Lowering cholesterol & A1c simultaneously

granny19597
granny19597 Posts: 7 Member
edited November 2024 in Food and Nutrition
I am trying to lower both. It was recommended by some on another app to do LCHF for both. Of course only healthy fats, no trans. I have gone down a few points (A1c) at my last checkup. I have also lost weight this way. My concern is the high fat. Can I lower my cholesterol with this diet? It seems contradictory. The members on the other app say that dietary fat doesn’t affect your blood cholesterol reading. They also say it’s ok to eat eggs. I’m confused.

Replies

  • Unknown
    Unknown
    This content has been removed.
  • granny19597
    granny19597 Posts: 7 Member
    Thanks! I guess next lab work should reveal the answer then.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    If your cholesterol is not genetic, losing body fat and lower carb eating will be helpful. The lower carb eating will help your A1c. The losing body fat will help cholesterol and triglycerides. Vigorous exercise can be a key helping factor.

    It is not necessary to necessarily go to LCHF. I was elevated cholesterol and high A1c and I just ate a slightly modified version of my normal diet, lower carbs to under 150 grams per day and restricted calories.

    This combined with vigorous exercise cause me to lose body fat and bring all my numbers into good ranges.
  • granny19597
    granny19597 Posts: 7 Member
    Congratulations on your success and thank you!
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,432 MFP Moderator
    edited January 2018
    The biggest drivers, generally, are losing weight and exercise. The keys outside of those two are getting adequate fiber, plenty of unsaturated fats, and getting adequate proteins.

    My A1C is have ranged from 4.3 to 4.9 over the past few years:

    Cholesterol - 187
    Triglycerides -50
    HDL - 45
    LDL - 131 (this is genetic for me. It was 99 was I was 220); both parents are around 100, too.

    And I am pretty high carb since I am a volume eater. I do try to incorporate seafood 2 to 4x a week. And running an experiment this year with limiting red meat.
  • granny19597
    granny19597 Posts: 7 Member
    Thank you for a detailed response. I appreciate it!
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
    Dietary cholesterol has very little effect on blood cholesterol. Weight loss and regular exercise play a larger role in lowering cholesterol levels than do dietary changes. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/panel-suggests-stop-warning-about-cholesterol-in-food-201502127713
  • granny19597
    granny19597 Posts: 7 Member
    That’s what I have heard and read, but so many people say that’s wrong. I’ll read the article. Thank you.
  • dsboohead
    dsboohead Posts: 1,899 Member
    Research has stated that eggs are NOT a culprit of high cholesterol. Eat up!
  • StevefromMichigan
    StevefromMichigan Posts: 462 Member
    edited January 2018
    When I went for my annual physical in October, my cholesterol was high enough that the doctor was considering putting me on meds to control it. I immediately went on a low fat, high carb diet, along with an exercise program. After 3 months and losing 30 lbs, my cholesterol was tested last week and came back normal. I am guessing it was a combination of losing weight, exercising, and diet.

    I agree with the others, though. Weight loss and exercise appear the be the primary drivers in lowering cholesterol. In the old days, dietary fat was linked directly to blood cholesterol, but the research coming out lately seems to indicate that it may not play as high of a role as once thought.

    I still try to stay safe, though, by only eating lean and extra lean cuts of meat, eliminating trans fat, and reducing saturated fats...just in case 5 years from now they come out with new research indicating dietary fat does play a role :wink:

    Nuts, Salmon, etc. are thought to raise HDL, which is supposed to reduce LDL, so I try to eat them in moderation.
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
    edited January 2018
    granny19597 wrote: »
    That’s what I have heard and read, but so many people say that’s wrong. I’ll read the article. Thank you.

    Who are the “people”? There are a lot of folks with medical degrees from Google Medical School. Unless the advice is from an actual medical professional or reputable medical publication, I would ignore it.
  • granny19597
    granny19597 Posts: 7 Member
    apullum wrote: »
    granny19597 wrote: »
    That’s what I have heard and read, but so many people say that’s wrong. I’ll read the article. Thank you.

    Who are the “people”? There are a lot of folks with medical degrees from Google Medical School. Unless the advice is from an actual medical professional or reputable medical publication, I would ignore it.


