cholesterol

[lph]

Heya, anyone here knowledgeable about cholesterol and how it's measured?

I've been to my first health check-up in 3 years, and among other things measured my cholesterol levels. I was told that my results were all "fine", but I'm the only one in a family of four who doesn't have serious heart disease and am just a leetle bit obsessed about having really really good results, not just "fine" ;)

Anyway. My level of HDL-cholesterol ("good cholesterol") is 2.2 mmol/l, up from 2.0. This should preferably be above 1.0 so this is good.

My "total cholesterol" levels however were 5.4, up from 4.4 3 years ago. Apparently this should preferably be lower than 5. Not so good.

But if I've done my homework, total cholesterol = HDL + LDL + triglyserids - where LDL is the "bad guy" and should preferably be below 3.

What's the point of having total cholesterol levels below 5, if you have high levels of LDL/above 3 anyway?
Conversely, why not have "total" levels above 5, if a large proportion is HDL, like I do?

Why is there a recommendation connected to total levels at all, when it seems to be just LDL-cholesterol you want to avoid :confused: Should I be trying to lower my total cholesterol a little or not? I'd appreciate any feedback anyone might have!

[OakLeaf]

I don't know the answer to your question, but I found a site (http://www.onlineconversion.com/cholesterol.htm) that will convert mmol/l of cholesterol to mg/dl, which is the measure we use in the USA... that should give anyone who does know the answer a head start.

your HDL is 85 mg/dl
total cholesterol is 209 mg/dl

Triglycerides aren't directly a component of total cholesterol. The third component of cholesterol is VLDL, which is difficult to measure directly, so it's usually estimated as a percentage of triglycerides.

This page from the Cleveland Clinic (http://www.clevelandclinic.org/health/health-info/docs/3600/3606.asp?index=11920) seems to have a pretty sensible discussion. They don't say this, but one thing I've heard is that if your HDL is equal to or greater than your LDL, you're in good shape. (Some doctors will say you're okay if your HDL is at least HALF your LDL.)

[lph]

Thanks OakLeaf! Not least for the conversion. The second link gave the best explanation I've read so far. I'm thinking I might get a proper cholesterol profile done, as it seems to be hard to estimate LDL.

[yellow]

lph, I have the heredity issue. I recent started eating more eggs (as in 2-3 a week when before I might eat one a month) and my cholesterol SKYROCKETED from about 121 total to 184. Other recent dietary things probably also contributed (most notably, less red wine). I'm trying the egg whites with salsa and whatnot but it's just not as tasty. :mad:

[lph]

okaaay. I eat maybe 1-2 eggs a week. And rarely drink red wine. It makes me too sleepy.

I'll get that profile done. I'm not worried, but I'd like to install good habits and then just forget about it.

[Jolt]

I don't know the answer to your question, but I found a site (http://www.onlineconversion.com/cholesterol.htm) that will convert mmol/l of cholesterol to mg/dl, which is the measure we use in the USA... that should give anyone who does know the answer a head start.

your HDL is 85 mg/dl
total cholesterol is 209 mg/dl


Those numbers look perfectly OK to me. Yes, the total is slightly higher than the 200 mg/dl recommendation, but your HDL (the good cholesterol--H is for "healthy") is quite high and is bringing up the total number. This is an example of why you have to look at the total cholesterol/HDL ratio and not just the raw numbers--by the ratio, you can see that your numbers are fine and there's no reason to make major changes in the absence of other reasons to do so.

BTW, for those wondering how LDL is measured, usually it isn't measured at all. It is calculated using the following formula, known as the Friedewald equation: (Total cholesterol) = (HDL) + (LDL) + (triglycerides/5). Dividing the triglycerides by 5 is an estimate of VLDL as was mentioned previously, and the formula is not accurate with very high triglyceride levels (over 400, I think).

[badger]

I have the hereditary kind, too, and also had the same sort of result in University when I was eating 2-4 eggs a week.

I had it tested a couple of times over the last 5 years, and while my bad cholesterol is fairly low, my good cholesterol is negligible. I exercise, hardly eat meat, consume healthy fats, and my overall cholesterol level is higher than my coworker who chomps down a couple of big macs in one go.

[OakLeaf]

Are the eggs you eat pasture-raised? (Not [only] organic, not meaningless "cage free," but really pastured?) Unsurprisingly, if an animal has a healthy diet, the products from that animal will be healthier for human consumption. In particular for this thread, pasture-raised eggs and dairy, and grass-finished meat if you eat meat, have a much healthier lipid profile than grain-fed products.

[badger]

I can see that. I'm not sure if it's "pasture" raised, but I buy free range organic eggs.

[featuretile]

My cholesterol was similiar to yours and the doctor considered it too high. I had a choice of a perscription Statin (Lipitor) or prescription niacin. Picked the niacin (called Niaspan). It's a vitamin... Now that I don't have a drug plan, the Niaspan was ridiculously expensive, so I looked on the Internet to see what people were using as an alternative. I found this product called Enduracin. http://www-endur-com.netsolads.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=shopping.display&subcatid=2&pageid=2&parentid=2&parentpage=0 Used it for a few months before getting my physical and blood test.

