Hello everyone, today is my first day using this forum. I am 47 years old, live in Canada, and have been following low carb lifestyle (Keto) since April 2015. I am interested in communicating with other Keto dieters, and learning more about this lifestyle.

I recently had my cholesterol tested, and the results were not what I was expecting, after 4 mths on Keto. Total cholesterol increased, Triglycerides decreased, HDL unchanged, LDL increased, non-HDL increased. Doctor wants to put me back on statins, and am questioning my decision to choose this path. Any insight would be appreciated.

And here you are Brent :wave:
I hope that the Zoe Harcombe article linked in your other post helped, as well as looking around this sub-forum. This thread has an excellent list of many resources at the end of this article: https://lowcarbrn.wordpress.com/hea...sterol-and-fat/

Your pattern is common...the Trigs down sharply and HDL may stay the same or start to slowly climb (it takes longer on LC for the HDL to rise). Both are considered better markers for indicating risk of CVD. Dr Westman, same author as KetoClarity, first book was Cholesterol Clarity, suggests a good ratio is under 2, optimal ratio 1 or under.

When you are using cellular fat, rather than dietary glucose, for fuel, it's not only normal, it's necessary for LDL to rise, as that's what is used to make the fuel for the other cells.

LDL has gotten an undeserved bad rap, anyway. It's LDL that is a necessity for the function of your brain, for example. There are good types of LDL, and bad types, and the tests we are given don't differentiate.

Ask your doctor to give you another 6 months and retest; you will be much more in the ranges that he thinks are good.

Thank you Jey100, and MickeySue for your comments. The more information I obtain, on this subject, it seems the more confused I become. I read Keto Clarity, maybe Cholesterol Clarity should be my next read.

My Dad had triple bypass a few years ago, so family history always in the back of my mind.

MickeySue, not sure if my family will be ok with me waiting another 6 mths to retest, we will see. I asked my doctor about testing my LDL particle size, he dismissed this.

MickeySue is spot on...here is a Cardiologist's explanation of the Timeline of weight loss and test results:
http://www.wheatbellyblog.com/2015/...nfuses-doctors/

If you liked the style of Keto-Clarity and have CVD in your family, then their first book would be good to read. Jimmy explains a complicated subject clearly and simply, Dr. Westman makes sure it is correct. Spoiler though, no one knows what the high LDL means in the context of a LCHF diet. And you have never said how "high"...off the charts near 400, or higher than standard "normal ranges" on lab tests? They delve into the ranges and give examples of what various lipid profiles mean.

Another worthwhile test, looking directly at the heart vessels, is a Coronary Artery Calcium Score.
http://denversdietdoctor.com/lchf-1...ium-score-zero/

Mark Sisson's take:

Hi Jey100, my actual blood results were as follows:

Triglycerides. 0.43 mmol/L (1.55 before LCHF)
HDL 1.45 mmol/L (1.43 before LCHF)
LDL. 4.25 mmol/L.(2.26 before LCHF)
Non HDL Calc. 4.45 mmol/L. (2.97 before LCHF)

I was also taking statin, before LCHF.

Tks

Brent

You will be reassured by Cholesterol Clarity! And they have a simple conversion chart in back or Use this: Http://www.onlineconversion.com/cholesterol.htm
Your Trigs are stellar for a man. CC suggests Trigs under 70 is optimal and yours are 38..wow.
LDL is 164, which isn't even over the new AHA Guidelines for statin therapy unless your have other health issues, the new guideline for LDL is now 190 (but few doctors seem to have gotten the memo!)
HDL is also good at 56, again for man, you are near the AHA desirable 60...a positive thing. HDL rises more slowly but it is very good right now and CC suggests optimal at 70.
You are getting near goal weight...suggest you retake the test after you are weight stable for a while and in meantime, read more about cholesterol on this forum or in the book.

Thank you again Jey100, for your comments. I just downloaded CC, good read so far (similar style to Keto Clarity). I am anxious to see the conversions later in book (trying not to cheat and jump ahead), I wonder if the Canadian guidelines are significantly different than AHA.

Brent

Here are my numbers after falling under the wagon since Easter. The only thing that surprises me is that the A1c is relatively good. I'm confused because my doctor is convinced that I will have a heart attack any day now, and wants me on statins asap. I rode my bike 15 mies this morning with no problems

Component Standard Range Your Value
CHOLESTEROL <=199 mg/dL 230
TRIGLYCERIDE <=149 mg/dL 301
HDL >=40 mg/dL 39
LDL CALCULATED <=99 mg/dL 131
CHOLESTEROL/HIGH DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN <=4.9 5.9
CHOLESTEROL, NON-HDL 191
HGBA1C% <=6.9 % 5.3
ESTIMATED AVERAGE GLUCOSE 105

Looking at your posts this year, you appear to have fallen on and off that wagon a few times...maybe over the past three months (and I think weighted to the most recent month?)*** you controlled your carbs and maybe fasted enough to get the Hba1c down...that indicates really good BG for a supposed diabetic!
If you go with Cholesterol Clarity's preferred lipid indicator of CVD risk, Trigs/HDL, you are at risk with 7.7 ratio. Under 2 good, 1:1 optimal. You know that your Trigs would drop quickly IF you kept your carbs very low, the usual Bernstein advice. First, You could truly commit to this WOE and ask for a re-test. LDL is OK...your Trigs are high, which can happen if you just restarted weight loss or not really doing LC consistently. See dr Davis in post #10 above.
You might also put both your minds at ease by having a coronary calcium score done. Why look at lipid numbers when they can look directly at the heart arteries now? (Again, post 10). I heard on a new podcast that these are now a very quick run through a CAT scan, less radiation, every hospital has one, only about $150 (I find that hard to believe! ;) ...need to check around here...nothing is that cheap in a hospital)
Read all the recent posts on statin side effects...but only you know your medical and lifestyle history, willingness to clean up the diet, etc. Exercise is good for raising the HDL...it too will go up on LC but slowly.

*** checked, very low BG over the most recent month can pull down the 3 month average, that is, results are weighted toward the latest numbers.

Also, your doctor may not have heard yet, or has a hard time letting go of old habits, but the most recent data indicates basically no correlation between cholesterol levels and heart disease.

In particular, for certain types of heart attack, lower levels are more linked to fatal incidents, and higher levels seem to be protective in some way.

I had the CT scan today wit a nurse consultation afterwards. The Dr. report will be sent in 7-10 days.

They gave me a score of 79, the scale is 0-4000.

Sh did not try to talk me out of LC eating per se, but she wanted me to focus on lean protein sources. Fish, Chicken breast, egg whites.