Lab Results - I’m concerned

(Todd) #1

I got some Lab work done along with my A1C panel. I’m concerned by my level of triglycerides.

My background:
35 yr old Male
Endurance Athlete (Ironman Triathlete, Avid Cyclist, Runner)
Current Weight: 206.2
I have been Keto since Jan 20th.
Blood Taken 3/22/18

So here’s the numbers:
Cholesterol - 262
Triglycerides - 762 (!!!)
HDL - 24.3
LDL and VLDL considered “invalid when the triglyceride value exceeds 400 mg/dL or the calculated LDL is less than 5 mg/dL.”

A1C is 5.3

Can someone help me dissect this and explain to me why my triglycerides would be so high? I’ll answer any questions you have and provide any additional info if needed.

Thanks Guys!!

(Stacy Blanchard) #2

If I were you I would post these numbers on the cholesterolcode.com and see if you get a response. I would also listen to The Boundless Health podcast in which Dave Feldman is a guest. He is on the podcast twice. The first or earliest one is very informative. Dave Feldman is on many formats including his website I mentioned above and YouTube. Good luck.

(Brian) #3

Just curious, were you fasted for 12 hours before the test?

(Todd) #4

Closer to 10 hrs. Would that make a difference?

(matt ) #5

Did you drink at all in the days before the test? Booze will make your trigs go way up

(Chris) #6

Walk us through what you eat.

(Brian) #7

10 shouldn’t be so bad. I keep thinking I’ve heard that 12 to 14 might be the optimum but not positive of that number. That’s not far from 10.

Did you have coffee during that time? I’ve heard that it can skew the results. Also, as Matt said, alcohol previous to the test can make a difference. Fasting or eating very low fat before the test can alter the results.

We think of those numbers as very “fixed” when in reality, they are pretty easily skewed, and not always in the way we might think they would be. They’re a snapshot in time. It may be representative of things in general or not very representative at all.

If they were my results, I think I’d be inclined to pay very close attention to about a week before the test and repeat.

(Chris W) #8

So how long ago was your last endurance event?

What is your BF%

Do you have results pre keto?

(Todd) #9

I’m replying to a few of you so please bear with me…

I didn’t have any alcohol. I don’t drink at all so that wouldn’t be the issue.

I have found over the years that I do best when I meal prep and take any thought process out of what I’m going to eat every day by just eating the same thing for a week more or less. When I wake up I’ll either fast until around noon or I’ll eat 2-3 eggs, 2-3 strips of bacon and an avocado with a “Keto coffee”. For “lunch” I’ll eat a small fatty steak, chicken thighs or pork chops with a strip or 2 of bacon and a load of broccoli or asparagus or a mix of those with some butter. I’ll also have an avocado at lunch if I didn’t eat earlier. Dinner is typically a piece of chicken or fish with broccoli, asparagus or zucchini with a few strips of bacon or a cheese stick. This is a typical day. I drink a lot of water and will do anywhere from 45 mins to 3+ hours of exercise a day depending on what my training planning is calling for.

My last endurance event I competed in was in Sept of 2017. I am registered for Ironman Boulder in June of this year and that is driving my training at the moment. Most weeks my training volume is around 8-12 hours with my peak training weeks hitting 16-18 hrs.

My body fat % is right around 16.5% according to testing at the gym using calipers and electronic means and averaged the 2 together. I’m 6’ tall and 206 this morning.

I don’t have any results pre keto, unfortunately.

I agree with Bellyman - I think I’ll see if I can get another test lined up and really focus on my eating for the week prior and see what happens.

I also posted in the ‘Cycling’ forum a month or so ago and described this overwhelming craving for sugar (candy bars, soda) when I finish longer or more intense bike rides. I don’t get it when I run which is interesting but when I ride - it triggers hard. Most of the time I can satiate it by having some fat. Other times I can’t.

Thank You!

(Vincent Hall) #10

I have very high triglycerides as well from a test a few weeks back,
Keto for 14 months.
I did 11 hrs fasted,
Ive since realized that in my case, not enough recovery and too much stress could be a big factor. I may also not be to good at using fat for fuel for some reason (probably the above reasons) . I’m currently off keto as of Monday 9th April, burning carbs as Im around 150 grams net a day, not too concerned.
Once I’ve recovered and reduced stress levels, I will get another test done to see what levels are like, then depending if I really need to try keto again.
Depending on whether visceral fat starts to return or not.
Im interested in your outcome as well though I was worried at 219 for trigs. 2. 47mm/L
\v/

(Chris W) #11

Just my 2 cents but if you are pushing hard your body will also respond in that manner, your lipids are gong to go up to fix problems if needed and provide the energy in more ready state. So if you took that test on a off day of exercise I would expect them to be higher, although that I must admit is out there.

(Todd) #12

I agree it’s out there.

I found this thread and wanted to share this with you guys and this will lead into what I’ll describe next - Triglycerides and fat burning

When I had this panel taken was the day I returned from being off for about 8 days from work with an undiagnosed bacterial infection of some kind. I say undiagnosed because the 3 Dr’s I saw couldn’t give me a straight answer but they all thought it may have been cellulitis. This thing kicked my butt pretty bad for about 4 days. I didn’t eat anything for 5 solid days and was low carb with my eating when I could eat again. I was on antibiotics at the time and still not feeling the best. After reading the thread I posted above I’m thinking this may have been a major player in my high trigs. I didn’t think that an illness could have an impact on that number, considering I was clearly in ketosis.

I have contacted my physician and asked for another panel in the next week and will log all of my food intake as accurately as I can and take the 2 days off of exercise leading up to the blood draw to get a more accurate number and go from there. Thoughts?

(Vincent Hall) #13

Body fighting infection and illness is a big stressor and I bet inflammation was pretty high as well. All that plus your meds can’t help with an accurate reading.
I would make sure you’re fully recovered and feeling on top form before doing another test.
A week doesn’t seem like long enough to me, but it’s up to you of course.
Report back won’t you?
\v/

(Todd) #14

I agree a week isn’t long enough but the upcoming test will be almost a full month after the test I’m referencing here by the time it comes around. I will absolutely share the results when I get them back.

I’ve been doing some research on other markers on the test and all my inflammation markers were through the roof as well so that must have been what drove the high trigs. I’m wondering if they realistically push them that high though?

(Todd Allen) #15

I think that is a great first step. Though it may take more time to drop to your baseline.

I’d also look into vitamin B3, aka niacin, specifically in the form nicotinic acid (or nicotinamide riboside if you have too much money) - avoid non-flushing/slow release forms. NA can both lower the release of fatty acids and can boost NAD a needed catalyst of the citric acid cycle.

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #16

This video will explain it all. Dave Feldman (@DaveKeto) has been researching the effect of various eating patterns on the cholesterol levels of people whom he calls hyper-responders: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8pybQjVeiQ

(Todd) #17

Thank You Paul!! That was very informative and describes my situation. You’re the man.

(Bunny) #18

That is an awesome video!