Carnivory and High Cholesterol

(Leslie) #1

Hello! A cholesterol conumdrum: my LDL value is very high after being on a carnivore diet for 6 weeks. Not a good result. High is over 500 total cholesterol; 350 LDL, 102 HDL and 74 Trig.
Is it the carnivory? The LDL numbers were above normal since KETO (3 years), but I was not worried. Now?
Any advice? Back to a plant based diet, or?

(KetoQ) #2

What was your LDL before carnivore diet?

The HDL and Trigs are very good.

What’s the conundrum?

(Leslie) #3

LDL was 250

(Leslie) #4

Total Cholesterol 580. Almost 3x the guideline.

(KetoQ) #5
(Leslie) #6

Thank you. I am printing the Cholesterol Code articles and reviewing. Nuanced subject!

(Roger Morris) #7

What guideline? The ones we shouldn’t be following?

(Roger Morris) #8

6 weeks is very short period to be testing after such a dramatic dietary change. A plant based diet is not the way to go. Please refer to the 2 Dudes podcast from Sunday with Dr. Nadir Ali regarding cholesterol.

(Leslie) #9

The guideline that is printed on the lab report next to the BIG RED NUMBER and the HIGH Flag.

(Leslie) #10

Thank you. I appreciate your note about plant based diet.
Been there, done that: with veg, low cholesterol (Dr. loved that) and high glucose and A1-C (Doctor didn’t care).
Glucose and A1-C nice and low on Keto. (Little higher on carnvivore)

Yes, I listened to Dr. Ali’s podcast and was very impressed.
I will wait on testing per your advice and test again - another 2 months?

(Roger Morris) #11

I would maybe try and wait longer on testing especially if your plan to continue carnivore. I know that with starting a Keto WOE you should wait at least 6 months. I went 9, just to make sure.

(Chris W) #12

I just had a test done after about 18 months carnivore, and my LDL is down a bit from my previous test which was done as I was transitioning from meat heavy keto to full carnivore. Both readings showed somewhat elevated LDL (190ish to 160ish), but I’ve learned not to be overly distressed about either number.

(Leslie) #13

Not overly distressed is good! LDL up from 195 LDL to over 350. “Non LDL” 478. (What does that mean?)
That got my worry attention!
Thank you for your note.

(Bob M) #14

You also may be a hyper-responder:

(Leslie) #15

Yes, thank you. I just noticed (thank you “show me the science”) that my testing parameters are consistent w/possible hyper-reponse.

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #16

And your point would be?

Seriously, though, the trig/HDL ratio is a better marker for cardiovascular risk. Anything under 2.0 is very good, and yours is stunning at 0.72. But if your doctor really wants to know your risk of a heart attack, he or she should order a CAC scan. That’s not a marker for disease, it’s the disease itself.

Some points to ponder: a long-term study of people admitted to the emergency room with their first heart attack showed that the vast majority of them had low cholesterol levels. Several major government-funded studies (among them the Minnesota Coronary Study, the Women’s Health Initiative—hell, even the Framingham study, for God’s sake) showed an inverse association between cholesterol level and risk of cardiovascular disease, especially in women and old people. In other words, higher cholesterol was associated with lower risk.

And lastly, my favorite example is the case of people with familal hypercholesterolemia. A bit more than 50% of them never develop heart disease, never have a heart attack, and die no younger than anyone else. What the ones with FH who do develop cardiovascular disease have in common is genetic mutations that make their blood clot a bit more readily. (They produce “stickier” variants of fibrinogen and factor VIII.)

As Dr. Phinney likes to say, blaming atherosclerosis on cholesterol—a chemical essential for holding cell membranes together, forming the brain, and generating several essential hormones; something so important that if we never ate any, out bodies would still be able to manufacture all they need—is a lot like blaming fires on the the presence of fire trucks.

(Jeff Gilbertson) #17
(Leslie) #18

Thank you so much, Paul. I appreciate your informed answer. I listened to a podcast this weekend w/Peter Attia and Dave Feldman debating the lipid issue/LDL (Peter Attia - Drive). I am a believer in the inexact nature of science regarding lipidology. My LDL has continued to increase since keto (2015) and carnivore (6 weeks). I suppose being older and a woman, higher cholesterol is good. But, how high? My LDL is so high, the lab says it is immeasurable. All those boats carrying energy? Thanks. Keep calm and keto on.

(Brian) #19

I just saw this video last night. It seems like it may be applicable to the conversation.

(Leslie) #20

Thank you Brian. I will watch it. Hoping it adds to our understanding of the “off the chart” LDL and total cholesterol of 580. Show us the science!

Leslie