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Nutrition Cholesterol question

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Gunsmoke

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I got my first lipid panel today

The results came out as such


Calculated LDL: 173


Cholesterol: 253


Triglycerides: 63


HDL: 67


Total cholesterol/ HDL ratio: 3.8


Non HDL cholesterol: 186


I know the LDL is pretty high I do eat a lot of eggs and a lot of healthier fats.

I was listed in the low-risk category for total cholesterol/ HDL ratio

On a side note, I am 24 years old 5’8 175 pounds I used to weigh 241 but dropped down in weight. I also work out 5 days a week.


I also do not have diabetes or high blood pressure or any other alignments. I actually tend to run on the lower side in blood pressure.

Here is what I ask the forum the day before the test I ate pretty bad. I had eggs and Ice cream the day before I took the test so idk if that played a role?

Also at seeing my numbers, my doctor said he wanted me to start taking statins but after thinking it over. He said “well your young we can just check back later never mind on the statins. However, he went on to say if I wanted to continue to have a cheat meal once per week I would need the statin.

Overall I am just lost nobody in my close family has ever had any heart-related issues. I come from a family that has eaten unhealthy for decades. Yet on average they live pretty long. I eat the healthiest in the family yet my cholesterol is high. Could it be genetics?

I know I'm rambling but am I going to have a heart attack in my 30s? I honestly believe the 3-4 eggs a day for 6 months caused this
 
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I forgot to put this in my testosterone was tested too it was 276 is it dangerous for it to be that low?
 
Not a diet or medical expert of any kind here, but just some thoughts... Did you fast the day of the test? Some googling seems to find that as long as you've fasted for 10-12 hours when you blood is drawn, that what you ate the day before doesn't much matter. I think your numbers are generally not too bad. Trust your doctor. Continue to eat and live healthy and see how they trend over time. Maybe ask him to check again in 6 months. I wouldn't worry about the eggs (but trust your doctor). Good job on dropping the extra weight, that will very much help your health! I have heard that if you're actively losing weight, it can affect some of these numbers because your body is liberating fat from storage into your bloodstream. It's a good sign that you don't have heart-related issues in your family. As for testosterone, it's not dangerous for it to be low, and I'm not sure that's even significantly low. The time of day that's drawn can influence that reading a LOT. Keep living healthy and resistance training and I don't think you'll have anything to worry about there either. Keep in mind that all medical tests, while important, are not "THE TRUTH." They vary over time, they are influenced by other factors (time of day, fasting status, etc.), they have some margin of error, and they can be interpreted by doctors based on the context of other things about you. So... trust your doctor. But it's great that you are taking an active interest in what the numbers are, what they indicate, and what you can do to positively influence your health.
 
Was your doctor a regular MD or a cardiologist?
There are other tests (blood calcium for one, and nuclear scanning for another) that may be better predictors of heart disease.
@kennycro@@aol.com might weigh in here as he often has good information on cholesterol levels.

And everything that @Anna C just said….
 
I got my first lipid panel today

The Issue With Blood Lipid Panel Number

The issue is that the majority of individual don't know how to inteperte them, nor do most physicians; yours included.

With that said, let's break them down.

Calculated LDL: 173

LDL

The issue is that LDL has unjustly been labled as "Bad".

LDL's recommended level is considered too high if it is over 100; which is not necessarily true.

LDL as a stand alone number is meaningless.

The determinate factor of if your LDL is in the good or bad zone is dependent on your LDL Particle A (good) or LDL Particle B (bad) numbers.

There is a test to determine your Particle A or Particle B numbers. However, very few physican do any testing or educate patients on it.

With that said, there is a method of knowing if you have more good Particle A or bad Particle B numbers with your...

HDL:Triglyceride Ratio

1) Low Ratio Number

A low ratio of 2.0 or below means you have a higher number of good Particle A LDL.

2) High Ratio Number

A high ratio of around 4.0 means you have a health issue.

3) Medium Ratio Number

This mean your Ratio is above 2.0 and less than 4.0.

The nearer you are to the 2.0 number the better off you are.

Being closer to the 4.0 number, means you have a health issue.

Your Ratio

To determine your HDL:Triglyceride Ratio, divide your Triglyceride Number of 63 by your your HDL Number of 67.

Your Triglyceride:HDL Ratio is .94! Definitely below 2.0.

