Cholesterol, do I need to pick up smokin' and drinkin,??

Zeldman

Zeldman

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Billy
So I was talking to my PCP today on my blood work last week. Seems I have cholesterol problems.

My LDL is low. I think that is good. I understand that high levels of LDL can lead to heart disease and stroke.

My HDL is also low. I understand this actually needs to be higher to help reduce risk of heart disease and stroke.

My Triglycerides is also low. If I understand correctly that is good. I understand that high Triglycerides can contribute to problematic cholesterol buildup in the body.

She says my cholesterol levels are too low, almost dangerously low.

Can having total low cholesterol be a bad thing?

How do I raise the good cholesterol without raising the bad?
 
I recently let fly at my internist who wants to treat me to toxicity with statins. I have a normal profile.
It was the Foghorn Leghorn Thing. Remember I was a professor long ago. "I say, I say, What EXACTLY is your longevity evidence for wanting to do a thing like that? Where is your survival data".

I think it's fine to tinker with the profile if the family history isn't good, if the HDL is low....but there is still, no evidence for outcome differences!
 
How low? "Low" according to average ranges isn't really low in my opinion. I look at HDL as the stuff your body makes to mop up the excess LDL, so being low could be a good indication. If LDL is below 70 and triglycerides below 80, a low HDL (30 to 40) is probably about right in my experience. It won't stop heart disease, though. At least not mine. So, I've added omega 3s in the form of salmon several times per week and small amounts of red meat. I get an annual omega 3 test here, too: https://omegaquant.com/
The added salmon raised my HDL without raising LDL or triglycerides, but my latest test showed I've slipped on my "Index" score slightly into the yellow range. Because I've let the carbs sneak into my diet. Time to straighten up and fly right again.
 
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My wife and her father both have low blood pressure. Their (same) doctor recommended potato chips.
 
I'm in a similar boat. I recall my doc said I needed to up my fiber intake and exercise to boost my HDL.
 
I take a statin,exercise daily,and still have the cholesterol problem.
 
I found that going on the high fiber, low fat diet did nothing significant with my cholesterol. Working out and losing 50 lbs did a much better job.
 
bbchien said:
I think it's fine to tinker with the profile if the family history isn't good, if the HDL is low....but there is still, no evidence for outcome differences!
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Family history is not good. My dad and 2 uncles died from heart disease problems. Out of 13 male 1st cousins 2 of us do not have some sort of heart disease. Seems the males in the family kick off in their 60s from heart related problems. Except one uncle that was over weight, drank and smoked all his adult life. He made it to 83 and died due to injuries from a car accident 6 months earlier.

dtuuri said:
salmon raised my HDL without raising LDL or triglycerides,
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That is good to hear since both me and my wife enjoy salmon a couple times a week.
 
Low cholesterol is usually not a problem. You do not need to try and raise it, but your physician should be checking to see if you might have a systemic health problem that is causing it to be low. Was your cholesterol once normal?
 
I had to seek a doctor’s note for an interview that said my total cholesterol was fine as the ratio of LDL/HDL was good. At my interview physical (which they no longer do) my total cholesterol was 115. It’s been low ever since.
 
Eldorado said:
Was your cholesterol once normal?
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Probably, back when I was born... But seriously I never really started having it checked until after the stent was inserted 6 years ago.

And talking with my PCP this morning, she said she is not really concerned with my cholesterol levels, unless there is a change.
 
Customer of mine owns a steakhouse. On the lunch menu is a bacon sandwich. 1/2 pound of bacon on a bun. They cook the bacon with a stick of butter.

A cholesterol speedball....but it is freakin good.
 
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Zeldman said:
So I was talking to my PCP today on my blood work last week. Seems I have cholesterol problems.

My LDL is low. I think that is good. I understand that high levels of LDL can lead to heart disease and stroke.

My HDL is also low. I understand this actually needs to be higher to help reduce risk of heart disease and stroke.

My Triglycerides is also low. If I understand correctly that is good. I understand that high Triglycerides can contribute to problematic cholesterol buildup in the body.

She says my cholesterol levels are too low, almost dangerously low.

Can having total low cholesterol be a bad thing?

How do I raise the good cholesterol without raising the bad?
Click to expand...
Sounds my last bloodwork... and by conventional wisdom my diet is terrible. I eat plenty of red meat, this time of year lots of burgers/hot dogs/steaks/pork chops/various smoked meats since it's grilling season. Not to mention fast food once or twice a week, lots of Chinese takeout, snacks. Also of course the coke(a-cola) habit of several sodas a day. I am a bit overweight but I'm still low on both cholesterols as well. My dad was the same way so I'm sure genetics is a lot of it. Also I'm at least moderately physically active trying to maintain a 40 acre property and horses + various automotive projects.
If family history is a guide I'm probably going to be relatively trouble-free until sometime in my 70s or 80s when I'll get cancer and/or Alzheimer's... keeping my fingers crossed for science to figure out how to fix those two things before I get to that age.
 
Science has already figured out how to “help” those two things, not a cure but definitely help. Ideal weight(not average weight), diet(Mediterranean or equivalent), BP<130/70, cholesterol<200, 150 minutes exercise/wk. Each of these are shown to decrease Dementia/Heart Disease 20-30%, better than any drug that has been brought to market. Our lifestyles matter, individually as well as society.
 
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