Cholesterol

[Yppej]

I never paid attention to this, since it was always good, but today got borderline high on my bad cholesterol - 145 LDL with protective HDL at 71.3.

What are your numbers?

I attribute this to my new keto diet which I will be tweaking towards more olives, nuts including coconut and avocadoes and less lacto ovo. I think the 2 eggs a day and real butter on my butternut squash are probably the culprits since I don't eat meat.

[SteveinMN]

I'll find out my numbers tomorrow (first physical since going LCHF). But I'm prepared for a skirmish with my PCP, who wanted to write me an Rx for a statin three months ago.

In my research on various forums concerning diabetes and statin use, I took the following notes. They're text strings I've found on the Internet from sources I believe I can trust (IOW no interpretation on my part).

If your doctor orders a lipid profile without a type A LDL, tell him NO. Better to be considered a difficult patient than to have “hyperlipodemia ” as a permanent diagnoses on your chart. New studies show that you will live longer with high cholesterol than with low, and artificially lowered cholesterol is a free pass to living the rest of your life going to doctors. If your doctor ask what type A LDL is, or why would you want that test, you need to find a new doctor.

You should NOT put much stake in total cholesterol!

The key numbers are Cholesterol:HDL ratio (ideally below 3.5:1) and, perhaps more importantly, Triglyceride:HDL ratio (less than 2 is ideal) since this is predictive of LDL pattern subtypes. This is reflected in the current literature and isn’t at all controversial (except with doctors who don’t keep up with the literature).

In my case, the ratios were 3.3 and less than 1 on a primal diet with lots of saturated fat. Fortunately, my doctor was all on board – especially once I told him my mile time, bench and leg press weights. Then he was asking for details about the diet and training program!

If you can get a more sophisticated blood test, you’ll want to look at LDL pattern A (large, fluffy LDL) and LDL pattern B (small, dense LDL – this is the key risk for [cardiovascular disease]).

Apparently pattern A cholesterol particles are less likely to be involved in creating plaques in blood vessels. I've also read that LCHF can take up to a year before the cholesterol starts moving from pattern B particles to pattern A particles. I'll post again tomorrow once I know more.

[ApatheticNoMore]

Could be menopause etc. though certainly I would try experimenting with diet and see what effect it has, would hardly panic and wouldn't be totally blase, personally I'd try to avoid statins. I usually have good numbers due to high good cholesterol, but I don't go to the doctor every year etc. so ... I'm kind of negligent about getting tested for everything all the time.

[Yppej]

Thank you both. They are not recommending any type of medication because my HDL is at a protective level. I never never heard about types A and B. Good to know.

[JaneV2.0]

A ketogenic diet can cause a temporary uptick in Cholesterol levels. If you're concerned, or want to game the system, try the Feldman approach:
http://cholesterolcode.com/extreme-c...op-experiment/

The last time I had my cholesterol tested (1994?), the total was 175, which I consider low (correlated as low levels are with cancer and depression)--although I'm not really concerned with the number--as I consider it mostly meaningless--I'd want my triglyceride and CRP levels as low as possible.

Keto works best with a healthy amount of saturated fat.

[Rogar]

Yppej, My "bad" cholesterol is a little better than yours, and my good, protective, is slightly worse. About 18 months ago my cholesterol was worse and my doctor was hinting at statins. I eliminated most dairy and meat from my diet and both numbers have improved about 15%. I think I technically still fall into the borderline high region, but my other major health indicators are good and the statin issue has not come up again. Do you exercise a lot?

My take is that there is mainstream cholesterol theory, but it is not quite for certain. I'd have to dig into the science more before taking a statin.

[Williamsmith]

Thanks to pharmaceutical companies advertising and drug pushing.....I have become quite cynical about the need for all these chemical “fixes”. Is here any evidence that all these pills are making us healthier?

[JaneV2.0]

Thanks to pharmaceutical companies advertising and drug pushing.....I have become quite cynical about the need for all these chemical “fixes”. Is here any evidence that all these pills are making us healthier?

I've read that statins might buy you a week or two--probably a week with dementia, rhabdomyolysis, diabetes, depression...
Oops--overly optimistic: https://drmalcolmkendrick.org/2015/1...take-a-statin/

[Teacher Terry]

i will never take a statin.

[catherine]

Thanks to pharmaceutical companies advertising and drug pushing.....I have become quite cynical about the need for all these chemical “fixes”. Is here any evidence that all these pills are making us healthier?

I have been to presentations where doctors have touted statins as a wonder drug, with benefits that go beyond cholesterol-lowering. That was back when Lipitor first came out. My doctor swears by them, and says he tells his parents to take them. I've got really high HDL and borderline LDL, so the HDL pushes my cholesterol up, but most of it is HDL, so I'm not that concerned. He hasn't convinced me to get on the statin bandwagon yet.