You have an enormous number of good Particle A LDL and very low bad Particle B LDL.

Cholesterol: 253

Total Cholesterol

Let's look at where this number comes from.

Total Cholesteror = LDL + HDL + (Triglycerides divided by 5)

Thus, your LDL 173 + HDL 67 + (Triglycerides 67 divided by 5 =13.4)

173 +67 + 13.4 = 253.4

Total Cholesteror's recommended level is considered to be high if it is over 200.

However, Total Cholesterol is a meaningless stand alone number, like LDL.

The key to knowing if you Total Cholesesterol is good or not is determined by your...

Remnanent Cholesterol Number

Remnant Cholestero is Total Cholesterol - (HDL + LDL).

A Low Number of 20 or below is good.

As the number inches higher, it become a greater cardiovascular issue.

Your Remnant Cholesterol Number

Your Total Choesteorl 253 - (HDL 67 + 173 = 240)

253 - 240 = 13! ...below 20!

Stand Along Numbers With Meaning

1) Triglycerides

Lower is better.

Also, a low number is indicative of an individual on a low carbohydrate diet.

2) HDL

A higher number is good.

Also at seeing my numbers, my doctor said he wanted me to start taking statins

Your Physician

Your physician doesn't know how to interpert a Blood Lipid Blood Profile.

Research shows that while statins decrease Cholesterol Numbers, they do not increase Longevity over many other whos Cholesterol is higher.

One of the reason for that is that many individual with Higher Cholesterol Numbers, similar to your, have NO heath issue.

I honestly believe the 3-4 eggs a day for 6 months caused this

Eggs

LDL


A High Saturated Fat intake, like eggs, will increase LDL which isn't a issue if your Paticle A LDL is high and your Particle B LDL is low...which yours is.

The largest number in Total Cholesterol is from the LDL Number. Thus, it drives the Total Cholesterol Number up.

As long as your Remnant Cholesterol is good, high Total Cholesterol is a non-issue.

HDL

Ironically, High Saturated Fat intake also elevated HDL.

Your Issue

1) You have fantastic numbers. You have no Cholesterol issue.

2) You have no issue with Eggs.

I consume 4 eggs a day. My Cholesterol Number are similar to yours.

That because I am on a Ketogenic Diet, due to a metabolic condition.

3) The only issue that you have is a physician that lacks education in how to read a Blood Lipid Panel

All the information that I have presented is online.
 
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Was your doctor a regular MD or a cardiologist?
There are other tests (blood calcium for one, and nuclear scanning for another) that may be better predictors of heart disease.
@kennycro@@aol.com might weigh in here as he often has good information on cholesterol levels.

And everything that @Anna C just said….

my doctor is a regular MD however I do have an actual cardiologist. I had a harmless arrhythmia a while back. I reached out to him he should contact me Monday. I feel the cardiologist will know more than my actual doctor
 
Not a diet or medical expert

Physicians

Neither are many physicians.

At most they had 6 hour of nutrition in college, decades ago. They have not kept.

Secondly, many physician don't know how to interpert a Blood Lipid Panel.

Trust your doctor.

Don't Trust The Doctor

Gunsmoke's phsican doesn't know how to read a Blood Lipid Panel.

With that said, don't trust any docotor.

Don't trust me or anything you hear from someone else.

Consider it. Then do your own reasearch and come to your own conclusions.

As for testosterone, it's not dangerous for it to be low, and I'm not sure that's even significantly low.

Low Testosterone

I forgot to address that issue with him.

Gunsmoke Testosterone Level is a health issue if it is low.

Gunsmokes Testosterine is signififcantly low.


It is a health issue that need attention.

Keep in mind that all medical tests, while important, are not "THE TRUTH." They vary over time, they are influenced by other factors (time of day, fasting status, etc.), they have some margin of error, and they can be interpreted by doctors based on the context of other things about you. So... trust your doctor.
Medical Test

They provide great feedback.

The key is in charting them over time.

If they are consistently good, you have no problem.

If the are consistenlty bad, there is a problem.

Physicians

Many of them don't know how to interpret a Blood Profile Panel or don't want to take the time to; neither of these is acceptable.

My physician does a cursory reading of mine. He only looks at my LDL, nothing else.

Trust Your Doctor

Gunsmoke's doctor has demonstrated his lack of knowlege with understanding how to read Blood Lipid Panel.

