Cholesterol help please

[Loobyloo]

I have managed to get my Bg levels under control though Lchf diet and exercise but my Cholesterol has gone up from 6.1 to 6.6 since following this diet. I don't understand really as have lost 3.5 stone, doing regular exercise and stopped smoking nearly a year ago a few months before diagnosis. I don't drink much alcohol at all. I expected a drop if anything so a little confused as to whats happening.
Nurse on telephone this evening mentioned statins which i really don't want after hearing of side affects and she was happy for me to try to get it down by diet and exercise. She said cut fats and dairy which is part of my diet that seems to have worked for me in lowering Bg and weight, but i read on the internet cutting fats and dairy makes no difference to Cholesterol levels so who is correct?. I trawled the internet and have read so many differing views i really don't know what to do now. Can i also ask if anyone has tried Benecol and does it help? Can anyone advise what i can do to cut my Cholesterol ?

 

[Loobyloo]

I don't count the fats i eat to be honest but don't eat many of the unsaturated you have listed above. The fats i eat are from double cream on sugar free jelly. butter on toast in morning, cheese, mayo and the odd sausage or burger with lean bacon. I can't think of anything else i eat with fats. This is loads less fat than before my 6.1 count last year as have cut all pastry, cakes and biscuits etc. so confused as to why its gone up. Maybe its the cream on jelly as thats the only thing i never used to have.

 

[Loobyloo]

I have a Benecol with breakfast and it claims to reduce cholesterol levels by up to 10% but I haven't had a diabetic review since I started having it so I don't know what my current cholesterol levels are

When you do get to find out if Benecol seems to make any difference can you let me know please? Thanks Martin

 

[Loobyloo]

Thanks for that Martin i will read that as so many conflicting views on the internet. One even mentioned high Cholesterol in older women is beneficial as long as no heart disease in their family which surely can't be correct.

 

[Eddy Edson]

The best advice is to ignore the Internet, and use info from the NHS like Martin posted, or other expert bodies. The Internet is a snakepit of misniformation about many things, cholesterol and statins being prime examples.

Worsening cholesterol is a common problem for LCHF diets, if the "HF" part involves a lot of saturated fat.

 

[Loobyloo]

Thanks @Eddy Edson this was something i hadn't realised and now can work on reducing. So much to count and watch out for it all gets quite confusing but i am sure i will get there in the end.

 

[Robin]

One even mentioned high Cholesterol in older women is beneficial as long as no heart disease in their family which surely can't be correct.

There have been studies to show that people, especially women, with higher LdL levels live longer. This is what I found with a quick Google, on the subject of being older and having high cholesterol. You can’t take a study in isolation, though, presumably if you are old and have high cholesterol, you are one of the people who didn’t die in middle age from CVD!

No association between 'bad cholesterol' and elderly deaths

An international team of experts has found that older people with high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) live as long, and often longer, than their peers with low levels of LDL-C. The findings, resulting from an analysis of past studies involving more than 68,000 participants over 60...

www.sciencedaily.com

 

[Eddy Edson]

There have been studies to show that people, especially women, with higher LdL levels live longer. This is what I found with a quick Google, on the subject of being older and having high cholesterol. You can’t take a study in isolation, though, presumably if you are old and have high cholesterol, you are one of the people who didn’t die in middle age from CVD!

No association between 'bad cholesterol' and elderly deaths

An international team of experts has found that older people with high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) live as long, and often longer, than their peers with low levels of LDL-C. The findings, resulting from an analysis of past studies involving more than 68,000 participants over 60...

www.sciencedaily.com

This is a view entirely at odds with the mainstream consensus and this paper and a bunch of others co-authored by noted anti-cholesterol-theory zealot Ravnskov and other members of his THINCS cholesterol-denier anti-statin lobbby group have been heavily criticised by hordes of experts.

