Cholesterol Levels

[Mr.Tanno]

Hello folks.
I just had some blood work done for a Heath assessment for work and was curious how to change or support raising or lowering HDL/LDL.
My results were :
HDL- 44
LDL-120
Triglycerides-83
Total Cholesterol-181
My LDL seems a tad bit higher than normal... I'm active eat well etc. Wondering if I'm missing something in my diet. I'm 29 years old /Male.

 

[JudoJosh]

You're fine. You HDL is on the lower side, but is within range. Unfortunately there isn't much you can do to raise HDL.

 

[vvs1]

Don't you mean HDL could be higher? That's the good cholesterol.

The LDL is fine, most recommend under 100. LDL is the bad cholesterol.

 

[Jiigzz]

Don't you mean HDL could be higher? That's the good cholesterol.

The LDL is fine, most recommend under 100. LDL is the bad cholesterol.

Despise the terms good and bad as it is not completely true. You NEED LDL to transport cholesterol throughout the body and so to call it "bad" is a gross overstatement (try surviving without it).

Total cholesterol is not indicative of heart disease per se, but those with a high carb diet may be at greater risk and high carb diets increase blood triglycerides which interact with LDL and make the particles small and dense and thus more likely to penetrate the endothelium of artery walls. Higher fat, lower carb diets tend to do the opposite and make the LDL particles large so they are unable to penetrate the endothelium.

Moral, eat less carbohydrates and try move from the mindset that LDL is "bad" as it is the carbs that make them harmful.

As trigs are transported in the blood by lipoproteins, large, triglyceride-rich VLDL1 results in the formation of small, dense LDL through triglyceride exchange and subsequent hydrolysis. Small, dense LDL are cleared from plasma relatively slowly and tend to accumulate in the circulation where they exert their atherogenic effects.

As an extra, smaller, denser LDL particles bind less to their receptors which increases plasma residence time and thus oxidation (which is bad). The same is true for HDL. Trigs can interact with these as well by reducing HDL plasma residence time and thus decrease reverse cholesterol transport

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1420088
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19657464
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16685042
http://jn.nutrition.org/content/136/2/384.long
http://jn.nutrition.org/content/135/6/1339.abstract?ijkey=4b0ba9ad9aceda47a4f5156d1fa341b91b7eda6b&keytype2=tf_ipsecsha
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9645501

 

[breezy11]

For those who may have issues, I'd start by looking at your diet. Some other things to look into are Citrus Bergamot, Sytrinol, and Pantethine.

 

[RecompMan]

Cholesterol particle soze is more of a determining factor

 

[JudoJosh]

Don't you mean HDL could be higher? That's the good cholesterol.

The LDL is fine, most recommend under 100. LDL is the bad cholesterol.

Lol, yea I definetely mistyped. I meant HDL could be a tad higher

 

[kisaj]

Jiigzz post is right on the money and Judo is correct- you really want your HDL a bit higher. Overall cholesterol only paints a little picture, but closer to 200 is better than closer to 150.

 

[vvs1]

I just got my lipid panel back a few weeks ago. LDL 101, HDL 43, triglycerides 56, cholesterol 156, vldl 11.

Do I go on a fat binge? Eat junk fast food and healthy fats like nuts, omegas and olive oil? I'm 25 yo if it matters.

 

[Jiigzz]

I just got my lipid panel back a few weeks ago. LDL 101, HDL 43, triglycerides 56, cholesterol 156, vldl 11.

Do I go on a fat binge? Eat junk fast food and healthy fats like nuts, omegas and olive oil? I'm 25 yo if it matters.

I wouldnt suggest eating junk food. Id go for the other options you listed

 

[vvs1]

Would you recommend for me to increase cholesterol? And LDL to increase or decrease? Thanks

 

[Jiigzz]

Would you recommend for me to increase cholesterol? And LDL to increase or decrease? Thanks

I would just advise reading the data and making your own choice. Dont go into it with the mindset of purposefully increasing cholesterol levels, but instead limiting carbohydrates and increasing better fats (all except trans).

It doesnt mean go keto, but IMO opt for 30% or less from CHO

 

[papersteroid]

Cholesterol levels ought to be measured at any rate once like clockwork in everybody over age 20.

