High LDL Cholesterol Question

cholesterol
(Michael Schneider) #1

Hi! I am new to this forum. I am 64, newly retired and finally have time and energy to focus on my health and staving off the aging process as much as possible :slightly_smiling_face: Have been doing Keto for almost 18 weeks now. I am down 30lbs and feeling great. I just had some blood work done and had a question about what adjustments I should make to my Keto diet to reduce cholesterol. These were my recent numbers:

Total - 212 (high)
Triglycerides - 68 (normal)
HDL - 63 (normal)
VLDL - 14 (normal)
LDL - 135 (high)

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks!

(Bob M) #2

Don’t be concerned. Your HDL and trigs are good, which are relatively good indicators of your metabolic health.

If you’re still concerned, get a coronary arterial calcification (CAC) scan, which is a CT scan of the arteries of your heart. It’s the only thing that gives a concrete risk.

(Davy) #3

Holy cow! What great numbers!! Your total chol. 212 is absolutely nothing to think about let alone worry about. (they’ve found that this Chol. number is way overblown to indicate good health. That was the old misguided science. Above 60, 212 is okay according to new more up to date studies) LDL not to worry either.
Your HDL and trig. numbers are just super! If you must look at only one number, it’s the ratio of Trig. divided by HDL. Trig:HDL Below 3 is okay. Below 2 is ideal. Yours is 1.08 = amazing.
My cholesterol is 199 but my HDL is 44…my trigs 127. (last time checked) So my HDL is a bit low, trigs a bit high. trig:HDL = 2.9 = okay.
Will have been on Keto for a month when I get my next lipids work done, hoping for better numbers. I’m a tad older than you.
So anyway, your numbers are spectacular.

(Jack Bennett) #4

Agree with the other comments. TG:HDL ratio is optimal. TG are very low, HDL is high. You’re right where it’s healthiest!

(Steven Sewell) #5

Been keto for a little over a year. Down roughly 40 pounds and LDL and HDL down. Keep it up.

(Michael Schneider) #6

Thanks all for the responses! That makes me feel much better. I don’t know too much about the cholesterol numbers. Just reacting to “out of normal range” indicators from the lab results. Was hoping I didn’t have to cut back on my bacon :grin:

(Full Metal KETO AF) #7

You should also know your lipid numbers are in flux during your first six months, they are likely to rise quite a bit above pre keto levels. Part of this is free lipids in your blood from metabolizing body fat and fat adaptation still not at peak efficiency. After six months is a much more relevant time to test. You’re body will calm down a bit as it becomes more efficient at utilizing fats. :cowboy_hat_face:

(Bob M) #8

Actually, they’re in flux all the time. Here are my results over the last 6 years:

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(Ellen ) #9

I would give anything to have those numbers. Perfect! Good job.

(Bob M) #10

I would actually like to see my LDL and TC much higher. Alas, the only way to get them higher is to fast multiple days. Only so many times I can do that…

(Ellen ) #11

I’m still a bit brainwashed. My TC 296 and LDL 176. Doc’s mad, I don’t care. I just wish it wasn’t so very high. I’d just feel better. Again, I don’t know why. I just would.

(Bob M) #12

Just do more research. For instance, set out to find a study of women over, say, 60 who experience shorter life spans than those with lower LDL/total cholesterol. Or women in general. Or men over 60. When you do that, gather all the ones you find into piles for and against this. Compare.

See this for instance:

https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/6/6/e010401

A note: the authors are all anti-statin and also anti-LDL causes heart disease.

And then look for high LDL with low trigs (<100) and high HDL (say, >50) and a death rate higher than without those characteristics. For this one, none can be found.

#13

Your numbers are fine, you’re burning stored fat daily, that’s going to show in your numbers. Even with those in the mix 212 is nothing. If you were 13 points less your doctor would be happy, it’s ridiculous.

(Marianne) #14

I thought your numbers were pretty good!

When I had blood work in May after three months of very clean keto, my total was 301 and my LDL was 224. Thankfully, some folks here talked me off the ledge.

Just had new bloodwork in November and my numbers had improved a lot. Going again in January and I expect them to be even better.

KCKO.

('Jackie P') #15

Good advice here. This may be of interest.