Cholesterol

[Idlehands]

FUCK
230, 170ldl

How to reduce LDL? Gimmi tips folks. Or should I be asking for the molecule size test and not worry?

[SpinyNorman]

FUCK
230, 170ldl

How to reduce LDL? Gimmi tips folks. Or should I be asking for the molecule size test and not worry?

Try the test again on another day?

I haven't had my cholesterol checked in 3 years, but 3 years ago I had it checked a month apart. First was for life insurance, the second was just a routine physical. I fasted for both tests. I did not change a damn thing for diet or training.

Here are my numbers for March -> April
Total 237 -> 206
HDL 59 -> 48
LDL 159 -> 143
Triglycerides 94 -> 75

Even for the first test those numbers were close enough to the normal range for me to not worry about it. My doc didn't say much about the numbers either, so I figure I'm probably ok.

[mgil]

Paging @broseph for fiber suggestions.

[broseph]

[cracks knuckles]

I brought my total cholesterol down from 252 to 184. My HDL is always pitifully low, so if there's anyone who can help that department, please do.

I researched the "portfolio diet" used in a few studies to decrease cholesterol. Some the of numbers vary, but a quick googling will get you specifics. It consists of a certain amount of soy protein, almonds, soluble fiber, and phytosterols (the plant version of cholesterol and the active ingredient in "cholesterol-lowering" margarine).

I just focused on the fiber and phytosterols at first to cut down on variables, but these 2 things were enough to cause that shift in lab values.

I take 3 heaping tablespoons of psyllium husk (soluble fiber) and 1.5 grams of phytosterols per day. I believe this is actually a lower dose than what's used in the portfolio diets with regards to dose-per-1000-calories.






I have to add that the fiber supplement totally changed my bowel life and it's great and I would never go back even if it had no effect on my cholesterol. I prefer the whole husks to the powder, FWIW.

[brkriete]

[cracks knuckles]

I brought my total cholesterol down from 252 to 184. My HDL is always pitifully low, so if there's anyone who can help that department, please do.

Similar situation here (last fasted test total was 196 and HDL was like 28). I bought a bunch of snack size packs of almonds and I'm eating those instead of higher carb snacks and I'm losing weight, hopefully the combo helps. I already exercise regularly and use olive oil pretty much exclusively, and eat a lot of whole grains/high fiber foods. Maybe a fish oil supplement would help? I used to take one since it seemed to help with general inflammation but haven't in a while.

[broseph]

@brkriete Yeah, I've heard other people say it's difficult to get that HDL number up.

For a while I was also eating almonds and consuming alcohol every day, but kind of fell off that wagon before being able to recheck my labs.

[Idlehands]

@brkriete Yeah, I've heard other people say it's difficult to get that HDL number up.

For a while I was also eating almonds and consuming alcohol every day, but kind of fell off that wagon before being able to recheck my labs.

these numbers are about where I always am, except that one time I was having 2 glasses of red EVERY night and then I actually hit under 200.

Thanks for all the info people. I figured my fiber is ok, but will up it. maybe add avocados for hdl. almonds. i like almonds. ok. getting a game plan!

I heard also that coffee with paper filters had a better affect on cholesterol than metal

[noviceLIfter]

Jordan answered this over on the SS forums when he used to run the nutrition forum.

Anyways, I used to have high cholesterol. My family has a problem with high cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes, etc. Several years ago my total cholesterol was very high ( I think I totaled 239 when I was in my late 20s), and my doctor made me sit with a nutritionist to get some info how to bring it down. This is basically what I did:

1) Eat properly. Lots of veggies--dark green lettuce, carrots, onions, radishes, etc. Incorporate fibrous food like broccoli, asparagus, etc. Eat a lot of fruits too. Fresh fruit too--apples, oranges, berries, and pineapple are my mainstays. Eat fish. Fatty fish like salmon are great. I limit my meats to baked chicken breast. Egg whites only. Carbs--avoid processed carbs. No chips, cookies, etc. No processed foods. The only carbs should be stuff like oatmeal, yams/sweet potatoes, brown rice and beans. Fats--almonds and guac are your friend. In general you gotta create good eating habits to affect your cholesterol numbers. I give myself a break on Friday and Saturday nights but otherwise I'm pretty strict.

Supps: I use fish oil and plant sterols (like cholestroff). Fiber is really good too. I think it attaches itself to excess cholesterol and helps flush it out. I aim for 45g of fiber a day (between supplements and the food I eat). Drink a lot of water. No soda.

Exercise: I tried to add some cardio 1x a week whether it be the c2 rower, prowler, or something else.

It takes a long time but my numbers were brought down to normal. This past Jan I got a blood test and my baseline came back at 115 ldl, 54 hdl and 82 tri. Pretty much perfect numbers for an adult male.

[alek]

Jordan answered this over on the SS forums when he used to run the nutrition forum.