Cholesterol is one of the few things that you can actually test for. Well, this is also the year that I started cycling. Before I started to take the Niacin my cholesterol was about 225. With the Niaspan, it dropped to about 199 with high HDL. With the Enduracin (2 pills - 1000mg) and cycling, it was 157 and I have more HDL than LDL. I could hardly believe those were my results! I really don't think that just a few eggs here or there could make all that difference if the cholesterol issue is mainly inherited. Mine is. I have eaten a healthy diet with no red meat for over 30 years.

If you do decide to test the Eduracin, take one pill for a month. Get a test and see if that is enough. Then go to 2 pills and get another test. I think it's the exercise that did it for me, but you are probably already exercising plenty, and would probably have higher cholesterol if you did not.

[lph]

Ok, I'm going to go get a proper test done, fasting and all. I exercise plenty and eat varied and healthily, but could certainly cut down on both red meat, fried food and eggs. I eat red meat most weekdays, try to eat fish twice a week but fatty fish at best once a week. I've been taking fish oil supplements for years though, which is probably why my HDL levels are that good. I'd like to avoid other supplements or pills if possible, so I'll see how far I can get with good eating habits. I'd like to get better at making vegetarian dishes, so maybe that could be a good start. Oh, and I'l certainly check "pasture-raised", just got to figure out what that is in Norwegian :p

[lph]

PS. Any of you knowledgeable women know how much difference fasting before a blood test makes? My test was done as part of a general check-up and I was not told to fast in advance - in fact I sat chowing down on a sandwich in the waiting room just prior to my test. I had biked there and was starving... :o

But it seems everywhere I read about a "proper" full cholesterol profile being done, it's important to fast in advance, because triglyceride levels react strongly to food intake. So maybe my levels aren't that high anyway.

[Crankin]

I am not a medical person, but in my experience, the results of a non-fasting blood test for cholesterol are usually way off. They can give you an idea that there might be a problem, but I wouldn't go by the results of anything except a fasting test.
Lph, my numbers are similar to yours; when I was 35, my total was 160, at 40 it was 180, and at about 46 it shot up to 245! Perimenopause really affected it. I was exercising, but not cycling. I started cycling at about age 48, and got my total cholesterol down to 222. The last time I had it tested, about 2 years ago, my total was 217, HDL 71, LDL 30 (I think). At one point, about 4 years ago, my HDL was 81 and my doctor said he had never seen a number as high as that! Definitely from cycling. So, my gyno. always says, "see your PCP, your numbers are high." My PCP always says I don't need a statin because my HDL/LDL ratio is so good, even though my total is still a bit high. There's no real heart disease in my family (except self-induced). I guess I should have it tested again. Personally, I don't think eating a few eggs a week (4-5) is going to make your numbers shoot up. Saturated fat is what makes your cholesterol go up.

[Dianyla]

I can see that. I'm not sure if it's "pasture" raised, but I buy free range organic eggs.
Free range organic eggs are usually fed organic corn. Still better than GMO/pesticide laden corn, but feeding livestock high-carb diets creates meat and eggs with more saturated fats and a less healthy Omega 3 vs. 6 ratio of fatty acids.

The key phrase to look for is "grass-fed" or "pastured" meat/dairy products.


PS. Any of you knowledgeable women know how much difference fasting before a blood test makes? My test was done as part of a general check-up and I was not told to fast in advance - in fact I sat chowing down on a sandwich in the waiting room just prior to my test. I had biked there and was starving... :o
It makes a huge difference! A cholesterol test can also be high if you've had an exceptionally rich dinner the night before. I guess if you eat a rich dinner every night then you should consider your test results normal, but if you're otherwise healthy but you happen to go out and eat a nice rack of lamb with potatoes au gratin and follow it up with the creme brulee for dessert... well expect a slightly abnormal cholesterol test the next day. :eek:

Ask me how I know this. :o

[Jolt]

PS. Any of you knowledgeable women know how much difference fasting before a blood test makes? My test was done as part of a general check-up and I was not told to fast in advance - in fact I sat chowing down on a sandwich in the waiting room just prior to my test. I had biked there and was starving... :o

But it seems everywhere I read about a "proper" full cholesterol profile being done, it's important to fast in advance, because triglyceride levels react strongly to food intake. So maybe my levels aren't that high anyway.

Yes, it is most certainly important to fast before a cholesterol profile for accurate results. Triglyceride levels are affected by food intake, and an inaccurate triglyceride level will result in an inaccurate LDL calculation.

[lph]

aaahhh - which is presumably why they didn't calculate LDL at all, just gave me HDL and total results.

Thank you all, for much insight!

