What about cholesterol?

DrawnToScale

For the last ~10 weeks, I lowered my total carbs to ~100 grams/day, and more recently have allowed my fat intake to increase (10 eggs/week, 8 oz cheese/week, sausage & beef several times per week, etc). In that time I've lost about 12 lbs, an inch off my waist, dropped more than a percent in body fat - all good stuff.

However - my cholesterol is a different story. My total cholesterol is roughly unchanged and my HDL is lower, which makes my cholesterol ratio worse. Are there LCHF folks out there who can share their cholesterol stories?

Of course - I'm influenced by the old medical advice I've heard growing up regarding diet & cholesterol. I now believe that LCHF works for weight loss. Does it work for cholesterol too?

wabmester

Mine is in my profile. About the same carb level as you and even more eggs than you. TG dropped, HDL increased, and a slight increase in LDL, but with an improved LDL size/density profile. My results are fairly typical for low carb diets according to MANY studies, but they can differ individually. Some people are more sensitive to saturated fat -- I've seen cases reported in which LDL particle count has skyrocketed, and that is clearly atherogenic.

Exercise also seems to help increase HDL, but the effect seems relatively small compared to diet.

Dragonwolf

You might want to check out Dr. Peter Attia's stuff on cholesterol -- http://eatingacademy.com/category/cholesterol-2

DrawnToScale

Dragonwolf wrote: »

You might want to check out Dr. Peter Attia's stuff on cholesterol -- http://eatingacademy.com/category/cholesterol-2

Great website Dragonwolf, thanks!

KetoGirl83

Dragonwolf wrote: »

You might want to check out Dr. Peter Attia's stuff on cholesterol -- http://eatingacademy.com/category/cholesterol-2

OMG! Very interesting article and comments but now I'm worried again! My husband has sky high LDL (had it even when he was eating mostly vegetarian) and it has only increased since starting LCHF. Trigs are greatly improved, HDL is ok but I worry about his LDL (420 at last count). He likes fat and seems to think that this way of eating allows unlimited amounts. We eat more or less the same, almost no carbs and moderate protein but he eats easily 3 or 4 times the amount of fat I eat. Maybe that's the reason I've lost 52lbs since we started LCHF and he has lost 3!

Is there any definitive answer to this cholesterol issue, anyone knows? If not, what are the tests he should be doing? We asked his doctor for in depth cholesterol analysis but he is of the opinion that the standard HDL/LDL/Total is enough and is not happy with all the questions or hubby's decision to drop statins.

totaloblivia

Jimmy Moore has a helpful book called cholesterol clarity. It is helpful about LCHF and cholesterol.

wabmester

With ldl over 400, he should listen to his doc.

Dragonwolf

KetoGirl83 wrote: »

Dragonwolf wrote: »

You might want to check out Dr. Peter Attia's stuff on cholesterol -- http://eatingacademy.com/category/cholesterol-2

OMG! Very interesting article and comments but now I'm worried again! My husband has sky high LDL (had it even when he was eating mostly vegetarian) and it has only increased since starting LCHF. Trigs are greatly improved, HDL is ok but I worry about his LDL (420 at last count). He likes fat and seems to think that this way of eating allows unlimited amounts. We eat more or less the same, almost no carbs and moderate protein but he eats easily 3 or 4 times the amount of fat I eat. Maybe that's the reason I've lost 52lbs since we started LCHF and he has lost 3!

Is there any definitive answer to this cholesterol issue, anyone knows? If not, what are the tests he should be doing? We asked his doctor for in depth cholesterol analysis but he is of the opinion that the standard HDL/LDL/Total is enough and is not happy with all the questions or hubby's decision to drop statins.

The formula for calculating LDL breaks down at both very high and very low trig numbers. The first thing you'd want is a direct LDL measurement to make sure that 420 LDL is, in fact, 420.

From there, look into particle size measuring. LDL often goes up on LCHF, because the particle size increases.

Also, look into C-Reactive Protein, ApoB, and Ip(a)-C(?) measuring, which are inflammation and arterial calcification measurements. (So no, the standard test is not enough, especially when he's wanting your husband on statins.)

Additionally, lipids may appear to worsen while actively losing weight on LCHF. The body runs on fat, so there's a lot of fat burning and getting shuttled around. It needs to be wrapped in lipoproteins in order to be sent to where they're needed.

Likewise, he may be eating something that his body is having a low-level reaction to. Things like grains, dairy, eggs, nuts, and nightshades (tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, peppers, etc) are common reactive foods. If he's containing a fair amount of one or more of these items, and especially if he's increased his intake of one or more of these foods, then that increase may be, in part, from a reaction somewhere in the body (the CRP test will indicate the inflammation level). Take a look at the foods he's eating and consider an elimination trial.

There is also a subset of people who have genetically higher cholesterol, so that might be worth looking into. There is also a subset that does better with a higher MUFA ratio as opposed to saturated fats, so again, something worth looking into.

KetoGirl83

@Dragonwolf thank you so much. I'll try to get those tests, even if we have to pay for them. I just wish it was easier to get a doc onboard. ::sigh::

We're going to start a zero carb month so it will be easy to do the elimination test.

KetoGirl83

@totaloblivia that book had me relax a bit about this issue but I have a feeling it's a bit simplified. Jimmy Moore also has extremely high cholesterol values, that apparently are only now slowly lowering, 10 years after he started increasing fat!

@wabmester or get a new doctor, perhaps...

KnitOrMiss

I'd read a lot on other resources about discounting the LDL readings while actively losing weight, so I think with all my chaos, I'm honestly just going to let it lie. I'll recheck every 6 months or whatever the doc wants, but I'm not going to get all stressed about this when EVERY OTHER HEALTH INDICATOR I HAVE IS IMPROVING... It's probably like my weight - just has to get caught up with the rest of me!