Anyways, I used to have high cholesterol. My family has a problem with high cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes, etc. Several years ago my total cholesterol was very high ( I think I totaled 239 when I was in my late 20s), and my doctor made me sit with a nutritionist to get some info how to bring it down. This is basically what I did:

1) Eat properly. Lots of veggies--dark green lettuce, carrots, onions, radishes, etc. Incorporate fibrous food like broccoli, asparagus, etc. Eat a lot of fruits too. Fresh fruit too--apples, oranges, berries, and pineapple are my mainstays. Eat fish. Fatty fish like salmon are great. I limit my meats to baked chicken breast. Egg whites only. Carbs--avoid processed carbs. No chips, cookies, etc. No processed foods. The only carbs should be stuff like oatmeal, yams/sweet potatoes, brown rice and beans. Fats--almonds and guac are your friend. In general you gotta create good eating habits to affect your cholesterol numbers. I give myself a break on Friday and Saturday nights but otherwise I'm pretty strict.

Supps: I use fish oil and plant sterols (like cholestroff). Fiber is really good too. I think it attaches itself to excess cholesterol and helps flush it out. I aim for 45g of fiber a day (between supplements and the food I eat). Drink a lot of water. No soda.

Exercise: I tried to add some cardio 1x a week whether it be the c2 rower, prowler, or something else.

It takes a long time but my numbers were brought down to normal. This past Jan I got a blood test and my baseline came back at 115 ldl, 54 hdl and 82 tri. Pretty much perfect numbers for an adult male.

I'm curious, can you be a little more specific about how long it took you? Couple months? Years?

[AaronM]

Looking at old bloodwork:

2016
LDL 129
body weight 185lb

2017
LDL 97
body weight 204lb (4500-4700 cals/day)

I ate a lot of junk food in 2017 (brownies, gummy bears, etc) to get my weight up to 204, yet my LDL went down. My fiber intake was probably a lot higher in 2017 since I ate a lot of granola and cereal. If diet plays a big role in LDL numbers, not sure why my count went down when I was eating more junk/processed foods in 2017 than I was in 2016. Maybe lifting heavier weights more consistently helped? Not sure.

[broseph]

Fiber is really good too. I think it attaches itself to excess cholesterol and helps flush it out.

It's pretty cool all the different ways fiber affects blood cholesterol levels. Off the top of my head, it binds to dietary cholesterol in the gut (if dietary cholesterol even matters?), it is also fermented by gut bacteria into short chain fatty acids which might have positive health benefits, and it increases bile production and excretion (pulling cholesterol out of the blood).

I think for psyllium, the bile production and excretion was the primary mechanism by which it lowers total cholesterol?

Please no one research this stuff and point to all the places I used the wrong words and whatnot. DO research it, but do it For Your Health.

The point is fiber=gud

[noviceLIfter]

I'm curious, can you be a little more specific about how long it took you? Couple months? Years?

No, unfortunately not. It has been several years. I asked my doctor about whether I should go on some sort of medication, and she said I was too young and suggested a combination of exercise and diet changes.

[alek]

I'm curious, can you be a little more specific about how long it took you? Couple months? Years?

No, unfortunately not. It has been several years. I asked my doctor about whether I should go on some sort of medication, and she said I was too young and suggested a combination of exercise and diet changes.

No worries. Thanks!

[ithryn]

Not to be that guy, but statins are cheap as hell and have basically no side effects (I got a charlie horse once). I've been on then since I was 30, I'm 37 now. I'm pretty anti unnecessary medication but I think statins are benign and useful when indicated.

[cwd]

Not to be that guy, but statins are cheap as hell and have basically no side effects (I got a charlie horse once). I've been on then since I was 30, I'm 37 now. I'm pretty anti unnecessary medication but I think statins are benign and useful when indicated.

No medicine is completely benign, except a placebo. If it's powerful enough to help, it's gonna have side-effects.

My cholesterol measured high, but my doc's risk model said statins weren't worthwhile. My blood pressure and sugar are good, non-smoker, not very fat, etc. Overall predicted risk of heart attack was low enough that the known rate of statin side-effects added up to a higher risk of death than living with the high C.

Of course, I'm still pretty careful with my diet, and trying to get leaner. Should probably get my cholesterol re-checked...

[ithryn]

When I say no side effects, I don't mean absolute zero, but these are being used by millions on a level with aspirin, beta blockers, and other drugs that I'd consider fairly benign (when taken appropriately) but are definitely higher risk than a statin.

I'm not arguing with your doctor, of course, and I think being skeptical is a better default position than being med-happy, so whatever works.

[cwd]

@ithryn, sure. Statins are very well-tested, and mostly harmless AFAIK.

Certainly they are better-tested than long-term TRT for mood enhancement in middle-aged men, which I'm on. It's an off-label use, long-term risks are not well understood yet. We all take risks.

[ithryn]

Well shoot, at least you're probably getting something out of that, lol. I take this white pill religiously and I'm still in a bad mood.

[d0uevenlift]

@ithryn, sure. Statins are very well-tested, and mostly harmless AFAIK.

Certainly they are better-tested than long-term TRT for mood enhancement in middle-aged men, which I'm on. It's an off-label use, long-term risks are not well understood yet. We all take risks.

The risks of taking statins and its side effects are overblown. Just suggesting to someone that it may cause muscle pain will probably do just that--cause muscle pain. Don't forget that there is more than one type of statin, so if one has averse side effects, it's easy to switch to another.

[mbasic]

OMG I tried the psyllium husk, and that shit sits in my gut like a lead brick.

I stopped using it soley because of how it made me feel.

If anyone needs help with appetite supression that'd be the ticket.