Pass-Fail
I would not classify a "Cholesterol Test" as something that falls into the category of "Pass-Fail"
Without knowing your numbers, it's impossible to provide any feed back.
Those numbers are vital in...
Knowing How To Read A Blood Lipid Profile
It comes down to knowing each individual number and there relationship to the other numbers.
The majority of individual, as wells as many physicians, fail to do that. Instead they tend to look at each number separately.
This amount to taking a snap shot of something rather the seeing the whole picture.
A snap shot does not tells you the complete story.
Puzzle Parts
Think of each reading (Total Cholesterol, HDL, LDL, and Triglycerides) as part of a puzzle.
With that in mind let's examine some of number in the...
Blood Lipid Profile
1) Total Cholesterol: This number alone means nothing. The main value it has is in determining Remnant Cholesterol. This is a vital number for determining your Cardiovascular Risk.
Total Cholesterol = HDL + LDL + (Triglycerides divided by 5)
The relevance of Total Cholesterol as a measurement of you cardiovascular health is in determining your...
Remnant Cholesterol
Remnant Cholesterol - Total Cholesterol - (HDL +LDL)
- Below 20 mg/dL (0.49 mmol/L) is generally optimal
- Around 20-30 mg/dL (0.49-0.78 mmol/L) is generally medium risk
- Above 30 mg/dL (.78 mmol/L) is higher risk
Remnant Calculator
CholesterolCode.com Report Tool 2.0 Coming Soon! We’re in the process of updating our report tool to its second version. We hope to have it launched shortly…
cholesterolcode.com
Plug your numbers into the calculator above to see where you are.
2) LDL: This is another number that by itself means nothing. Ironically, many physicians and most of the general population view it as the "Bad Cholesterol".
The determinate factor in determining if LDL is good or bad is the percentage of LDL Particles.
a) Particle A LDL Is Good: If you have a larger percentage of good Particle A LDL, your LDL is fine.
b) Particle B LDL Is Bad: If you have a larger percentage of bad Particle B LDL, you have a health issue.
Particle Test can determine if your percentage is good or bad LDL. However, physical don't tells you about it nor do they prescribe the lab work for it.
However, there is practical method of determining if you have good or bad LDL. More on that in a minute.
3) HDL: This is an important number. Higher is better, lower isn't so good.
HDL is increased with exercise. Ironically, consuming Saturated Fat will also increase your HDL. No physician ever tells you that.
4) Triglycerides: This is a vital number. Lower is better.
5) Triglycerides:HDL Ratio: The ratio is vital in determining cardiovascular health.
a) Low Triglycerides and High HDL is good.
b) High Triglycerides and Low HDL is bad.
c) Your ratio indicates if you have more good Particle A or more bad Particle B.
d) A lower number means you have more good Particle A and a high number means you have more bad Particle B.
Math: Divide you HDL into your Triglycerides.
a) 2 or less is really good.
b) 2 - 3 is in the grey area. The higher the number the darker the grey.
c) 4 plus, means a dramatic increase in Cardiovascular Risk.
This information falls in line with most of Mike Prevost post.