A range of responses to this paper: http://www.sciencemediacentre.org/e...ldl-cholesterol-and-mortality-in-the-elderly/

And eg this for kind of a blanket cover letter for criticisms over the years: https://www.cambridge.org/core/jour...-fat-and-chd/5EDE4536FB1654CDF6257C3F93E42CB0

We thank Dr Ravnskov and colleagues(1) for their interest in our editorial. Ravnskov et al. appear to ignore the large number of controlled metabolic studies relating fatty acid intake to plasma total and LDL-cholesterol as well as the overwhelming evidence that LDL is causally related to the atherosclerotic process. The issues that Ravnskov et al. raise were raised earlier in sixty-two Letters to the Editor, which Dr Ravnskov has published about lipids and heart disease in the past 20 years(2–63). His letters have appeared in JAMA, the New England Journal of Medicine, the British Medical Journal, the Lancet, Science, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Annals of Internal Medicine, the Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, the International Journal of Cardiology, Circulation, the Quarterly Journal of Medicine, the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Nutrition Metabolism and Cardiovascular diseases, several Scandinavian medical journals, and now in the British Journal of Nutrition. All these letters argue essentially the same point, namely that lowering blood cholesterol levels is of unproven value. We refer readers to the responses of dozens of reputable scientists set out in each journal’s Letters section, where they have carefully responded to Dr Ravnskov’s letters and shown that, by and large, Ravnskov’s arguments are faulty.

There's no meaningful scientific dispute here: there's science, and then there are Ravnskov and the other THINCS people.

 

[Lars88]

Hello, did they give you a breakdown of your cholesterol levels ? Tri, HDL and LDL. Because some cholesterol is classed as good and it can affect the overall total. I have just got my results back at 5.3 and they are suggesting statins but I've heard they can increase blood sugars.

 

[DaveB]

Hi. The important thing is not your cholesterol total but the various ratios i.e Tri, HDL, LDL etc. If these are not in a good range then taking a minimal level of statins might be worth considering but don't take more than you need to achieve good ratios. Views on the effect of Fat on cholesterol continue to vary wildly. I don't believe NHS advice on this is any more scientifically based than many of the better websites (my opinion). Basically it's your liver and DNA that decides how much cholesterol goes into the blood stream and not what you eat. Fat that you eat goes thru a complex process of digestion and in a very different way from carbs. I would ask anyone who says eating fat causes blocked arteries or weight gain why that is and where is the real evidence; the argument continues!

 

[AndBreathe]

@Loobyloo - I note that you have lost a significant amount of body weight over recent times. In the low carb community, individuals have quite differing cholesterol outcomes during and immediately after weight loss.

As others have suggested, it is important to know the breakdown of your lipids, because depending on the breakdown it is possible to end up with your constituent parts of your total cholesterol being excellent, but the total coming to an inconveniently high number.

If you know, or can find out your cholesterol breakdown, it can be interesting to do some reading into each element, and what it means.

Many, many of those who notice their cholesterol go up during/just after weight loss often find they reduce again, once their weight evens out.

In your shoes, I'd be quite happy waiting a few months, at least, before considering any intervention.

Huge well done on trimming up. I do hope you feel well on it.

 

[Loobyloo]

Thanks everyone for you comments and input. It all leaves me a little confused as to what to do. I suppose the first thing would be as some have suggested to find out a breakdown of the different cholesterol levels as i was only told 6.6 total. The nurse said Doctors note suggested Statins so i assume not good splits. She did however say with my glucose levels of 37 its not so bad as having bad Diabetes control and cholesterol high. I am still losing weight so hope this does't cause it to go any higher. I have bought some Benecol drinks just to see if they help at all and will cut my saturated fat. I don't know what else i can do really as i am already cutting carbs and exercising. I joked with my hubby my life may just be spent jogging whilst nibbling a lettuce leaf and a bag of nuts at this rate as can't cut much more. Pity i was doing well and feeling satisfied on the Lchf diet, even enjoying it til i saw my cholesterol had risen.

 

[Drummer]

Thanks for that Martin i will read that as so many conflicting views on the internet. One even mentioned high Cholesterol in older women is beneficial as long as no heart disease in their family which surely can't be correct.

Yes - there have ben several articles about it - all got taken off the internet as they can't be right, but the same thing keeps being found when people start to investigate.
It would almost be amusing if it did not infer shorter lives when cholesterol is reduced.

 

[Perfect10]

I am worried about my cholesterol since going LCHF, it was 6 at the last blood test! Next blood test in March.
I do take benecol though and also use the benecol spread instead of butter.
I have been told that my cholesterol ratio was ok though and I don’t need statins but I know a stroke specialist nurse who thinks I should be on statins?

 

[Loobyloo]

I am worried about my cholesterol since going LCHF, it was 6 at the last blood test! Next blood test in March.
I do take benecol though and also use the benecol spread instead of butter.
I have been told that my cholesterol ratio was ok though and I don’t need statins but I know a stroke specialist nurse who thinks I should be on statins?

I think from what i have read you can be over 6 and as long as you have good ratio then nothing to worry about . I don't know my ratios but assume not good as recommended statins, i will have to find out. Please let me know if Benecol makes any difference at all when you get tested.

 

[nonethewiser]

The nurse said Doctors note suggested Statins so i assume not good splits.

My ratio's were good but still statin was suggested by Dr then recommended by Consultant. What they do is stabilise plaque in arteries reducing the risk of clots forming resulting in heart attacks strokes, plaque forms as part of aging process as this article explains https://www.webmd.com/heart-disease...he early stages, your,a lot of plaque buildup.

Been on statin for 8 months now no side effect whatsoever, Eddie makes good point about ignoring anti statin propaganda & getting info from reputable sources only.

 

[ianf0ster]

Total Cholesterol is meaningless.
My Total Cholesterol before I started LCHF was 3.6, I was a TOFI so not much weight loss - just 26lbs over 18months.
I expected my LDL ro go up when in the main part of the weight loss phase, since I was 'burning' body fat which would have LDL in it - so more goes into the bloodstream until it can be removed by the liver.



Many Doctors have pointed out that people with low LDL die earlier than those with higher LDL (particularly women). What (most of those I listen to say is that it 's the Triglycerides which are the main problem Since LDL is needed for Brain Function, Hormone production and for Immune system function.

My Total Cholesterol is now 7.7 but my HDL has almost doubled and my Triglycerides have reduced, so my Ratios are all in the Low Risk area, much better than before LCHF.

 

[Loobyloo]

I am worried about my cholesterol since going LCHF, it was 6 at the last blood test! Next blood test in March.
I do take benecol though and also use the benecol spread instead of butter.
I have been told that my cholesterol ratio was ok though and I don’t need statins but I know a stroke specialist nurse who thinks I should be on statins?

I note your levels were 7.6 last year so you are doing really well reducing it to 6 and certainly heading in the right direction. I would be delighted if mine reduced that much.

 

[AndBreathe]

Thanks everyone for you comments and input. It all leaves me a little confused as to what to do. I suppose the first thing would be as some have suggested to find out a breakdown of the different cholesterol levels as i was only told 6.6 total. The nurse said Doctors note suggested Statins so i assume not good splits. She did however say with my glucose levels of 37 its not so bad as having bad Diabetes control and cholesterol high. I am still losing weight so hope this does't cause it to go any higher. I have bought some Benecol drinks just to see if they help at all and will cut my saturated fat. I don't know what else i can do really as i am already cutting carbs and exercising. I joked with my hubby my life may just be spent jogging whilst nibbling a lettuce leaf and a bag of nuts at this rate as can't cut much more. Pity i was doing well and feeling satisfied on the Lchf diet, even enjoying it til i saw my cholesterol had risen.

Loobyloo - In your shoes, I would relax and wait for a few months further, before taking any action whatsoever.

For me, and I stress ME, the most important part of the lipids breakdown in the Triglycerides. If they are good, I'm relatively happy.

We need cholesterol in our bodies. It does all manner of good work, including keeping our brains healthy. This drive to lower meaningless, Total Cholesterol is a bit like saying any person should weight 8st, without knowing their height, gender, muscularity or whatever.

If you want to learn about Cholesterol and how it works in our bodies, I would strongly recommend Dr/Professor Ken Sikaris, on YouTube. He is an Australian Pathologist, with an interest in lipids: https://www.mps.com.au/about-us/pathologists/assoc-prof-ken-sikaris

His YouTube video here could help start some better understanding for you:

When I was in a similar situation to you, I used to take various academic papers, and YouTube links for my GP to peruse. Over a period of about a year, she went from "those numbers are a bit uncomfortably high", to "you must be delighted with that set of numbers", despite there not being any seismic shift in my numbers.

As I say; these are my views and what I would do. You have to undertake your own learning curve, which may or may not be steep.

I wish you well with it all.

 

[Loobyloo]

I have emailed surgery for breakdown and ratio. I will see what that reveals.
Thanks i will watch this video @AndBreathe.