It is hard to Trust individuals who are deamed "Exerts" in any area, once that get something incorrect.

You being to question anything they tell you.

Trust is something that is earned. That also is true of respect.
 
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The Issue With Blood Lipid Panel Number

The issue is that the majority of individual don't know how to inteperte them, nor do most physicians; yours included.

With that said, let's break them down.



LDL

The issue is that LDL has unjustly been labled as "Bad".

LDL's recommended level is considered too high if it is over 100; which is not necessarily true.

LDL as a stand alone number is meaningless.

The determinate factor of if your LDL is in the good or bad zone is dependent on your LDL Particle A (good) or LDL Particle B (bad) numbers.

There is a test to determine your Particle A or Particle B numbers. However, very few physican do any testing or educate patients on it.

With that said, there is a method of knowing if you have more good Particle A or bad Particle B numbers with your...

HDL:Triglyceride Ratio

1) Low Ratio Number

A low ratio of 2.0 or below means you have a higher number of good Particle A LDL.

2) High Ratio Number

A high ratio of around 4.0 menas you have a health issue.

3) Medium Ratio Number

This mean your Ratio is above 2.0 and less than 4.0.

The nearer you are to the 2.0 number the better off you are.

Being closer to the 4.0 number, means you have a health issue.

Your Ratio

To determine your HDL:Triglyceride Ratio, divide your Triglyceride Number of 63 by your your HDL Number of 67.

Your Triglyceride:HDL Ratio is .94! Definitely below 2.0.

You have an enormous number of good Particle A LDL and very low bad Particle B LDL.



Total Cholesterol

Let's look at where this numbercomes from.

Total Cholesteror = LDL + HDL + (Triglycerides divided by 5)

Thus, your LDL 173 + HDL 67 + (Triglycerides 67 divided by 5 =13.4)

173 +67 + 13.4 = 253.4

Total Cholesteror's recommended level is considered to be high if it is over 200.

However, Total Cholesterol is a meaningless stand alone number, like LDL.

The key to knowing if you Total Cholesesterol is good or not is determined by your...

Remnanent Cholesterol Number

Remnant Cholestero is Total Cholesterol - (HDL + LDL).

A Low Number of 20 or below is good.

As the number inches higher, it become a greater cardiovascular issue.

Your Remnant Cholesterol Number

Your Total Choesteorl 253 - (HDL 67 + 173 = 240)

253 - 240 = 13! ...below 20!

Stand Along Number With Meaning

1) Triglycerides

Lower is better.

Also, a low number is indicative of an individual on a low carbohydrate diet.

2) HDL

A higher number is good.



Your Physician

Your physician doesn't know how to interperte a Blood Lipid Blood Profile.

Research shows that while statins decrease Cholesterol Numbers, they do not increase Longevity over many other whos Cholesterol is higher.

One of the reason for that is that many individual with Higher Cholesterol Number, similar to your, have NO heath issue.



Eggs

LDL


A High Saturated Fat intake, like eggs, will increase LDL which isn't a issue if your Paticle A LDL is high and your Particle B LDL is low...which yours is.

The largest number in Total Cholesterol is from the LDL Number. Thus, it drives the Total Cholesterol Number up.

As long as your Remnant Cholesterol is good, high Total Cholesterol is a non-issue.

HDL

Ironically, High Saturated Fat intake also elevated HDL.

Your Issue

1) You have fantastic numbers. You have no Cholesterol issue.

2) You have no issue with Eggs.

I consume 4 eggs a day. My Cholesterol Number are similar to yours.

That because I am on a Ketogenic Diet, due to a metabolic condition.

3) The only issue that you have is a physician that lacks education in how to read a Blood Lipid Panel

All the information that I have presented is online.
Am I correct that the difference with LDL is something like when it’s the kind thats sort of a light fluffy thing that appears to be big and reads high but sometimes it’s a small dense highly oxidative kind (bad) and will read low but is actually what you need to worry about?
 
Gunsmoke, you had a standard lipid profile test. Many medical professionals and researchers have come right out and said that this test is of little value. If you were really concerned for some reason, you would want to get an NMR test done, and ask up front whether the lab does a direct measure (better) or calculation of HDL-C.

@mprevost did a nice video some time ago which will make the reasons clear, maybe he will pop in and give a link.

