High LDL cholesterol

(Sebastian Danko) #1

Hi guys. Ive got my cholesterol level messured and my doctor has recomended t odecrease it as it is too high. Im quite suprised, I have 11% BF and quite active, but I have LDL at 89mg/DL (4,94nmol/L) and total cholesterol at 140mg/Dl (7,64 mol/L). Most saturated fats I eat is from butter and egs, cheese so I do not have much options to lower it with food ( I eat a lot of vegetables)

#2

Are you sure on these numbers?

(Sebastian Danko) #3

Yes I had my blood test done 3 days ago, HDL is at 2 mmol/l(36mg/dl) , triglicelid at 1,17 mmol/L (21mg/dl) so this seems ok . Doctor has recomended to consume more carbs instead of fats…

(Allie) #4

Doctor has no understanding or knowledge about keto…

(Alec) #5

Sebastian
If your numbers are right it is quite preposterous to suggest you should reduce LDL levels from your current 89. Your Dr is absolutely wrong: reducing your LDL from that level is neither the Standard of Care nor is it in any way advisable.

Cholesterol is actually protective, and if you have low cholesterol levels you are at higher risk of All Cause Mortality. If I were you, I would be eating as much saturated fat as I could eat to get my LDL levels up.

Don’t get caught up in the rubbish that it is healthier to have as low LDL as possible. Time to find a new Dr.

(Alec) #6

Sebastian
There is something wrong with your numbers: 140 md/DL = 3.6 mmol/L (not 7.64 mmol/L). Which unit of measure was the actual report in? Can you take a pic of the report and post it so we can see it?
Cheers
Alec

(Sebastian Danko) #7

Hi Alecmcq, I do not have picture I have called the doctor to check Number is 7,64mmol/L for total and 4,94mmol/L LDL.
I have used this calculator https://calculator.academy/mmol-l-to-mg-dl-calculator/

It says 137 md/dl for this number

(Alec) #8

Ok. Your LDL is 191, and your total is 295. Now I understand why your Dr was recommending you should reduce your LDL. That would be a normal response of a classically trained Dr.

They are still wrong. Your cholesterol is just fine, and does not need reducing.

(Sebastian Danko) #9

Are you sure it is fine are you also Doctor? I was suprised to be honest with my activity and eating habits this could be only due to high fat ratio, but this is expected on keto.
191 of what unit? obviously this calculator is different to yours :).
Thank you

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #10

@Sebastian_Danko I think you’re doing just fine and shouldn’t worry.

First off, if you are new to the ketogenic diet, wait until you have been eating that way for at least six months before looking at your bloodwork. Tests taken before then usually show anomalies that later disappear.

Second, there are plenty of solid scientific reasons to distrust the notion that LDL, or cholesterol, or eating saturated fat causes cardiovascular disease. As has already been mentioned, higher cholesterol has been associated with better health outcomes in several large, government-funded studies, studies that were intended to show how bad cholesterol is for us.

At best, we can say that the ratio of triglycerides to HDL bears some relation to our cardiovascular risk (a ratio of 0.9 or less in your units, and a ratio of 2.0 or less in American units implies low risk).

If the numbers in md/dL you originally posted are correct, you are well below the values doctors get alarmed about in the U.S. If the numbers @Alecmcq posted are correct, they are on the high side, but not alarmingly so.

#11

Your trig to HDL level is tremendous. It sounds like you might be a lean mass hyperresponder. If you haven’t looked into Dave Feldman’s research, check it out. I think most of the LMHR were showing LDL of 300+, but with your lean body mass and great HDL and triglycerides, it seems like that might be the case.

(Joey) #12

With all due respect, were you seriously expecting a Doctor to identify her/himself and respond on this forum with a formal medical opinion? This is the internet.

Having said that, your numbers look great. I’m a LMHR and it sounds like you are too. Congratulations!

[DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT A DOCTOR BUT I HAVE SEEN ONE ON TV.]

(Bob M) #13

This is not true. I have been keto since 1/1/14 and have never had “high” LDL (though that number keeps going down every so often). SOME people will get higher LDL, but it’s not due (strictly) to the fat content. It’s likely because LDL is a carrier of energy. Since you are running on fat, your LDL goes up. But not always, because those of us who are still fat use our own fat as an energy source, meaning that LDL does not increase. If you’re lean, that’s where LDL is likely to increase.

(KM) #14

1958 called, they want their medical advice back. I’m totally astonished that Big Med’s whole zombie-like attitude about cholesterol/ saturated fat and its impact on heart health and mortality is apparently STILL stuck in the days of Ansel Keys and his totally political and NEVER PROVEN “diet heart” hypothesis. Studies showing no link or even contradicting the hypothesis have been buried for years because they were “disappointing”. WHAT KIND OF SCIENCE IS THAT?

Unbelievable that this should be a way to save your own life, but please take your health out of your zombie doctor’s hands and research the matter for yourself. :frowning:

(Sebastian Danko) #15

Well , Im on KEto/low carb over 1 year , Im not in ketosis all the time due to higher protein intake (160g at 82kg if exercise over10hours per week), I would need to keep it around 100g to be in ketosis . As I need min 3200 maintenance calories intake , I would not be able to keep and build muscle mass at 100g of protein. In any case thank you for explanation

(Sebastian Danko) #16

Well Im also running on fat, or cycling in zone 2

(Sebastian Danko) #17

thank you I will look at that research

(Allie) #18

And there’s another myth…

(Joey) #19

You have 11% body fat and are highly active. So if you’re not eating carbs for over a year and you’re typing on your computer today you are either (1) in ketosis, or (2) dead. You can decide for yourself which alternative provides the better assessment of your current condition.

(Sebastian Danko) #20

Well I have done my blood test levels and even after 20 hours of fasting I was at 0,4 mmol/L, but If I have power cofee at noon with MTC oil or butter Im at 1,6mmol/L. If I eat just dinner I need to consume 160g of proteins and 3200cal which is not very easy so I prefer to have some lunch