Bloodwork back for life insurance and not so great (USA)

newbies
#1

I started a keto diet about two months ago. I’ve dropped from 267 to 246 pounds (BMI 31.x) so far and that part is going great. I’m trying to get life insurance and I got the blood work tests back with these “out of referenced range” results:

  • ALT - 57 U/L (0-45 reference range)
  • Triglycerides - 228 mg/dL (0-150 reference range)
  • HDL - 25 mg/dL (35-80 reference range)
  • VLDL Cholesterol - 46 mg/dL (1-40 reference range)
  • Cholesterol/HDL Ratio - 7.1 (0-4.99 reference range)

LDL is 107 mg/dL (0-129).

I tried to follow the “Feldman Protocol” with the 3 day high calories and then fasting protocol. But I had a hard time increasing my calories that high and also got distracted on the 3rd day. Next time, I’d plan out the 3 days of meals very carefully and follow it to the letter.

I’m mostly concerned about the high triglycerides. Apparently, this is used to estimate VLDL cholesterol so lowering the triglycerides would likely get that into reference range.

So I feel great. I’m happy with my weight loss. But I would like to get insurance somewhat soon at ideally a better rate (so get these numbers into the reference range).

What do you think I should do to get there? Or should I just pay for a year at bad rates and then switch after hopefully getting these numbers down?

(Crippie) #2

Perhaps you got this backwards?

I believe his protocol is fasting for 3 days and then 3 days of high calorie ketogenic food. like 5000+ calories. If you did do it backwards it would probably give you results you did not want, as fasting right before tends to cause the numbers to go in the bad direction.

#3

It’s a bit confusing but there are 3 different versions on the page here:

I did #1 so it was 3 days of high calorie and then the normal fast before the blood draw.

(VLC.MD) #4

21 lbs !
Amazing … Keep up the good work.

KCKO for the next 18 months.

Feldman what ?

For serious weight loss, Fasting is the best.

Keto until you lose your apptetite, then start skipping meals … and then when you are ready do some broth and coffee only fasting.

Get your blood work done in a year. I’ll bet it’s good.

“I’m trying to get life insurance”

I’d lose the weight first, then apply for insurance. Unless your wife tells you to do it now (personal experience).

(Ernest) #5

2 months is too short to overhaul blood work markers.

(Sjur Gjøstein Karevoll) #6

I lowered my total cholesterol from 7.3 to 4.3 in five weeks when I went keto.

#7

Did you increase HDL or lower LDL?

I think you’re right – how long is long enough though? That is going to vary I’m guessing but 12 months seems good, I wonder if 6 months would be enough or if closer to about 8 months is the minimum to shoot for a retest.

(VLC.MD) #8

Test when you are at your goal weight for 3 months.

As Dr. Fung would say.

You have a weight problem.
You don’t have a nutrient problem or a cholesterol problem.
Focus !

(Sjur Gjøstein Karevoll) #9

I lowered LDL by about half. My HDL had a marginal drop but not something really worth mentioning.

I also did the Feldman protocol by stuffing myself for three days (plus an extra day of ramp up) before the second blood test. By the end of it I was absolutely done with eating and went straight into an extended fast. My doctor also put me on a statin after the first test so that could have worked in. I just had another blood test where I again ate as much as I could, this time without a statin (I got real bad side effects, which is why I was back for the second test so quickly).

In the future I’m not going to do the same and either eat regularly or not at all. I did it this time to get a measurement without the statin as a confounder. I’d also like to try the real Feldman protocol with two tests in short order to see how much I can change my blood cholesterol in just a few days, but that would require I do the tests privately which would be much more expensive.

#10

Oh, I am focused. I’m just getting pressured to get life insurance now. So I’m mulling over my options. But what you write makes sense.

(Michelle) #11

Ask Dave about biohacking for this purpose (getting insurance). Otherwise, I would get a good baseline without any biohacking to see where you are. (just my opinion)

(VLC.MD) #12

If you want to lower your cholesterol for an insurance test … fast for a few days,

Problem is … if you go in dehydrated, your Creatinine will rise … and you’ll be denied insurance because of kidney problems.

(Duncan Kerridge) #13

Didn’t Dave Feldman find the opposite effect to this? After all a few days into a fast you’re likely to have a lot of liberated body fat floating around your system.

Re the original post my results were a bit all over the place testing three months into keto after the initial big weight loss but they had calmed down at six months.

(Duncan Kerridge) #14

How long did you fast for after your last meal before the blood test? And was it water only during that time?

(VLC.MD) #15

Could be !
The whole idea isn’t sound anyway.
I’m going by experience where someone told me how they got great cholesterol readings … fasting for a few days.

Probably depends on the lipid in question, days of fasting, smoking, degree of fat adaptation, insert 20-999 other factors.

(KCKO, KCFO) #16

With the Feldman Protocol, it isn’t just concentrating on fats, it is saturated fats, if you want the kind of results he and others like him are getting. Saturated fats push down the trigs. and up the HDL which is what you are needing. Don’t worry about the LDL, which is pretty good currently. It might go up on you but if the others go down, you are good.

#17

I was aiming for 14 hours but I think it was closer to 12 hours as the blood tester was able to come early. I only drank water during that time.

Sounds good. I have to go figure out what foods to eat to boost saturated fat but I understand.

Maybe but @DaveKeto posts here and it looks like the approach has a good track record so I wouldn’t dismiss it too quickly.

(VLC.MD) #18

@cmv - what are the targets ? How much do you save in premiums ? Will you save 1000 over the year if your LDL is X ?

(Mike W.) #19

I would just get the insurance now. Do you have people relying on you if you die? You can always retest in a year. You also don’t want to be actively losing weight when trying to achieve accurate blood work.

#20

Good question – it’s all relative to the amount being insured for and all of that. In my situation, I think it would be < $600 so I think I will just commit to the first year. I will post back after talking with the agent.

That makes sense and seems like the most practical plan. Thank you.