Lipid Panel High since starting Keto

#1

Hi Everyone,
I have not posted here yet… Hope this is ok to ask :slight_smile:

I started Keto in January. I am new, very NEW. I have done some research on my own and so far lost about 10lbs. maybe more, I am not sure. I am almost 47. I was concerned about being on a high carbs and sugar in my diet and of also continuing down the road of getting bigger and obesity is common in my family.

I recently went to the Dr and it turns out that all of my Lipid panel is very high.
total chol 256
hdl 50
ldl 187
non hdl 206
triglycerides was normal at 81

Should I be concerned? I have always been a bit high on Chol around 200-210 but now this is sky high. My dr recommended low fat diet of course. She also mentioned that KETO is a “fad” and that I have to becareful of Acidosis, (I do take an electrolyte supplement daily)
I also use MCT OIL and Heavy cream in my coffee (not butter)
I read online that NOT using MCT oil will help lower it.
I have not been exercising and sit at a desk all day, not sure it matters, but I was a runner, just have not run since having a child, who is now 5 :frowning:

Some health background. My dad has diabetes and takes insulin, I also had diabetes while pregnant, my dad has a fast thyroid and my mom has a slow thyroid (she is considered obese) Not sure this is necessary information, but hope someone can give me some correct information. Or lead me to something I can read.

Thank you
jennifer

(Alec) #2

No. Your cholesterol is just fine. Lots of studies have shown that higher cholesterol simply does not cause cardio vascular disease. It is a medical myth.

Your dr is completely wrong, clearly does not understand the keto diet. I would be finding a new dr.

(Jane) #3

Completely ignorant of the keto diet. Unless you are a Type 1 Diabetic (in which case you would be injecting insulin every day via needles or a pump to survive) you have nothing to worry about with high ketones in your urine or blood.

Your lipid panel looks fine.Your normal triglycerides is more important than cholesterol numbers.

My great-grandparents ate nothing but saturated fats on a daily basis and heart disease was unheard of in their generation. Of course they had no idea what their cholesterol was :wink:

(Omar) #4

the main thing is that the triglycerides looks great.

(Carl Keller) #5

Ditto what those above me have said. I just want to say that people with “low” cholesterol numbers end up in the ER with heart attacks all the time. Cholesterol has been falsely blamed for too long for being the cause because it’s often found in high concentrations in damaged arteries. As many informed experts in the field of cholesterol like to say, It’s like blaming firemen for fires.

There’s a ton of useful information in this thread:

https://www.ketogenicforums.com/t/blood-test-results-and-statin-indication/80172

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #6

Do you by any chance know what your HbA1C is? (Just curious.)

Your ratio of triglycerides to HDL is 1.62, and anything under 2.0 is great. At 256, your total cholesterol is high only in the mind of a statin manufacturer. (Of course, now that the last statin patent has expired, we’ll be hearing much less about statins, and the conversation will move on to PCSK-9 inhibitors.)

As people have mentioned already, there is surprisingly little evidence to show that elevated cholesterol is a risk factor for heart disease. In fact, there is actually evidence that higher cholesterol levels are statistically linked to lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

Cholesterol operates as part of the immune system, and helps to heal infections. The membranes of our cells are mostly made of cholesterol, and so is much of our brain. It is also part of the body’s mechanisms for repairing arterial damage, so in reality, blaming heart disease on cholesterol is very much like blaming fires on fire trucks.

Ketoacidosis is a big concern for Type I diabetics, because it’s dangerous, possibly fatal, and it happens if they forget to take their insulin. As long as your pancreas is capable of producing insulin, you are fine.

As for MCT oil, use it or don’t use it, as you see fit. I personally don’t see the value of it, but that’s just me. It’s certainly not going to hurt you (unless you get too much and have a freak accident while rushing to the toilet, lol!).

A lot of people find that a ketogenic diet improves their thyroid numbers. I doubt that keto can fully cure thyroid trouble, but it does seem to help. Hypothyroidism and diabetes run rampant on both sides of my family, but my blood work has completely returned to normal on keto. I know that keto hasn’t cured my sister’s hypothyroidism, but she certainly appears to be doing better.

#7

Thank you all for your help!! I really appreciate it…

I use MCT oil with Collegen in it. called Perfect Keto and put it in my coffee. I noticed it keeps me full longer and makes me energetic. And it is considered a healthy fat, right? This one with Collagen, has only 4 grams of fat, mixed with MCT oil and also Collagen, protein, and other minerals and vitamins
I love the taste. I guess I do not NEED it, but it has helped so far with my energy. When working out, it will help A LOT. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/mct-oil-benefits#section8 I have several articles like this one about MCT oil

My HbA1c is 5.2 normal being less than 5.7
my TSH was 3.45 and the range is .40-4.50 so it is normal but for me, I wonder if this is on the high side, for Hypothyroid.

Anyone know of a great dr in NYC who understands this diet? haha I am thinking all dr will tell me the same thing.

(Anne) #8

My cholesterol was always super high, even as a little kid. Of course I have celiacs and wasnt diagnosed till 25! Cholesterol dropped dramatically after I stopped eating gluten, because i wasn’t causing that massive systemic inflammation all the time in my system.
I agree with others that cholesterol was made into a boogy man and severely oversimplified and misunderstood. Your triglycerides and ratios are just fine. And if you’re happy and satiated using keto creamer stuff that’s great!