Also to see the effect of recent diet, take a look here. Cholesterol Code

Not playing doctor here, but to the point that your test is of any value - your trigylcerides are low and your triglyceride/HDL is below 1.0, which is considered really good. Also see the attached picture which was given to me.
 

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Many medical professionals and researchers have come right out and said that this test is of little value.

Test Value

A Blood Lipid Panel has value. It provides some good, reliable feedback based on...

1) Understanding how to intepret it.

To reiterate, most individual have no knowledge how to read a Blood Lipid Panel.

Physicians either don't know or are not interseted in taking the time break the numbers down.

2) The Blood Lipid Panel needs to be evaluated over time with multiple test.

Cholesterol Code

Dave Feldman

Feldman (an engineer) is one of the best at breaking Cholesterol Number down.

Some of the best individuals that are capable of breaking down Cholesterol Number are engineers.

Some of the information in my post was from Feldman.
 
the difference with LDL is something like when it’s the kind thats sort of a light fluffy thing that appears to be big and reads high but sometimes it’s a small dense highly oxidative kind (bad) and will read low but is actually what you need to worry about?

Additional LDL Information

Small LDL Cholesterol: Epidemic of the New Century​

Dr. William Davis Health Pro Small LDL Cholesterol: Epidemic of the New Century - Cholesterol

There's a new risk factor for heart disease-and it's not high cholesterol. It's rapidly skyrocketed into first place as the number one most common trigger for heart disease.

Just 30 years ago, small LDL was far less common because lifestyles were different and the technology for identifying small LDL was unavailable. Why the surge in the small LDL pattern? Two reasons: 1) The explosion of excess weight and obesity in the U.S., which triggers formation of small LDL particles, and 2) over-reliance on processed carbohydrates, especially wheat-based convenience foods, that increase expression of the small LDL pattern enormously. MORE

Small LDL has climbed into first place as the number one cause of heart disease
. (Number two: low HDL cholesterol.) Given current trends, as many as 80-90% of those with heart disease, 40-50% of the overall adult population may harbor this pattern.

Official agencies like the American Heart Association and the USDA have lost touch with the emergence of small LDL as a trigger for heart disease. ...The American Heart Association's Heart Check Mark program endorses products like Cocoa Puffs, Berry Kix and Cookie Crisp cereals ad hundreds of other similar products as "heart healthy" that likewise act as potent triggers of the small LDL pattern.

Small LDL is a big part of the explanation why some people with an LDL of cholesterol of, say, 130 mg/dl will have heart disease, while others with the same 130 mg/dl of LDL will not. When present, small LDL particles are much more likely to trigger atherosclerotic plaque formation. Estimates vary, but small LDL is estimated to increase heart attack risk at least three-fold.

How do you know if you have small LDL particles?
There are several tell-tale signs: On a standard cholesterol panel, low HDL cholesterol (<40 mg/dl in men, <50 mg/dl in women) and high triglycerides (>100 mg/dl in men and women) can signal probable small LDL. ,,, Excess abdominal weight and a diet over-dependent on processed carbohydrates, a frighteningly common situation, also provide clues.

Three laboratory services provide lipoprotein testing in testing in the U.S.: www.liposcience.com (electropheresis or GGE); www.atherotech.com (ultracentrifugation). Your doctor should be able to order these tests. However, be aware that not all physicians are even aware of this new method of assessing risk for heart disease, ...
I do have an actual cardiologist. ... I feel the cardiologist will know more than my actual doctor

Should But Maybe Not

A cardiologist should have more knowledge in regard to how to read a Blood Lipid Panel Levels. However, that does not mean they necessarily do.

Some are still subscribing and providing information from the 20th Century rather than the current day from the 21st Century.

The American Medical Assocation, American Heart Association, as well as the American Diabetes Assoction continue recommend and prescribe out dated information. These groups are slow to change and adapt to new research.
 
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Gunsmoke, you had a standard lipid profile test. Many medical professionals and researchers have come right out and said that this test is of little value. If you were really concerned for some reason, you would want to get an NMR test done, and ask up front whether the lab does a direct measure (better) or calculation of HDL-C.

@mprevost did a nice video some time ago which will make the reasons clear, maybe he will pop in and give a link.

Found it. http://mikeprevost.com/my-experience-with-the-ketogenic-diet-with-advanced-lipid-testing/
 
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I got my first lipid panel today
My Result

I got mine back today.

