Can cholesterol levels go too low?

[croaker24]

At about the time I started TRT about 18 months ago - I changed my diet - eating primarily vegetarian with some fish a few times a week.

Since then, my total cholesterol has dropped to just 115 (from about 160), my LDL has dropped to 48 (from about the 80's), and my HDL has increased from the 30's to 59. Research is a bit inconclusive - but I gather that you do not want a total cholesterol < 150 or so.

In that case - within the context of a healthy diet - how exactly do I raise it? I eat a lot of healthy fats -- walnuts/almonds/avocado/olive oil/seeds, etc. But that seems somewhat counterproductive - that is - the more healthy fat I eat - the more it lowers LDL/total and raises HDL?

 

[Nelson Vergel]

Healthy fats lower LDL and increase HDL cholesterol. Do not stop them!

I wonder how your LDL has dropped that low. Are you on medications or supplements?

Cholesterol is the substrate from which is derived the cascade of all steroid hormones.

It is the cholesterol in the cells of your skin that sunshine converts into vital vitamin D. It is cholesterol that the liver uses to produce bile to aid digestion while detoxifying the blood. The brain uses cholesterol for neurological function and in the creation and storage of your memories.




If you want more fat in your diet, bring in olive oil and fish. Even saturated fat from milk is starting to show some health benefits.

 

[Vince]

I recently read this article and thought it was good, is it true?

Recently, after participating in a meeting attended by a few high-powered CVD researchers I returned home plagued by a most simplistic question: What is the purpose of LDL cholesterol? Please refrain from bursting into uncontrollable spasms of laughter; I am well aware that as a clinical lipidologist I never imagined such a question would have the capacity to keep me up at night. And yet it did. And so I called my faithful counsel, upon whom I can always rely to extricate me from any lipid conundrum. Tom Dayspring responded to my query unflustered, promptly sending me articles to help me find my way. I read them and this is what I realized. LDL cholesterol is essentially garbage. The story goes something like this. Our livers manufacture triglyceride – (TG) and cholesterol – containing lipoprotein particles called VLDLs. This is old news. VLDL contains about 80% TG and 20% cholesterol. Its purpose is to nourish our organs. As these particles pass through the tiny capillaries of our various organs, enzymes called Lipoprotein Lipase (LPL) snip the fatty acids from their TG backbone, Glycerol. This too is old news. These released fatty acids are either used for energy or stored by our organs for future needs. The shrunken down VLDL particles, devoid of most of their TG energy content, are now re-dubbed. They have become LDL particles. They are cholesterol-rich. Their content represents what most people speak about after visiting their doctors – LDL-C or LDL cholesterol. Here’s where it gets intriguing. Although any lipid specialist can tell you that every single cell in our body has the capacity to make cholesterol, most believe that the cholesterol contained in LDL particles has some greater purpose. Our cells however do not need the cholesterol contained in LDL particles; nonetheless, most of us believe they use it. This belief is untrue. LDL-C is actually not utilized to any significant degree by any organ systems in human beings. Other animals may use some of it here and there, but not us. We just don’t need it. In fact, the goal of LDL particles is to get to the liver ASAP for disposal. Otherwise, these particles tend to land in places where we do not want or need them, our blood vessel walls to be more specific. You know how that story goes – plaque forms; plaque ruptures; heart attacks or strokes ensue…So when people tell you not to worry about your high LDL-C levels, please reconsider abandoning your doctor’s LDL-C-lowering advice. And definitely don’t worry that low LDL-C levels will deprive your cells of their much-needed cholesterol. It won’t. Your cells are quite capable of making their own supply of cholesterol. On a somewhat esoteric note, it is true that the surface of LDL particles transports some vital nutrients around the body (vitamin E for one). This fact however does not imply that more LDL is better than less. We need just a tiny bit for non-cholesterol purposes. Excess does us no good, and in truth it does us a good deal of harm.


- See more at: http://fpim.org/articles/heart-heal...most-revealing/#sthash.1KH80mkm.oyoVgxWC.dpuf


© Copyright 2014. Lecturepad.org Supported in part by the Foundation For Health Improvement and Technology

 

[croaker24]

Thanks Nelson. My dietician has no idea why my LDL is so low. I had some GI issues just prior to when my T crashed and as no one could find any problems via tests - she suggested a gluten-free and mainly dairy-free diet. She was adamant on eating clean and healthy and a lot of healthy fats. I've been on this diet for 18 months - I cut out soda, no fast foods, no junk such as pizza, etc. And no - I'm not on any medications/supplements other than my T injections.

 

[croaker24]

Wow Vince. I'm sending this to my dietician.

 

[giamegan]

i think low calorie meals that are less in teh count of the salt are helpful to maintain 200caloriemeals.com/

 

[onlineherbalpill]

The date which you have got for all the lipid levels of your blood report are perfectly all right on basic level. Yes if you need to increase your HDL & decrees The LDL eat more of fibers food, less oily, fried food, reduce intake of high density oils, reduce intake of spicy food, drink lots of juices and eat all types of vegetables.