My Cholesterol Journey

[LindsayJane]

I have the results of my full chlesterol and lipid panel and would just like a little help understanding them please:

triglycerides - 1.8, (down from 4)

LDL - 7.1 (up from 4.6)

HDL - 1.70 (up from 1.5)

total cholesterol divided by HDL total :- 9.6 / 1.7 = 5.6 (Should be below 5)

The triglycerides and HDL I think are OK but the LDL needs some encouragement in the downward direction. The changes have all taken place since November last year when I was first diagnosed T2 and since starting on LCHF in January this year. Any comments would, as always be much appreciated.

 

[bulkbiker]

I'll start with the usual questions.
Had you fasted for at least 10 hours before the blood was taken? And had you been doing any extended fasting in the week before the blood draw?

 

[LindsayJane]

I'll start with the usual questions.
Had you fasted for at least 10 hours before the blood was taken? And had you been doing any extended fasting in the week before the blood draw?

I hadn't eaten since 7pm the previous evening (test was taken at 9:50) and I was well hydrated. No to extended fasting.

 

[Cocosilk]

I have the results of my full chlesterol and lipid panel and would just like a little help understanding them please:

triglycerides - 1.8, (down from 4)

LDL - 7.1 (up from 4.6)

HDL - 1.70 (up from 1.5)

total cholesterol divided by HDL total :- 9.6 / 1.7 = 5.6 (Should be below 5)

The triglycerides and HDL I think are OK but the LDL needs some encouragement in the downward direction. The changes have all taken place since November last year when I was first diagnosed T2 and since starting on LCHF in January this year. Any comments would, as always be much appreciated.

Have you seen Dave Feldman's experiments with Low Carb High Fat diets and how it affects cholesterol?

 

[LindsayJane]

Have you seen Dave Feldman's experiments with Low Carb High Fat diets and how it affects cholesterol?

Watching it now.... thank you x

 

[bulkbiker]

I hadn't eaten since 7pm the previous evening (test was taken at 9:50) and I was well hydrated. No to extended fasting.

OK thanks for that..
As you've only been low carbing for a short while and I'm guessing are losing weight? Your cholesterol numbers are quite likely to be all over the place as stored fat becomes mobilised and is being used for fuel so your high LDL should be indicative of this process. Although this is sometimes miscalled "bad cholesterol" it's not necessarily a problem.
The main indicator of possible future heart problems is currently thought to be your Triglyceride/HDL ratio. The ideal number is under 0.87 and yours current stands at 1.06 which is ok but not wonderful yet. In your shoes I'd be tempted to wait another 6 months and let low carb work its magic then get a retest and see what has happened. In older women higher numbers have been seen to be protective so I personally wouldn't be concerned at all.

 

[LindsayJane]

OK thanks for that..
As you've only been low carbing for a short while and I'm guessing are losing weight? Your cholesterol numbers are quite likely to be all over the place as stored fat becomes mobilised and is being used for fuel so your high LDL should be indicative of this process. Although this is sometimes miscalled "bad cholesterol" it's not necessarily a problem.
The main indicator of possible future heart problems is currently thought to be your Triglyceride/HDL ratio. The ideal number is under 0.87 and yours current stands at 1.06 which is ok but not wonderful yet. In your shoes I'd be tempted to wait another 6 months and let low carb work its magic then get a retest and see what has happened. In older women higher numbers have been seen to be protective so I personally wouldn't be concerned at all.

Phew - thank you! I have an appointment with the doctor on Monday and I'm expecting him to offer me statins - I don't want statins and hope he doesn't prove too argumentative. Logic had led me to believe that LDL woud increase at first - I am losing weight so therefore my fat cells are smaller and will be pushing stuff out into the boodstream for my liver to take care of.... is that a correct analogy?

 

[bulkbiker]

Phew - thank you! I have an appointment with the doctor on Monday and I'm expecting him to offer me statins - I don't want statins and hope he doesn't prove too argumentative. Logic had led me to believe that LDL woud increase at first - I am losing weight so therefore my fat cells are smaller and will be pushing stuff out into the boodstream for my liver to take care of.... is that a correct analogy?

