreads
  • fortified breakfast cereals
  • powdered milk
 
thanks Bluetit....only eggs there then that i eat, i'll have a look at a lowish dose of Vitamin D3/Vitamin K2 i think. I did roll my sleeves up and my trousers for 10 mins in the sun yesterday... but i dont have much faith that i created much Vit D! Did i see somewhere that i might need Niacin too?
 
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