I’ve started keto to take control of my health. (Mostly sugar addicted) Been loving it. I got my cholesterol blood work back and wanted to get an opinion of the classroom. “Read doctors notes”
Been doing keto for 2 months
lfod14
#2
Do you know what it was prior? You can’t do cholesterol tests the first couple months on Keto, you haven’t adapted yet, you’re not burning fat efficiently, so that’ll show. Your HDL was most likely low to begin with, you total is only a little high. In the end, standard lipid panels with guessed values aren’t really useful either way. You’d want an NMR to actually show how your cholesterol is doing.
Eric_Costello
(Eric Costello)
#3
This is my 1st blood test in 10 years, 31 now. Going to take another in 3 months. I will do NMR test then.
Just wanted to see if I was gonna keel over. Thank you for the information and insight.
PaulL
(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?)
#4
As Michael says, we don’t recommend worrying about blood tests taken during the first six months of a keto diet. It’s far too early to know how things are going to settle out. Use this test as a baseline, and then retest after the six-month mark.
As far as cholesterol goes, total cholesterol is irrelevant to cardiovascuar risk. The only number that is relevant is the ratio of triglycerides to HDL. If that ratio is 2.0 or under (in U.S. measurements; 0.9 or under in the rest of the world), then your cardiovascular risk is minimal, which you can confirm with a particle size analysis.
Other useful measurements of coronary risk (which is why they are almost impossible to get prescribed) are a CAC (coronary arterial calcium) scan and a CIMT (carotid intima media thickness) scan. Statins will definitely lower cholesterol, but scientific studies have shown that their primary benefit is to raise the annual bonuses of pharmaceutical company executives.
Pjam
(Peter - Don't Fear the Fat )
#7
I love doctors reactions when seeing Ketonists triglycerides numbers. My doctor was in shock hahahah.
My doctor said all the meds available wouldn’t do a tenth as well. You know how much they love their drugs lol