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Does a high fat diet reduce cholesterol numbers?
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@dopeysmelly those are some great lab results. Thanks for mentioning the Benecol chews so I will check them out. Wobenzym (systemic enzymes) usage is to improved lipid panel test results as well. Now that I am LCHF I get more of my fats from plants than anytime in my 65 years.
I could too care less what I eat as long as it is the healthiest for me. It is taking a while but my health and health markers are improving so I know I am the right track for my body at this point in time but it keeps changing as my health keeps improving.0 -
dopeysmelly wrote: »Weight didn't change (I'd already lost the weight and was normal weight), and neither did exercise.
I essentially switched from a whole foods diet (including meat and dairy and whole grains and vegetables), to whole foods pescatarian (with non-fat dairy only). I've since reduced the amount of fish and eggs (simply from choice), so will have to see what my numbers are like in about a month.
However, this does suggest that at least for me, the source of dietary fats makes a significant difference.
Yet another reminder that we're not all cut from the same bolt of cloth.
Even a dyed-in-the-wool keto proponent like Stephen Phinney tends to remind folks that both LC and LF work for certain people at some points in their lives but not for others.
With the whole concept of individualized nutrition still in its infancy, we're often fishing in the dark for the right thing to throw in our caldrons. But feeling better, losing weight, and seeing good results on the few standardized tests insurance will cover are still way better than not having any user's manual at all for our own bodies!
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willammoney wrote: »In an environment with poor endothelial function Hdl does not function properly thereby negating the effects of everyone's high Hdl, in a nutshell it's function that matters not the amount.
@willammoney:
That's a new one on me - thanks for the observation.
Q - Since lifestyle and diet changes are said to improve endothelial function, would they also improve HDL efficacy?
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I got my new blood work back in case anyone wondered...
Triglyceride 153 mg/dL
Cholesterol 155 mg/dL
HDL Chol 28 mg
T Chol/HDL Ratio 5.5
LDL Calc 96 mg/dL
3 months ago
Cholesterol- 184 mg/dL -Standard Range 7 - 200 mg/dL
HDL Chol- 24 mg/dL -Standard Range 40 - 200 mg/dL
T Chol/HDL Ratio- 7.7 Standard Range<5.0
Non HDL Cholesterol- 160 mg/dL -Standard Range 0 - 130 mg/dLTotal0 -
willammoney wrote: »In an environment with poor endothelial function Hdl does not function properly thereby negating the effects of everyone's high Hdl, in a nutshell it's function that matters not the amount.
@willammoney:
That's a new one on me - thanks for the observation.
Q - Since lifestyle and diet changes are said to improve endothelial function, would they also improve HDL efficacy?
Yes the eflux capacity of Hdl will improve1 -
Wickedfaery73 wrote: »I got my new blood work back in case anyone wondered...
Triglyceride 153 mg/dL
Cholesterol 155 mg/dL
HDL Chol 28 mg
T Chol/HDL Ratio 5.5
LDL Calc 96 mg/dL
3 months ago
Cholesterol- 184 mg/dL -Standard Range 7 - 200 mg/dL
HDL Chol- 24 mg/dL -Standard Range 40 - 200 mg/dL
T Chol/HDL Ratio- 7.7 Standard Range<5.0
Non HDL Cholesterol- 160 mg/dL -Standard Range 0 - 130 mg/dLTotal
Well done! I had to go back to take a look because I remember you having an incredibly high triglyceride number. Hell of a job getting that down! Less fat floating around in your body. What did your doc say?1 -
This was my experience as well...Traveler120 wrote: »NO, a high fat diet INCREASED my cholesterol. This happened when I started eating low carb, high fat paleo. Prior to going paleo, I had normal labs. This was the first time I had dodgy labs.1 -
20yearsyounger wrote: »Wickedfaery73 wrote: »I got my new blood work back in case anyone wondered...
Triglyceride 153 mg/dL
Cholesterol 155 mg/dL
HDL Chol 28 mg
T Chol/HDL Ratio 5.5
LDL Calc 96 mg/dL
3 months ago
Cholesterol- 184 mg/dL -Standard Range 7 - 200 mg/dL
HDL Chol- 24 mg/dL -Standard Range 40 - 200 mg/dL
T Chol/HDL Ratio- 7.7 Standard Range<5.0
Non HDL Cholesterol- 160 mg/dL -Standard Range 0 - 130 mg/dLTotal
Well done! I had to go back to take a look because I remember you having an incredibly high triglyceride number. Hell of a job getting that down! Less fat floating around in your body. What did your doc say?
Well when she saw me and that I was down 28lbs from the last visit, she was practically beaming and said I'm so proud of you! LOL Which is really kind of out of character for her. Then asked what I was doing and I told her the whole counting cals, exercising and watching types and amount of fats and the supplements I take. I think she wanted to make sure I wasnt doing dumb stuff like so many other people do because she was like "good good". I got the results in email and she put "Awesome Job getting these down! Keep it up!"
I have to admit I kinda liked her being so happy about it LOL3 -
I'm watching the types of fat I eat.
It seems that too much saturated fat can raise numbers.
Everything I am finding states so.
IF the numbers go down on high fat diet, it's because they are losing weight, exercising, and eating less overall calories.
