Safe altervatives to Statins

(Denise) #1

I figured I’d put up a new thread on statins since the newest one seemed to be Feb. 2024.

I’ve had a couple of Lipid tests done in the last 2 years, and both over 500, and last one was the biggest so far at 578. I have a new doc since I moved and she actually called me on the phone concerned about my Total cholesterol, as well as my ldl. I think she was surprised at how calm I was toward the numbers.

I haven’t worried for a long time as it’s been suggested here, plus videos-doctors, telling us it’s all a big lie, basically.

I asked my doc if she knew of alternatives to statins and the only one she mentioned was Red Yeast, which I looked into at one time and didn’t like the sound of it. I think it’s a “rice” if I remember right, and I didn’t want that due to my low-carb keto.

So I want to ask, if anyone else “today” has a high number like mine, or had, after finding some way to bring those numbers down. Sorry if anyone is tired of seeing me ask/worry about cholesterol, but it’s my body I’m dealing with here.

Dr. Ken Berry, who I sort of respect, said for sure, that a keto diet will eventually bring my cholesterol to a normal range, whatever that is. Well, I’ve been doing Keto, religiously, for 4 years now and all my numbers have done is go up.

If there is any new data, or anyone “finally” found a way to bring theirs down, or, if you are doing just fine with a number like mine, I’d love to hear from you. I’m flagging @Geoffrey because I read a post of his, on how he used to take statins, I may have read wrong, but I’d like to know if he, or anyone else, found an alternative??

Thanks much, Denise :wink:

#2

I had a private test showing my numbers were up too but triglycerides were good. I haven’t shared this with my NHS GP though. I’m interested to see anybody’s suggestions too.

(Denise) #3

Yes, my trigs are pretty good, at 1.8. I guess the closer to 1 the better. My doc didn’t comment on my trigs. I’m convinced doctors are more focused (some docs I mean) on getting statins out at the first sign of what appears a high cholesterol.

It’s frustrating to me to see 2 opinions that differ so, very much. Paul Mason for one, seems to have excellent information, hard “not” to believe, it’s why I won’t take a statin, so far. The worst part is the lack of knowledge coming from conventional medicine, about the “differing opinions”. They don’t even know who Paul Mason is, but they smirk at anything we may find online :thinking:

(Joey) #4

TLDR: The most likely explanation for elevated LDL/Tot Cholesterol when someone is on a materially carb-restricted diet is that these particles provide a glimpse into all that healthy energy coursing through one’s veins.
. . . . . . . . . . . .

Whether it’s something to worry about is a personal (psychological?) issue :wink:

…FWIW, my tot cholesterol has hovered steadily in the mid-300s for years now on keto. This compares to coming in around the low-200s each year prior to my going keto (5+ yrs ago).

Simply put, I don’t worry about tot cholesterol or LDL (which also spiked from the mid-100s to the mid-200s upon going keto) in the least.

Instead, I take great solace in the fact that my HDL is well over 100 while my trigs are below 50. Instead of clocking in at the well-touted 2:1 ratio (trigs-to-HDL), it’s sitting around 0.5:1 :+1:

But more importantly, I feel better than ever - decades younger than before I cut out the carbs. Also, not getting complaints from any of our parade of family internists (they keep retiring or moving away, and then another one arrives on the scene).

As for our doctor’s reaction to such lipid results, if we got crap from our internist about our vastly improved health, we’d be looking for another doctor.

YMMV! :vulcan_salute:

(Denise) #5

Hi Joey, thank you for your feedback, although 300 isn’t 587. I just wonder how others feel if theirs gets that high?? Know anyone here I could flag?

I think I heard the number that flags high cholesterol is even lower now, seems like I also read someone saying their plan is to have everyone on statins by some date I can’t recall.

:moneybag: cha’ching :grin:

btw it seems to a popular consensus among my friends and family, so you fit right in, that it’s all in my head :crazy_face:

#6

Remind me, do you track your macro intake?

You’re thinking of Red Yeast Rice, and it does work, but only if you import it from Europe. The Red Yeast Rice in the US has the Monacolin K stripped out, and that’s the active ingredient that the original statins were based on.

Yes, if you’re willing to be a weirdo biohacking heretic.

This is what I did in just under 4mo
NMR_noname.pdf (246.1 KB)

I have a post up here from back then as well, can’t remember how much detail it had, on my phone right now and lazy… It’s called Cardarine aka GW-501516, it’s a PPAR agonist that was made to fix metabolic disease, the drug was intentionally tanked because if you give 100 gallons a day to a rat, they get cancer. There was also studies after the fact showing that couldn’t happen with us, but more money in other things. The company that made it is now re-making it supposedly better, but most buy the old one because people have been taking it for years without issue and not getting cancer. That said, it’s not a constant thing like a statin, I haven’t taken it since then, cholesterols still good.

Most take it to burn off extra fat and improve cardio endurance. It’s basically used more as a PED than it is for it’s real purpose.

(Joey) #7

At the risk of putting too fine a point on it, it’s not in your head. It’s in your bloodstream. :wink:

One’s head happens to be a real place, so I won’t minimize that reality. It’s where we get our sense for how we’re doing - and that certainly matters.

Whether “elevated” cholesterol is a problem - or a solution - remains the open question. :thinking:

(Agree that mid-300s is not the mid-500s. What were your lipid figures before going on keto?)

(Denise) #8

250ish and I was getting hit up to take a statin back then but never liked the weird way they made me feel, so was glad to hear about the “cholesterol” bs when I got to keto :wink:

(Denise) #9

I remember a post by you @lfod14 but didn’t think to “search” it out today. I knew someone who beat their high numbers, didn’t remember who it was :wink:

I am grateful for the .pdf file, I want to look it over again, I think I did in the past :thinking: but I definitely want to learn a way now. I just don’t think I will relax, and I know my conventional doctors I come in contact will never leave me the hell alone about it.