To reinterate, I am on the Ketogenic Diet.

My Fat Intake is around 200 to 240 gram per day.

Half of it is Saturated Fat; 100 to 120 gram of Saturated Fat per day.

Here are...

My Numbers

Total Cholesterol: 196

(Recommenation is below 200. I would have been fine if it were higher)

LDL: 140
(Recommendation is below 100. My 140 number is good. I would have been fine if it were higher.

HDL: 41
(It sit around that number all the time.)

Triglycerides: 61
(Recommenation is below 150)

Triglyeride:HDL Ratio: 1.48
(Below 2.0 is good)

The lower number means that I have more good Particle A LDL.

I have a very low number of bad Particle B LDL.

Remnant Cholesterol: 15
(Below 20 is good)

A number below 20 indicates good health.

A number around 40 is indictive that an individual has or is likely to going to experience some cardiovasculer issues.
 
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I'm 61, male, and I just had a blood panel too.

My numbers are pretty good, so, fortunately, nothing for me to worry about.

But I'm posting because we seem to have normalized 200 (total) as the borderline... with 240 as high... and folks can and do go up to around 300. And we think it's normal to get a significant increase in our numbers as we get older. And, perhaps, statistically speaking (looking at the distribution of cholesterol numbers across the population) these conclusions are justified.

However, these higher numbers are not necessary, and it's perfectly possible to have much lower numbers without medication. And to keep them fairly low as you age.

Obviously we shouldn't generalize from one counter-example. But if we look at many of the things I do/don't do, then they are in line with the various doctorly recommendations for managing your cholesterol levels. Which suggests that a few key diet and lifestyle changes can have a dramatic impact.

Mine are:

Total: 138 / HDL: 60 / LDL: 64 / TG: 21 / VLDL: 10
The ratio (total/HDL) is 2.3
 
I'm 61, male, and I just had a blood panel too.

My numbers are pretty good, so, fortunately, nothing for me to worry about.

But I'm posting because we seem to have normalized 200 (total) as the borderline... with 240 as high... and folks can and do go up to around 300. And we think it's normal to get a significant increase in our numbers as we get older. And, perhaps, statistically speaking (looking at the distribution of cholesterol numbers across the population) these conclusions are justified.

However, these higher numbers are not necessary, and it's perfectly possible to have much lower numbers without medication. And to keep them fairly low as you age.

Obviously we shouldn't generalize from one counter-example. But if we look at many of the things I do/don't do, then they are in line with the various doctorly recommendations for managing your cholesterol levels. Which suggests that a few key diet and lifestyle changes can have a dramatic impact.

Mine are:

Total: 138 / HDL: 60 / LDL: 64 / TG: 21 / VLDL: 10
The ratio (total/HDL) is 2.3

Bizarre Numbers

Your Blood Lipid Panel doesn't fall into the "Pretty Good" area; the exception being your HDL reading.

Your numbers are bizarre. The numbers that you posted indicate something is off.

Either one of two thing is happening.

1) You are on some type of Cholesterol Lowering Medication; which is throwing your numbers off.

Individuals on Statins Medications, are lured into a false sense of security.

Statins are a facade. Blood Lipid Panel Numbers appear to be better but do not reflect what is really going on.

It is similar having a car that looks good on the outside but it has "Under The Hood Issues" (engine, transmission, etc ) that are not visible.

Controversial New Study Reports Statins Useless

The study reviewed research of almost 70,000 people and found that elevated levels of “bad cholesterol” did not raise the risk of early death from cardiovascular disease in people over 60.

The authors called for statin guidelines to be reviewed, claiming the benefits of statins are “exaggerated.”

or

2) Something else is going on with you; your diet or genetics.

Very low levels of 'bad' cholesterol may raise stroke risk

New research examines the data of almost 100,000 participants and finds that excessively low levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol increase the risk of hemorrhagic stroke.

Doctoral Diet Recommendations


Physicians are not Dietitians.

At most they had 6 hours of nutrition in college; decades ago.

They are overload and have very little time to keep up with the latest research in any area.

Physicians, for some unknown reason, venture into areas they lack knowledge in; nutrition, physical therapy, pharmacology, exercise science, etc.

Electrician Vs Plumber Analogy

Physicians who venture outside their area, amount to consulting or calling a Electrician when you have a Plumbing issue.
 
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