    My doctor is one of those people. I’m not so sure I trust her anymore. She told me to eat 1 egg a week. I wonder if she went to Google Medical School? I’m still eating several eggs a week, so we’ll see how my next lipid panel looks. I’m working out and have raised my fiber intake as well.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    granny19597 wrote: »
    apullum wrote: »
    granny19597 wrote: »
    That’s what I have heard and read, but so many people say that’s wrong. I’ll read the article. Thank you.

    Who are the “people”? There are a lot of folks with medical degrees from Google Medical School. Unless the advice is from an actual medical professional or reputable medical publication, I would ignore it.


    My doctor is one of those people. I’m not so sure I trust her anymore. She told me to eat 1 egg a week. I wonder if she went to Google Medical School? I’m still eating several eggs a week, so we’ll see how my next lipid panel looks. I’m working out and have raised my fiber intake as well.

    I eat between 6 and 12 eggs per week with an ideal lipid panel. With the exception of those with hereditary cholestetolemia, dietary cholesterol has little impact on serum cholesterol.
    Most doctors know very little about nutrition. Weight loss and vigorous exercise will have far more impact than avoiding eggs.
  • bsexton3
    bsexton3 Posts: 472 Member
    And I am one that nothing seems to change my numbers but medication. I lost 50 pounds and the numbers stayed exactly the same.
  • davepollack
    davepollack Posts: 19 Member
    bsexton3 wrote: »
    And I am one that nothing seems to change my numbers but medication. I lost 50 pounds and the numbers stayed exactly the same.

    I felt that way until my last checkup a few weeks ago. I started working out more often and dropped a few pounds and my total cholesterol went from 180s on meds to 110. My doctor plans to see if I keep up with my regiment which I intend to and I will be able to lower my medication. So Diet alone didn't do it. It was definently the extra exercise. And to top it off my Cholesterol is mostly genetics.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    edited February 2018
    If you look into the Low Carber Daily MFP group, you'll find many stories of A1c and cholesterol improving. Most do not seem to have their total cholesterol change a lot, but HDL goes up, triglycerides drop, and LDL tends to change into a more desirable, less dense type. All good things.

    The book, Dr Bernstein's Diabetes Solution is a GREAT guide to improving BG and A1c. He basically invented self testing for diabetics and eating to your meter. I recommend it.

    There are a number of good cholesterol books too like Cholesterol Con, (Great) Choleserol Myth, and Choleserol Clarity. Dave Feldman has a very interesting, and well replicated, n=1 experiment that shows cholesterol drops within three days of eating very high fat.

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jZu52duIqno
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,432 MFP Moderator
    bsexton3 wrote: »
    And I am one that nothing seems to change my numbers but medication. I lost 50 pounds and the numbers stayed exactly the same.

    My LDL's haven't changed, but all my other numbers have. But both my parents have LDL's around 100, and that is where I am. For that reason, and the fact that CVD doesn't run in my family, I would never go on medication. Hell, the fact that we push med without knowing LDL-P and other factors is a bit short sighted IMO.
  • granny19597
    granny19597 Posts: 7 Member
    nvmomketo wrote: »
    If you look into the Low Carber Daily MFP group, you'll find many stories of A1c and cholesterol improving. Most do not seem to have their total cholesterol change a lot, but HDL goes up, triglycerides drop, and LDL tends to change into a more desirable, less dense type. All good things.

    The book, Dr Bernstein's Diabetes Solution is a GREAT guide to improving BG and A1c. He basically invented self testing for diabetics and eating to your meter. I recommend it.

    There are a number of good cholesterol books too like Cholesterol Con, (Great) Choleserol Myth, and Choleserol Clarity. Dave Feldman has a very interesting, and well replicated, n=1 experiment that shows cholesterol drops within three days of eating very high fat.

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jZu52duIqno

    Thank you for your response! I have actually started a high fat-moderate protein-low carb diet since I posted this. My daily glocise readings are great every day. I’m hoping for a good lipid panel in April. I’m working out more as well.

    Thanks for the tips for informative books and the forum to look into. I appreciate it!
This discussion has been closed.

Categories