Recommended Blood Tests

newbies

(Olimpo) #1

New to forum. Began Keto 90 days ago. Have lost 30 pounds with increased energy, greater mental acuity (perceived). Background: Myocardial infarction X 5 with 7 stents. Diabetes type II seven years. 60 years of age. Which blood tests should I request be ordered by my PCP to determine important metabolic markers while on this nutrition plan? I would like to drop the statin and all diabetes medications.

Thank you,

Olimpo


(Richard Hanson) #2

Hi Olimp,

I am age 55, was T2D, and no longer take any medications, I was taking eight.

What blood tests? I am doing a1c and standard lipid and kidney function tests. I think tracking your insulin level might be more instructive. I am also thinking about just dropping the lipid test as there there is not any good evidence that the diet-heart hypothesis is true.

This bit is why I am replying. Implicit in this statement is the intention of eventually ending the ketogenic diet. If so, why?

So many wander endlessly in the dietary wilderness never to find the promised land of bacon and butter. I would so hate to see someone who had made the bold choice to eat keto abandon all the tremendous benefits that arise from that decision.

Keto for life!

Best Regards,
Richard


#3

I would say at least a1c, fasting insulin, lipid panel.

The lipid panel so you know what your trig/hdl ratio is. This ratio is now the one to look to for heart disease risk, not total ldl. Read plaque.2keto.com here you’ll find that LDL are actually body guards and high insulin levels is what is causing them to clump up (atherosclerosis).


(Olimpo) #4

Thank you much for your response. At this point, I can’t think of any overwhelming reasons based on evidence that I should cease my keto nutrition plan. It is hard to argue with the results so far, which are very promising.

Respectfully,

Olimpo


(Siobhan) #5

I wouldn’t exactly say that insulin causes LDL to “clump up”, I haven’t really seen evidence of that thus far, but insulin definitely does seem to have a mechanistic role in the whole deal (I have suspicions as to how and why, but I’ll go over that some other time).
Key point is that it appears to be damaged LDL - not healthy - that leads to the formation of foam cells, and a constant onslought of this can eventually lead to athero. From what I’ve seen.

However fasting insulin, Triglyceride:HDL ratio, amount of “pattern B” LDL (small, dense LDL) all seem to track pretty well with over all system health, hsCRP can give some information on your inflammation status, and then your general work up like hba1c and so on.

Of course, also consider what you can get covered. Even just a standard lipid panel, hba1c, fasting insulin, and the rest of the normal workup can give you some good baseline information to see how youre doing. There is another article on cholesterolcode.com which goes over different types of tests and how often it reccomends you get them (at least once, every year etc) that you may find especially helpful.


(Kate Doyle) #6

Help, guys, I’m confused. Although I am on a keto diet for over 3 months this blood glucose levels chart keeps showing me I am on the borderline - 180 mg/dL. How is this possible? I have been very disciplined. Thanks in advance.


#7

To help answer that, give us your keto-stats™! Answer these:

  1. Height, weight, age
  2. How long you’ve been on keto?
  3. Roughly how many calories you’ve been eating a day?
  4. Are you eating 80-120g of protein daily?
  5. Are/were you diabetic? If so, how long?