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Increased cholesterol on low carb diet

R

rosiedoll

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Pronouns
She/Her
Hi everyone
I was diagnosed type 2 last July (HbA1c was 64) and I've now lost just over 3.5 stone by following a low carb diet. My HbA1c is now 39. The problem is that my cholesterol level has now risen slightly. I've been eating full-fat dairy (in moderation and always weighed out) as part of my low carb diet. Wondering whether to now switch to low fat versions but obviously there are downsides with these! Any ideas/comments welcomed. Thanks.
 
I think during the weight loss phase it is not uncommon for people on a low carb diet to have slightly increased cholesterol and I think it may be to do with the loss of fat from tissue. It should settle down once you get to your weight goal and maintenance. More soluble fibre can help, particularly if you previously ate the likes of porridge and now don't. I use chia seeds and psyllium husk for soluble fibre and either add them to yoghurt or in a drink or use them in soups and stews to thicken them or yesterday I made a low carb mug cake and added psyllium husk to that. Neither really taste of anything so quite versatile. I eat lots of cheese and cream and creamy Greek style yoghurt and fatty meat and my cholesterol has been reasonably stable in the mid 4s for the past 6 years since diagnosis. Of course the nurse would like it below 4 but I am quite happy where it is.
 
My Hba1c is fine with a low carb diet, but my cholestrol has always been on the high side. It is such a balance which I am not so great with. Tried a statin that did a good job with cholestrol but caused other problems, I was taken off it immediately . I now take a cholestrol lowering drug (not a statin) which has been fine.it has lowered all my lipid markers but not to the magic number of 4. However, the surgery seems ok with them. Quite honestly I now try my best and sometimes I do fail, pick myself up and start again. Good luck
 
Thanks for replying Barbara and Sharron. It's quite a tricky balancing act isn't it?! I will give chia seeds and psyllium husk a try.
 
Cholesterol is involved in shifting fat from cells to liver, so if you are losing weight you are probably going to show higher cholesterol numbers.
My cholesterol level now is down from the time I was eating low fat everything and lots of fibrous things - a 'healthy' weightloss regime which made me almost spherical and ended when I was diagnosed with type 2. I was flagged as having high glucose levels in a test ten years earlier, which they resolved by not repeating the test for another decade.

My cholesterol numbers became stable once I settled into the low carb way of eating - I did shakes and low calorie last year for 2 months, and my cholesterol increased by a total of 0.1 units - so I am pretty sure that mine isn't controlled by dietary fats.
 
Congrats on your amazing weight loss! 3.5 is quite an achievement :star::star::star:

Have you been offered a statin @rosiedoll ? That might allow you to keep using the meal plan that seems to be suiting your diabetes, while also keeping your cholesterol in the recommended ranges?
 
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