 

[JudoJosh]

I would just advise reading the data and making your own choice. Dont go into it with the mindset of purposefully increasing cholesterol levels, but instead limiting carbohydrates and increasing better fats (all except trans).

It doesnt mean go keto, but IMO opt for 30% or less from CHO

Solid advice ^

 

[Whacked]

Despise the terms good and bad as it is not completely true. You NEED LDL to transport cholesterol throughout the body and so to call it "bad" is a gross overstatement (try surviving without it).

Total cholesterol is not indicative of heart disease per se, but those with a high carb diet may be at greater risk and high carb diets increase blood triglycerides which interact with LDL and make the particles small and dense and thus more likely to penetrate the endothelium of artery walls. Higher fat, lower carb diets tend to do the opposite and make the LDL particles large so they are unable to penetrate the endothelium.

Moral, eat less carbohydrates and try move from the mindset that LDL is "bad" as it is the carbs that make them harmful.

As trigs are transported in the blood by lipoproteins, large, triglyceride-rich VLDL1 results in the formation of small, dense LDL through triglyceride exchange and subsequent hydrolysis. Small, dense LDL are cleared from plasma relatively slowly and tend to accumulate in the circulation where they exert their atherogenic effects.

As an extra, smaller, denser LDL particles bind less to their receptors which increases plasma residence time and thus oxidation (which is bad). The same is true for HDL. Trigs can interact with these as well by reducing HDL plasma residence time and thus decrease reverse cholesterol transport

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1420088
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19657464
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16685042
http://jn.nutrition.org/content/136/2/384.long
http://jn.nutrition.org/content/135/6/1339.abstract?ijkey=4b0ba9ad9aceda47a4f5156d1fa341b91b7eda6b&keytype2=tf_ipsecsha
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9645501

MAD PROPS for the great post and excellent explanation re: small vs large particles

 

[Jiigzz]

MAD PROPS for the great post and excellent explanation re: small vs large particles

Thanks

Us low carbers tend to be at lower risk. Generally speaking, if you go for foods that have low human interference, your diet naturally becomes higher fat lower carb anyway

 

[Whacked]

"LOW H.I."

Ahhhh spoken like a wise and well-informed disciple of Prof Grant Schofield – aka The Fat Professor, Dr Caryn Zinn – the Whole Food Dietitian

Lol

I concur 100%

 

[choccyswag]

Eggs, oats, colourful vegies. Less processed foods as poss. and never stop training.

"low human interference".. well that sounds very flashy! I likey.

 

[Whacked]

Hi Candy. Oats wouldn't necessarily be on our list of "good" food choices .... that said... once a day ain't gonna kill ya.

 

[Driven2lift]

Hi Candy. Oats wouldn't necessarily be on our list of "good" food choices .... that said... once a day ain't gonna kill ya.

What is bad about oats?

Especially in this post. Oats are still a doctor recommended option for their soluble fiber

 

[Usfscuba]

What is bad about oats? Especially in this post. Oats are still a doctor recommended option for their soluble fiber

Use the term "doctor recommended" very lightly .. most Dr's are clueless abt nutrition so whether they recommend it or not means squat.

 

[Driven2lift]

Use the term "doctor recommended" very lightly .. most Dr's are clueless abt nutrition so whether they recommend it or not means squat.

Ok...
Driven recommended.

Fiber intake helps lower cholesterol. Not drastically but it does. Studied.

Why would anyone say oatmeal is a bad dietary addition..?

 

[kisaj]

Not me, I love them and as someone that gets regular labs, they are good for me.

 

[Driven2lift]

Not me, I love them and as someone that gets regular labs, they are good for me.

Likewise

Never used to like them but probably 4-5 times a week now

 

[Whacked]

What is bad about oats?

Especially in this post. Oats are still a doctor recommended option for their soluble fiber

So is the UPSIDE DOWN surgeon general's endorsed food pyramid

MOST doctors are morons when it comes to nutrition. Many of us here on this very board could school most MD's in this area.

I don't want to turn this into a debate about how many carbs are good/bad/healthy - that is for the user and his/her phenotype to decide.

That said, oats are not on top of the list of food choices for us low carbers.

 

[Jiigzz]

Ok...
Driven recommended.

Fiber intake helps lower cholesterol. Not drastically but it does. Studied.

Why would anyone say oatmeal is a bad dietary addition..?