[smilingcat]

I've been sitting on the fence about asking my question. Seems TMI but I'm not really not getting enough time from my doctor to get the answers...

So my HDL level is high. my LDL level is low. But my triglyceride (sp) is high. My doctor says cut down on my carb intake. Easy for him to say.

I understand that LDL clogs your arteries and that is a very bad thing.
High HDL helps to clear out the LDL in your arteries. Is this right or over simplification?

I've googled on triglyceride and it keeps pointing to some drug informercial :mad:

my circulation is supposedly good. and my other stats are BP on the high number is anywhwere from 100 downto 90 and low number is between 55 and 60. And my resting heart rate is around 53-55. And that came from two different doctors. my max heart rate is still around 203. Not too shabby. But should I be concerned about this triglyceride stuff? I understand its another kind of fat. He just said its on the high side... I'll be getting it checked again in April.

I wish my doctor had bit more time to explain these things. :(

Oh when I donate blood, it goes really quick even with my low BP and low pulse. I guess this is good.

So someone, please explain to me why high triglyceride reading is bad. and should I really try to do, something like cutdown on carb intake. More curious than worried.

Thank you.

[KnottedYet]

My doc always tells me trigycerides are essentially the dietary fat floating around, that the reading will radically change depending on what I ate the day before. If my cells aren't burning fat fast enough compared to how I'm consuming it, then excess floats around looking for a home. (which these days seems to be my thighs...)

So, when my trigycerides are high she tells me I need to cut down on the fat I'm consuming and increase my aerobic exercise.

(she never says anything about carbs)

[malkin]

I thought triglyceride level was all about dietary fat, but I see that it is more complicated than that.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triglyceride

If I have to work out a ratio of two different Omega fats, I'll never get it right.

[michelem]

If I have to work out a ratio of two different Omega fats, I'll never get it right.

Check out these posts on this topic:

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showpost.php?p=267325&postcount=15

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showpost.php?p=267325&postcount=15

Hope you find them helpful.

For as far back as I can remember, I have had high cholesterol (since my teens, when I was first tested for it). FINALLY, last year, my 40th b-day present was a GREAT cholesterol test result! How did this happen? I attribute it mainly to finally "getting it" about the importance of the Omega 3:Omega 6 ratio.

I recently heard good ol' Dr. Oz put it very simply: omega 3's are calming; omega 6's are inflammatory.

Americans have absolutely no business supplementing with omega 6's -- we get an overabundance as it is.

[smilingcat]

I thought triglyceride level was all about dietary fat, but I see that it is more complicated than that.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triglyceride

If I have to work out a ratio of two different Omega fats, I'll never get it right.

thank you for the wiki link. Should of checked there first. :o

So high triglyceride can lead to pancreatitis. That's not good. Says I should consume Omega-3 to help bring the number down. And my partner is constantly eating flax seed which is high in Omega-3's...

Doesn't sound too hard to do.

[Jolt]

All this discussion of high triglycerides reminded me of a story. After college, I was working on some research studies in the area of preventive medicine (primarily diabetes and cardiovascular disease). One day I was meeting with the cardiologist who was in charge of one of the studies and he got a call from a patient during our meeting. When he got off the phone, he told me that this was a guy whose triglycerides were 8000 (yes, that's eight THOUSAND, it's not a typo). I hadn't realized they could get that high! He also said that blood drawn from a patient with that kind of triglyceride level looks a bit like cream of tomato soup (yuck)!

[KnottedYet]

thank you for the wiki link. Should of checked there first. :o

So high triglyceride can lead to pancreatitis. That's not good. Says I should consume Omega-3 to help bring the number down. And my partner is constantly eating flax seed which is high in Omega-3's...

Doesn't sound too hard to do.

I looooove the cold milled flax seed I buy at Costco. (www.flaxusa.com) I add it to all kinds of things. Easiest is just to dump a scoop into my yogurt. I like the taste, and it adds a rich nuttiness to things.

[malkin]

I put Flax on the Costco list and Brewer only found granola with some flax...It's ok, in the category that my family have historically called "Cookie-Nola" because it shares a flavor with another basic food group.

When I eat it, it seems like the flax seeds get stuck in my teeth; I wonder if I am getting any nutritional benefits from them. No matter, it is at least a reminder to floss which is also important!

[lph]

quick update: based on the good info I got here I did go get a proper fasting cholesterol test done, and am very glad I did so :)

Just got the results back now, this is with no diet change:
total cholesterol 189 (non-fasting 209 two months ago)
HDL 98 (non-fasting 85 two months ago)
LDL 85
Triglycerides 35,4 (I was starving)

I wasn't worried, but am very pleased. It's a bit like thinking you might have a crack in your bike frame and discovering than not only is it fine but the drivetrain is in better shape than you thought too :D

I am a bit curious as to how much the difference in numbers is due to fasting/non-fasting and how much is just normal fluctuation or measurement uncertainty.

[OakLeaf]

There ya go. :)