I found information that people that keep caloric intake the same (and weight the same) can lower their cholesterol numbers by watching saturated fat intake.
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JanetYellen wrote: »I found information that people that keep caloric intake the same (and weight the same) can lower their cholesterol numbers by watching saturated fat intake.
Published data ? By "watching" I'm assuming you mean reducing.
What did they replace the saturated fat with ?1 -
JanetYellen wrote: »I found information that people that keep caloric intake the same (and weight the same) can lower their cholesterol numbers by watching saturated fat intake.
Published data ? By "watching" I'm assuming you mean reducing.
What did they replace the saturated fat with ?
What I did was replace animal fat (butter, cheese, meat, full-fat yogurt etc.) with nuts, seeds, fats already in vegetables (avocado etc.). My fat stayed about the same but from different food sources. I never sloshed vegetable oils over food, so that didn't change for me. And never really had pastries, cakes etc. except occasionally and generally what I baked myself. I've steered clear of coconut oil generally because it seems the jury is still out as to whether the saturated fat in coconut oil behaves in the body in a similar way to animal-sourced saturated fat or not, but either way, I tend to think of real food instead of macronutrients. It's just too mind-blowing otherwise.
I didn't just watch the saturated fat, but reduced it. LOL.
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OP, what are you trying to do with your cholesterol? My rather limited understanding of my cholesterol is that the HDL is usually high enough and the LDL is usually low enough that the Total/HDL ratio is usually good. Also, I understand that my occasional participation in weight-lifting exercises tends to cause the HDL to rise and also to cause the ratio to fall.
FYI GaleHawkins, my total cholesterol is usually around 150. At my most recent check a few weeks ago it was 148.0 -
I know this is an old thread, but I'm going to add to it anyway. :-)
I've realized that what works for one person won't necessarily work for someone else; we are all individuals. It's taken me several years of trial and error before I hit on what works for me.
Here are some numbers.
October 2015
Weight 208 lbs (BMI 35.7-morbidly obese)
Total cholesterol 139
Triglycerides 81
HDL 49
LDL 74
A1C 5.9
October 2016
Weight 143 lbs (BMI 24.5-- normal)
Total cholesterol 149
Triglycerides 69
HDL 92
LDL 43
A1C 5.2
I was diagnosed as diabetic six yeas ago with an A1C of 13.6. I also weighed well over 300 pounds. At that point I began eating a lowish carb (50-75 net carbs) diet and doing lots of cardio and lost over 100 pounds which I maintained. I also got my A1C to 5.6-5.9 using only metformin. Last year I started eating a ketogenic diet-- fewer than 20 net carbs, moderate protein, and high fat-- and began doing resistance training and HIIT with some cardio in place of straight cardio. I had realized diabetes and my weight were symptoms. The problem was insulin resistance.
When I had cholesterol tests this year I asked the doctor to have a complete one done and all of those numbers were either low or not detected. Because heart disease can also be tied to inflammation I asked for a high sensitivity, c-reactive protein test, a test which I'd never had before. Anything less than 1 is low risk. Mine was <=0.18 mg/L, which the doctor told me was the same as not detected.
So now I am a normal weight, my A1C is that of someone not diabetic, and I've also been taken off the two high blood pressure meds I was on; my blood pressure is 115/55. I sleep well. I am never hungry. And best of all, I am as happy as I am healthy.
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willnevergiveup wrote: »I know this is an old thread, but I'm going to add to it anyway. :-)
I've realized that what works for one person won't necessarily work for someone else; we are all individuals. It's taken me several years of trial and error before I hit on what works for me.
Here are some numbers.
October 2015
Weight 208 lbs (BMI 35.7-morbidly obese)
Total cholesterol 139
Triglycerides 81
HDL 49
LDL 74
A1C 5.9
October 2016
Weight 143 lbs (BMI 24.5-- normal)
Total cholesterol 149
Triglycerides 69
HDL 92
LDL 43
A1C 5.2
I was diagnosed as diabetic six yeas ago with an A1C of 13.6. I also weighed well over 300 pounds. At that point I began eating a lowish carb (50-75 net carbs) diet and doing lots of cardio and lost over 100 pounds which I maintained. I also got my A1C to 5.6-5.9 using only metformin. Last year I started eating a ketogenic diet-- fewer than 20 net carbs, moderate protein, and high fat-- and began doing resistance training and HIIT with some cardio in place of straight cardio. I had realized diabetes and my weight were symptoms. The problem was insulin resistance.
When I had cholesterol tests this year I asked the doctor to have a complete one done and all of those numbers were either low or not detected. Because heart disease can also be tied to inflammation I asked for a high sensitivity, c-reactive protein test, a test which I'd never had before. Anything less than 1 is low risk. Mine was <=0.18 mg/L, which the doctor told me was the same as not detected.
So now I am a normal weight, my A1C is that of someone not diabetic, and I've also been taken off the two high blood pressure meds I was on; my blood pressure is 115/55. I sleep well. I am never hungry. And best of all, I am as happy as I am healthy.
Holy cow! (Cubs fan..) That's fantastic. A made-for-TV keto success story.
** Congratulations on your extraordinary patience and dedication! ** 
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