I’ll check out the Cardarine too, wouldn’t mind having a bit more endurance as I age :wink:
thanks so much, I know what I’ll have for bedtime reading tonight, denise :+1:

Edited: ok, but I don’t see what you did to lower your numbers, is that there and I missed it, or is it the Cardarine?? I’ll google it.

#10

Haha, was just the Cardarine. Diet didn’t really change much. I know I was already doing TKD at that point thinking that would help it, was probably around when I started mixing in CKD with it, but not 100% sure on that. I was still working out and paying attention to what I ate. Keep in mind it’s a “research chemical”, that crap doesn’t bother me, it does for some people. The way I see it, no supplement is FDA approved, and everything (can) be bad. I self prescribe myself a lot, but again, I’m a biohacking weirdo.

If you decide to go that road, lemme know and I’ll tell you where I buy it. Even know it’s not illegal or anything, any grey area stuff has good and bad companies out there, luckily that world mainly thanks to word of mouth is very self policing.

(Denise) #11

I do fit the description of a “biohacking weirdo” I guess, since I am my own guinea pig. I always say I’d rather me my own than some doctor/mad scientists :grin:

Funny when I tried looking for the cardarine, L-Carnitine kept coming up, I wondered if the name was changed. Sounds like not the same thing. I’m interested but can you tell me how much it costs? It might be more than I can spend.

I haven’t been around here for awhile, but I don’t know what TKD is or CKD? But guessing I’m thinking t then keto diet, and maybe carnivore keto??

#12

Targeted keto and Cyclical Keto, Carbs post workout, and carbs to reload glycogen.

(Alec) #13

Denise
My total “cholesterol” is 550. My answer to your question is: go get a CAC scan or a CT angiogram done.

The reason your doctor is worried about your “cholesterol” (which isn’t cholesterol at all, they measure lipoproteins, not actual cholesterol) is he/she thinks that causes cardiovascular disease.

So, the best way to analyse this is to measure whether you are suffering from the disease or not. The way you do this is by getting a CAC or CT scan done. They are not as expensive as you might think, and with cholesterol results like that your insurance might pay (if you have some).

I paid about A$300 for my CT scan, and it proved that I am not suffering from CVD despite having sky high “cholesterol” for all of my 60 years. As peace of mind to me (and my doctor) this was money very well spent.

(Peter - Don't Fear the Fat ) #14

That’s a very usual story sadly. We know different of course.
Here in the UK my Dr’s practice has several Dr’s and I’ve fainally work out which one is switched on.
Last week we had a 40min chat about everything health, we are totally on the same page re diet and cholesterol etc, in fact shes on a keto diet herself.
Anyway, we had a moan about mainstream health and big phama etc and she says I’d be really surprised how many UK Dr’s know the truth … they just can’t be honest about it, NHS will silence them!
Shouldn’t be surprised of course.

(Bob M) #15

I was able to search around and get my CAC scan done for $100, without a doctor’s prescription. The other two places I called were $300, but with a doctor’s prescription. I had to drive a while, though.

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #16

Yes, indeed. Congratulations! My doctor is now pressuring me to take a statin, and I’m refusing. Everything I’ve learned since going keto suggests that LDL is not what we should be worrying about.

Just a note to point out that the level you want your triglycerides/HDL ratio to be below is 2.0 in the U.S., and 0.9 elswhere. I did the arithmetic once, and it’s the same number, really, just expressed in different units.

(Denise) #17

The Targeted & Cyclical is news to me, I will check it out @lfod14. I’m still struggling with the Visceral fat I know it’s there because I still have the belly-fat, waist-fat. I understand I can’t be “perfect” but I am determined to lose the “extra” stuff :grin:

Really ready for the gym again as I tried working out just at home but being at the gym gets me to push harder.

I’ve joined a Planet Fitness because my insurance stopped working with the old gym but wow, I love the atmosphere at PF! Lots of folks my age, so it’s turning out to be a blessing that the old gym stopped taking my insurance :smile:

(Denise) #18

Hi Alec, good to see you! I so appreciate you sharing your 550, I feel better already! When my doc called me the other day, she suggested some further testing, so I will ask if she wants those 2. I had both in the past, but my insurance covers those tests I’m almost positive. Won’t she still come up with the hypercholesterolemia one though? It doesn’t matter really if the tests show I still have no major clogged arteries right?

I can also mention the lipoproteins :wink: which she is already complimented me on the knowledge I do have. I don’t think most patients study up for themselves and my last doctor was so proud of me, as well as his nurses. That was over me reversing my T2 numbers with nutrition-only, no meds.

Your info is so timely @Alecmcq because my appt. with her is on Monday!! Denise :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

(Denise) #19

Hi again Alec, I had to google, to find out a bit more and found this below. I just want to ask you about it because I don’t want to say the wrong thing to my doctor :wink:

lipoproteins%20lipid%20bloodwork%20info
lipoproteins lipid bloodwork info.JPG799×343 35.9 KB

I hope I did mention I had the “lipid” panel done?? I hate sounding like I am contradicting what you say, as I totally understand google is not always correct. I just need to be as sure as I can be :slight_smile:

just found this about my doctor being a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. It’s super interesting now that I see the difference between a DO and an MD. I may be lucky to have her. She mentioned recommending other things, like the Red Yeast Rice, and was talking more tests as I mentioned.

do%20vs%20md%20doctors
do vs md doctors.JPG775×185 34.7 KB

(Denise) #20

Oh this is fabulous!! Really, I think my DO I have now is going to be the most willing and open, at least, to my way of doing things.

I think more will come around hopefully, sooner than later hey @Pjam :grin: