Cholesterol

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Lula

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Hi everyone,

I recently had all my blood tests and was thrilled to get an HBA1c of 5.8, 🙂however my cholesterol was 5.2, and it should be under 5.

The nurse told me not to worry about it, and I'm not that worried really, but I would like to bring it down a little. I've been on NHS websites etc and I know the basic rules - less saturated fat and more exercise - but does anyone have tips about how to lower cholesterol successfully?

A realted question - is this likely to be related to my diabetes? I was surprised to hear I have high cholesterol as I think I eat a fairly healthy diet, and I have body mass index in the healthy range. I am twenty-four years old and I hadn't expected cholesterol to be an issue until I was older (please excuse my ignorance!) I must admit I don't do any exercise though, and I know I should.

Anyway, any tips or advice are welcome!!
 
Most people can lower their cholesterol by eating a diet low in fats. They can also be lowered by not smoking losing weight and exercise. Try to stay away from fatty foods. Read labels when you go shopping for food. If you buy meat , buy the less fatty meats. Most grocery stores have the meats labeled as to how much fat is in the meat.

Buy two percent milk. Try to eat no more than two eggs a week. If you like eggs a lot save your two eggs for Sunday breakfast. Instead of butter use a vegetable margarine.

Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. Have a salad everyday and use a lowfat salad dressing. There are many varieties and they are very tasty. Throw away the frying pan. Boil your meats instead of frying. If you must use cooking oil buy Canola oil or olive oil. Try to take a walk everyday. This will lower your cholesterol and you'll lose weight, too.
 
Actually my total cholesterol is 6.5 and I'm not in the least worried about it and I have no intention of taking any Statin drugs. The reason I am not worried is that my HDL is 3.6, my LDL 2.5 and Triglycerides 0.6 which means that my "good" cholesterol is high, my HDL to triglyceride ratio is 0.18 which indicates that the LDL has large fluffy particles which are good. I have discussed this with my Dr who is in agreement that taking anything to reduce it would be counter productive. You may be unaware that you do actually NEED cholesterol for various functions of your body.

However if you really wish to improve your ratios then the way to do it is to restrict carbohydrates and not fats - though limiting saturated fats and staying away from transfats is a good idea. The egg myth has also been debunked. I am not talking about quack websites here, but if you wish to use google scholar there are many serious studies out there which back up the above information.

Regretfully many GPs only see the total cholesterol figure.
 
Pattidevans said:
Actually my total cholesterol is 6.5 and I'm not in the least worried about it and I have no intention of taking any Statin drugs. The reason I am not worried is that my HDL is 3.6, my LDL 2.5 and Triglycerides 0.6 which means that my "good" cholesterol is high, my HDL to triglyceride ratio is 0.18 which indicates that the LDL has large fluffy particles which are good. I have discussed this with my Dr who is in agreement that taking anything to reduce it would be counter productive. You may be unaware that you do actually NEED cholesterol for various functions of your body.

However if you really wish to improve your ratios then the way to do it is to restrict carbohydrates and not fats - though limiting saturated fats and staying away from transfats is a good idea. The egg myth has also been debunked. I am not talking about quack websites here, but if you wish to use google scholar there are many serious studies out there which back up the above information.

Regretfully many GPs only see the total cholesterol figure.
Click to expand...

Dear Pattidevans,

At last - a kindred spirit, I agree with everything you have written. The only thing that I would add is that there has never been a study that shows women benefit from lowering of cholesterol. In fact, in older women, higher cholesterol correlates with a longer life! I too refused to take statins. Here's some reasons why cholesterol is important:

The major building block for the growth, repair and replacement of all body cells
If cholesterol is too low, cell growth is disrupted
Essential to maintain the integrity of cell membranes
Used to facilitate communication between brain and nerve cells
The major precursor for hormone production
Essential for a healthy and effective immune system
Used to make bile acids
Used to make vitamin D3 in conjunction with UVB from sunlight on the skin
So important that most body cells can make it.

Warmest Regards Dodger
 
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Well I avoid Carbs and load up on proteins and fats and Ive not had a problem :D
 
I don't think anyone can avoid certain things, our bodies are made the way they are, I've had a friend who is very healthy but his cholesterol has always been high, like blood pressure etc I believe it can be in the family or just given out.

Can I ask how long have you been diagnosed, I'm still newish to all of this, when I was diagnosed by Cholestral was over 6! But I was told not to worry about it! It soon settled down and I'm in good range now.

I guess the benefit is that we get our bloods tested and can react to try and "improve" a few things.

Good luck,
 
Thank you so much everyone for your advice. It seems as if there is much more to a cholesterol reading than meets the eye. I'll try to see if I can get a breakdown of the finer details. I suppose it won't do me any harm to try to cut down on the saturated fats though!

Rossi_mac - I was diagnosed exactly a year ago. I think my cholesterol has been about 5.2 ever since then. I suppose my doctor doesn't think its worth worrying about as she hasn't mentioned it to me at all - I only know it's above 5 from reading the form myself!
 
Lula said:
Thank you so much everyone for your advice. It seems as if there is much more to a cholesterol reading than meets the eye. I'll try to see if I can get a breakdown of the finer details. I suppose it won't do me any harm to try to cut down on the saturated fats though!

Rossi_mac - I was diagnosed exactly a year ago. I think my cholesterol has been about 5.2 ever since then. I suppose my doctor doesn't think its worth worrying about as she hasn't mentioned it to me at all - I only know it's above 5 from reading the form myself!
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Dear Lula,

There sure is a lot about cholesterol have a look at the sites below, the first is a lecture and covers why we get fat and the second covers CVD, cholesterol, Metformin and more!. BTW that saturated fat is bad for you is only a hypothesis it has never been proved definitively that it is bad for you!

http://www.dhslides.org/mgr/mgr060509f/f.htm

http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/15945839.php


Warmest Regards Dodger
 
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C*5_Dodger said:
Dear Pattidevans,

At last - a kindred spirit, I agree with everything you have written. The only thing that I would add is that there has never been a study that shows women benefit from lowering of cholesterol. In fact fact, in older women, higher cholesterol correlates with a longer life! I too refused to take statins.Warmest Regards Dodger
Click to expand...

I'm another statin-dodger, Dodger and Pattidevans. Surgery policy is statins for diabetics as preventive measure, but hospital DSN agrees with me - not necessary - no significant family histlry and high low-cholesterol count.
 
steff09 said:
Most people can lower their cholesterol by eating a diet low in fats. They can also be lowered by not smoking losing weight and exercise. Try to stay away from fatty foods. Read labels when you go shopping for food. If you buy meat , buy the less fatty meats. Most grocery stores have the meats labeled as to how much fat is in the meat.

Buy two percent milk. Try to eat no more than two eggs a week. If you like eggs a lot save your two eggs for Sunday breakfast. Instead of butter use a vegetable margarine.

Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. Have a salad everyday and use a lowfat salad dressing. There are many varieties and they are very tasty. Throw away the frying pan. Boil your meats instead of frying. If you must use cooking oil buy Canola oil or olive oil. Try to take a walk everyday. This will lower your cholesterol and you'll lose weight, too.
Click to expand...

Hi Steff! Advice about eggs has changed (for the time being anyway LOL!: http://www.bhf.org.uk/keeping_your_heart_healthy/preventing_heart_disease/cholesterol.aspx
http://lowerbloodpressurecheap.com/eggs-cleared-of-causing-high-cholesterol
 
Would like you cholesterol experts opinion on my situation if you get to read this.
I have a family history of cardiac problems at youngish ages this is because of my MODY diabetes and my protective cholesterol HDL is misshapen so does not provide the protection the blood test would indicate it should. Dr's have said that I will have to take statins in the future because of this. How would statins help this problem?
 
It wouldn't. Statins have no effect on HDL.
 
sofaraway said:
Would like you cholesterol experts opinion on my situation if you get to read this.
I have a family history of cardiac problems at youngish ages this is because of my MODY diabetes and my protective cholesterol HDL is misshapen so does not provide the protection the blood test would indicate it should. Dr's have said that I will have to take statins in the future because of this. How would statins help this problem?
Click to expand...

Dear sofaraway,

This is not medical advice it's just what I learned about the science.
The full name for Statins is HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors. The pathway for cholesterol production starts with Acetyl CoA. At about the 4th step HMG-CoA is converted to HMG-CoA Reductase. Statins inhibit HMG-CoA Reductase and hence the production of cholesterol (and other essential substances like CoQ10 (Co-Enzyme Q10), dolichols, selenoproteins, Rho, glutathione and normal phosphorylation). In a nutshell:

1.They lower cholesterol synthesis in the liver
2.The liver starts running out of the cholesterol needed to make VLDLs
3.The liver then has to increase the number of LDL receptors to pull cholesterol back in to make more VLDLs
4.More LDL is dragged back into the liver, as a result of which...
5.The LDL level in the blood falls – Simples!

So in point of fact it has nothing to do with HDL. The only thing I can see that is relevant is that the total amount of cholesterol is reduced. Of-course you have to believe that artificially lowering it is beneficial – I don't believe it is! Lipoproteins (Chylomicrons, VLDLs, LDLs and HDLs) are spherical proteins and so are they saying that because your HDL is misshapen it is no longer capable of ferrying cholesterol back to the liver for re-use? I believe that in certain circumstances Statins are useful but NOT because of their cholesterol lowering abilities but because they are powerful anti-inflammatory drugs and should be prescribed, not on the basis of cholesterol but on the detection of elevated high sensitivity C-reactive protein and even then only in limited circumstances.

Warmest Regards Dodger
 
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Hi there

I am pleased to see someone else is singing from the same hymn sheet as myself regarding the cholesterol issue. I get rather angry at the way diabetics are bullied into taking statins simply because they are diabetic and their total cholesterol is over 4. The "under 4" advice comes from a remote tribe in China who seemingly do not suffer heart disease and have total chol results under 4. Of course it could be any other circumstance of their lives which reduces the heart disease. I have seen ample evidence and many studies which say that having total chol under 4 is of no benefit (and is probably a bad thing) in women. But Dodger has eloquently summed up the case for having healthy cholesterol (by which I don't mean low). Many GPs seem unaware of this factor as was my own, but once I mentioned to her the relationship of HDL to Triglycerides she did go off and find out, and I admire her greatly for being generous and respectful enough to give me credence. Do not forget, not knowing about something does not make a bad GP - they need to know a little about a lot of ailments, refusing to learn does make a poor GP!

As to Statins, I am completely unconvinced of their safety and from personal experience I know that they can affect memory. Not to mention the many people who suffer muscle and joint pain as a side effect. Since taking myself off them in March of this year the problem with forgetting words and names which I had put down to my age has completely gone. Read http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/4974840/Wonder-drug-that-stole-my-memory.html and http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/5257744/Statins-life-saving-wonder-drugs-or-just-life-damaging.html
 
sofaraway said:
Would like you cholesterol experts opinion on my situation if you get to read this.
I have a family history of cardiac problems at youngish ages this is because of my MODY diabetes and my protective cholesterol HDL is misshapen so does not provide the protection the blood test would indicate it should. Dr's have said that I will have to take statins in the future because of this. How would statins help this problem?
Click to expand...

HDL helps clear up the mess made by LDL in the endothelium (the space between the first and second layers of artery walls). If your Cadburys mis-shapes can't do the honours and your LDL begins to rise then statins would be a way of keeping LDL in check and reducing their damage. in effect a replacement for the defective HDL.
Diabetic Dyslipidemia is common - HDL falls and LDL rises in diabetics - because of inter-reactions between insulin resistance and lipids.
 
More on Cholesterol

Dear All,

I just came across this, apologies for resurrecting this thread but if this doesn't make you think twice about taking Statins nothing will! Two drug Companies have (I believe they were forced but they wouldn't have done it if it were not so) put this on their adverts: "Lipitor/Crestor has not been shown to prevent heart disease or heart attack." Have a look at this:

http://www.cholesterol-and-health.org.uk/statins-6.html

Warmest Regards Dodger
 
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Hi - I had my first appointment since diaagnosis 5 wks ago with my DSN today and practically the first thing she said was that next month she wants me to take start taking Statins. My cholesterol level, when taken last month, was 4.4, which my doctor informed me was pretty good.

I remembered reading this thread a few days ago, so I queried the necessity for statins with her, and she answered as I'd expected her to, with all the stuff about impending heart attacks, keeping cholesterol low to prevent heart disease, etc.

As I've never been on tablets for ANYthing in my 53 years until now (Metformin, which she also said she might increase next time, despite the fact that my BG levels have come RIGHT down from 19.something to 6.something!), I'm a bit wary of suddenly being on 3 lots (she also mentioned something about another tablet to keep kidneys healthy). (I DID start to wonder if she was on a backhander from the drugs companies!!)

I must confess, a lot of the stuff in this thread is WAYYYY over my head, but even I can see that the concessus is that Statins are not deemed to be a good thing. But, she has scared me with talks of heart attacks and kidney disease (I have about 5 stone to lose, which doesn't help), so now I'm worried about taking them, but equally worried about rejecting them.

I'm SOOOO confused!! :confused::confused:

xx
 
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