Bad is a very concrete term - but I don't rate Oats (or any grains) due to the phytic acid content (binds to minerals which inhibit absorption) - in my book, no matter how nutritious a food is, the amount of phytic acid can actually take away from its nutritional value (despite people unknowingly not mentioning this fact).

Oats do help lower cholesterol, but they also contain 66g (roughly) of CHO per 100g, making them a hefty carb solution to a problem that could be solved with vegetables. When we also take into consideration daily CHO intake and triglyceride interaction (particularly in those who are overweight), it is again a hefty CHO load to provide fiber which can adequately be provided from other sources.

 

[Whacked]

Fiber intake helps lower cholesterol. Not drastically but it does. Studied.

So does a low carb diet, much more effectively.

 

[Driven2lift]

If you eat low carb sure oats are a bad option

In an average diet, would you prefer sugars or processed carbs over oats?

For the average American oats are a great addition.


And again this was about cholesterol, which oats assist with.
If someone is able to eat veggies and protein all day sure go for it.

 

[Jiigzz]

Not me, I love them and as someone that gets regular labs, they are good for me.

You can most definitely make them fit into a healthy lifestyle. I just never consider them an ideal food choice. But as with all things food, whether or not they are good depends on who you talk to.

 

[Jiigzz]

If you eat low carb sure oats are a bad option

In an average diet, would you prefer sugars or processed carbs over oats?

For the average American oats are a great addition.


And again this was about cholesterol, which oats assist with.
If someone is able to eat veggies and protein all day sure go for it.

Interesting you say this as this text: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20470810) found that people mindlessly eating better, actually ate worse (or just as bad) when they included oatmeal. Not surprising as oatmeal is bland so people tend to overdo the sugar to mask it

Its not really relevant as you can make any food bad. But it is interesting how people mindlessly eat better, without considering the extra they put on

But I do agree that if someone is used to fruity pebbles, oatmeal is a better choice than what they're currently eating.

 

[Driven2lift]

Interesting you say this as this text: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20470810) found that people mindlessly eating better, actually ate worse (or just as bad) when they included oatmeal. Not surprising as oatmeal is bland so people tend to overdo the sugar to mask it Its not really relevant as you can make any food bad. But it is interesting how people mindlessly eat better, without considering the extra they put on But I do agree that if someone is used to fruity pebbles, oatmeal is a better choice than what they're currently eating.

Lol as a dietary choice over other common carbs, as in the context I had it

I hear you though.
Like the bulletproof coffee lol
Drink it in the morning ON TOP if your daily cals to lose weight
That makes sense...

 

[kisaj]

You can most definitely make them fit into a healthy lifestyle. I just never consider them an ideal food choice. But as with all things food, whether or not they are good depends on who you talk to.

Absolutely. They are just a part of my diet and they are one of my defaults when I am craving something filling, but can make sweet.

 

[Jiigzz]

Lol as a dietary choice over other common carbs, as in the context I had it

I hear you though.
Like the bulletproof coffee lol
Drink it in the morning ON TOP if your daily cals to lose weight
That makes sense...

Exactly!

I avoid grains now because of a lot of research (Jason Cholewa covers good info on his website about wholegrains) and heavy carb foods in general due to my stance

 

[choccyswag]

Well I can't say I like the low carb diet or keto diet even. it made me sick! I like moderation

For breakfast I have SOME oats and it keep me full really good. so for me it works much better than bread or anything wheat because of my gluten intolerance.
well Its probably better if I ate like a potato or rice instead. lol but thats not how I roll..

 

[JudoJosh]

Well I can't say I like the low carb diet or keto diet even. it made me sick! I like moderation

For breakfast I have SOME oats and it keep me full really good. so for me it works much better than bread or anything wheat because of my gluten intolerance.
well Its probably better if I ate like a potato or rice instead. lol but thats not how I roll..

Scrambled eggs mixed in some rice and covered in hot sauce is where it's at man

 

[choccyswag]

Scrambled eggs mixed in some rice and covered in hot sauce is where it's at man

OK! Can I add in some grated apple for fibre?

 

[JudoJosh]

Apple mixed with eggs and hotsauce ... :/

Doesn't sound too appatizing.

 

[Whacked]

OK! Can I add in some grated apple for fibre?

Of course you can