Exactly.. it's really too early to tell and most low carbers usually don't have the tests done until 6 months down the line so yours could be a bit early. Just tell the doc you want to try dietary changes to lower your cholesterol (even though you don't really need to) if they bring up the statin thing. More and more evidence is showing that statins are quite dangerous little blighters and best avoided whatever your doctor may think of your levels.

If you want to delve very deep... here's one I and many others prepared earlier..

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/cholesterol-and-statins.156985/

 

[LindsayJane]

Exactly.. it's really too early to tell and most low carbers usually don't have the tests done until 6 months down the line so yours could be a bit early. Just tell the doc you want to try dietary changes to lower your cholesterol (even though you don't really need to) if they bring up the statin thing. More and more evidence is showing that statins are quite dangerous little blighters and best avoided whatever your doctor may think of your levels.

If you want to delve very deep... here's one I and many others prepared earlier..

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/cholesterol-and-statins.156985/

Thank you so much - it's good to know I still have a brain that works! I shall resist statins and also the temptation of a knee jerk reaction against eating cheese! This has helped a lot - have a lovely, carb-free day x

 

[bulkbiker]

Thank you so much - it's good to know I still have a brain that works! I shall resist statins and also the temptation of a knee jerk reaction against eating cheese! This has helped a lot - have a lovely, carb-free day x

Don't worry about the cheese. Well not yet anyway!
If your doctor does get nasty Dave Feldman does have a protocol for lowering your LDL level back to more "normal" levels through eating an immense amount of fat for 3 days before the blood is drawn. Because all the fat is from the food your blood LDL levels would drop quite dramatically or so his subjects have found. But I thin kits way too early for that.

 

[Guzzler]

Here is a four minute video on why weight loss can skew LDL figures.

 

[Listlad]

LDL - 7.1 (up from 4.6)

HDL - 1.70 (up from 1.5)

total cholesterol divided by HDL total :- 9.6 / 1.7 = 5.6 (Should be below 5)
.

My LDL/HDL is 5.1 so we are close. Got mine yesterday.

 

[LindsayJane]

My LDL/HDL is 5.1 so we are close. Got mine yesterday.

But we'll crack it though....

 

[bulkbiker]

@LindsayJane

 

[Listlad]

But we'll crack it though....

I think so. I eat lots of cheese at the moment and nuts. Hopefully come good in the end.

 

[Cocosilk]

@LindsayJane

What's the solution once you have an accumulation of sugar-damaged LDL cholesterol lining your blood vessels if they can't leave the body by the normal route?

 

[bulkbiker]

What's the solution once you have an accumulation of sugar-damaged LDL cholesterol lining your blood vessels if they can't leave the body by the normal route?

Good question.. I'd imagine some fasting for autophagy would be likely to recycle some of them....

 

[LindsayJane]

Just by means of an update - Doctor is happy for me to continue trying to resolve through diet. Statins were discussed but not pushed. LCHF (and ketosis) is the way forward, apparently. Nice man, my doctor .
Thank you again for all your input - much appreciated.
Peace, love and happiness to you all x

 

[Caeseji]

Just by means of an update - Doctor is happy for me to continue trying to resolve through diet. Statins were discussed but not pushed. LCHF (and ketosis) is the way forward, apparently. Nice man, my doctor .
Thank you again for all your input - much appreciated.
Peace, love and happiness to you all x

This makes me so happy to see, a supportive GP! You're going from strength to strength there!

 

[bulkbiker]

Just by means of an update - Doctor is happy for me to continue trying to resolve through diet. Statins were discussed but not pushed. LCHF (and ketosis) is the way forward, apparently. Nice man, my doctor .
Thank you again for all your input - much appreciated.
Peace, love and happiness to you all x

Sounds like a GP to be nourished.. well done for finding..