True way to raise HDL cholesterol?

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WxMstr
WxMstr Posts: 25 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hello everyone, I am a nutrition major at the University of Oklahoma. In my intro into nutrition class, my professor has said there is really not many ways to raise your HDL cholesterol. Well I have been intrigued in this topic due to the fact on how many benefits HDL brings to the table to lower HD risk. My question for you guys, and I am still searching right now, has there been any real studies in ways we can raise our HDL cholesterol? What do you all think?

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  • TriShamelessly
    TriShamelessly Posts: 905 Member
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    My own research suggested exercise, losing weight (if you are over), and a couple of other lifestyle changes may help improve it. I will let you know when I get my blood work back from my last physical if any of that made a difference.
  • WxMstr
    WxMstr Posts: 25 Member
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    Thank you man! I am interested in the numbers. I am going to get my checked as well. I heard about a cup of a very dry red wine is one of the true "foods" you can consume and actually raise your values as well. Polyunsaturated fat can lower LDL cholesterol but unfortunately studies have shown it can lower HDL as well, but Monounsaturated fat lowers LDL and keeps HDL the same.
  • Vexxe
    Vexxe Posts: 24 Member
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    Nutritional Ketosis has proven time and time again to lower tris, higher HDL and either lower or higher LDL. If you end up with a higher LDL it's not a problem on Ketosis. If you had low tris and high LDL and the doctor goes off on one, tell them to get a further LDL-P test to show particle size breakdowns. The number of smaller particles of LDL, the dangerous ones, plummet.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    Mono-unsaturated fat ? http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21041432

    Possibly saturated fat too. The low carb / ketogenic diet that shows an increase in HDL is typically high in fat.
  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
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    Diets high in saturated fat and low in carbs have shown to increase HDL, lower triglycerides and even enlarge the particle size of LDL's!
  • shanitomorrow
    shanitomorrow Posts: 64 Member
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    Bump
  • fwmdgfat
    fwmdgfat Posts: 11 Member
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    My PCP tells me alcohol. Mine is very high, in the 70's and no im not an alcoholic, I have maybe 3-4 glasses of wine a week. She tells me she can tell when her pt's drink as their HDL levels can be higher, just passing that on for what its worth.
  • Nijelako
    Nijelako Posts: 28 Member
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    bump
  • mkallie
    mkallie Posts: 110 Member
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    There is some evidence that focusing on replacing bad fats or run of the mill fats with "good" fats (walnuts, almonds, brazil nuts, omega 3s), plant sterols and increasing fiber can help a little. There are also some medications that tend to increase HDL - niacin, fibrates, and statins. But they have side effects so if you don't need them you probably don't want them. I heard a lecture that got all debbie downer about it and said that for guys, increasing HDL beyond a certain point is a losing battle because you don't have estrogen on your side to help out like women do. Estrogen is associated with both higher HDL and lower LDL in premenopausal women. Interestingly, after menopause women's numbers start to look more like men's.
  • pinkpolkadots25
    pinkpolkadots25 Posts: 101 Member
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    Exercise for sure. Personally, my HDL more than doubled. Here's a useful piece on it -- http://www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Article folder/cholesterolNEW.html
  • Vexxe
    Vexxe Posts: 24 Member
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    This is a pretty good explanation and presentation of solid data.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2zoDsVimyw
  • corgicake
    corgicake Posts: 846 Member
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    Translation: there are not many ways to raise your HDL cholesterol that involve a trip to the pharmacy. Virtually everything that can raise it falls under food booze or exercise, hence why not much is said about it outside of dry dry medical studies.
  • Go_Mizzou99
    Go_Mizzou99 Posts: 2,628 Member
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    After I switched to a higher protein diet, my HDL actually raised a bunch and I quit taking Lipitor.
  • augustremulous
    augustremulous Posts: 378 Member
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    low HDL runs in my family, and I've been told it's genetic. People of northern european ancestry, for example, often have naturally high HDL.

    I did everything you're supposed to do: did cardio at a variety of different intensities, drank red wine, only ate chocolate if it were dark and semisweet, etc. And it only went up by a little bit. People say HDL is 80% genetic and 20% lifestyle.

    But the thing about HDL is that it protects against high LDL. So if you keep your LDL in check, having HDL on the lower end is not so big a deal. My LDL is 90 and I've maintained it there for years. My HDL was 48 the last I checked. Though my HDL should go up more with weight loss.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
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    You may be interested in these slides

    http://www.lipidsonline.org/slides/slide01.cfm?tk=12&dpg=1
  • WxMstr
    WxMstr Posts: 25 Member
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    Right now I am on a high mono and poly fat diet, along with a low cholesterol/saturated fat diet. I am also bumping up my fiber intake > than 50g a day. So far I feel the best I ever have in my life. Also I hate alcohol but I am taking in 4oz of a dry red wine every other day.
  • WxMstr
    WxMstr Posts: 25 Member
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    low HDL runs in my family, and I've been told it's genetic. People of northern european ancestry, for example, often have naturally high HDL.

    I did everything you're supposed to do: did cardio at a variety of different intensities, drank red wine, only ate chocolate if it were dark and semisweet, etc. And it only went up by a little bit. People say HDL is 80% genetic and 20% lifestyle.

    But the thing about HDL is that it protects against high LDL. So if you keep your LDL in check, having HDL on the lower end is not so big a deal. My LDL is 90 and I've maintained it there for years. My HDL was 48 the last I checked. Though my HDL should go up more with weight loss.


    Hey at least your HDL went up a little and not down! Any little bit helps reduce your risk. Congrats to you!
  • WxMstr
    WxMstr Posts: 25 Member
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    My PCP tells me alcohol. Mine is very high, in the 70's and no im not an alcoholic, I have maybe 3-4 glasses of wine a week. She tells me she can tell when her pt's drink as their HDL levels can be higher, just passing that on for what its worth.

    That is what my RD tells me in class as well. I have 4oz of a dry red wine every other day, and ill report back what my levels are in 6months.

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