Strange Lipid Profile - need help with Triglycerides and HDL
I'm 48 Female. I was diagnosed with CAD in July. Since then I have tried to do everything right with hopes of getting reversal. dropped 30 pounds, exercise daily, limit fat to under 10% and under 20 grams daily. No Alcohol and only sweets are fruit. Don't eat Bread, Rice, chips and other high carb items. Take 10 mg of Crestor along with Ace Inhibitor, Beta Blocker and Diuretic. Take Vitamin B Complex and 4 Fish Oil capsules. Even take fiber supplements.
Here's my Lipid Panel Info comparing July to October-
Triglycerides UP from 374 to 386
Total Cholesterol down from 293 to 151 - a great start
HDL Cholestrol DOWN from 55 to 36 - I am really worried about this
LDL Cholesterol down from 163 to 38 - getting too low?
Has anyone seen such a mixed result. Any ideas what might have caused this. I'm being retested in mid-November but don't know what to do to get Triglycerides and HDL under control.
Thanks,
Mea
Hi Mea,
I’ve read through your question twice and have to agree you’ve had some strange results!
Congratulations on dropping 30 pounds, this is a significant step in the right direction.
I believe the drop in HDL is probably related to cutting your fat intake too much. Part of what raises HDL is healthy unsaturated fats, such as the fish oil supplement. However, your total fat intake should be limited to 30% or less each day, saturated fat to less than 7%, and ideally zero trans fat. Let’s say you eat 1800 calories on average each day, this would equal a fat intake of 60 grams. I’d recommend increasing your fat intake from 20 grams to a range between 20-30% of your daily caloric intake. BUT, increase the fat with healthy unsaturated fats, such as adding flaxseed to foods you cook, cooking with canola oil, etc. NOT with saturated fats (fatty steak, whole milk, ice cream, butter, etc.).
When it comes to carbs and heart disease, following a low carb diet is not necessary. What’s important is to choose high fiber carbs, 100% whole wheat bread, brown rice, whole grain pasta, etc. It is very important to limit simple sugars (soda, candy, baked goods) and carbs that provide a low nutritional value (such as potato chips). Also, watch the portion size. Carbs (potatoes, pasta, bread, etc) tend to be where people go overboard on serving sizes.
You’ve done a great job taking your situation seriously and making changes, so do not be discouraged. You do not need to be concerned that your LDL is too low. I agree you should be worried about HDL dropping. Review this article for steps to increase HDL - Tips on How to Raise Your HDL. Keep up the activity. Make 30 minutes of activity 5 or more days/week your minimum. If you can increase to 45 or 60 minutes some days, great! Longer duration activity has the greatest impact on HDL and should be beneficial at lowering triglyceride levels.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson, RD, LN
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Lynn999
Friday, October 09, 2009 at 02:07 PM
Lisa Nelson, RD, LN
Friday, October 09, 2009 at 03:42 PM
Hi Lynn999,
That's exactly what I was going to mention. Cutting fat too low can have a negative impact on HDL.
Healthy fat sources include mono and poly-unsaturated fats. Here are examples of healthy fat sources to include in your diet in moderation:
Olive oil
Canola oil
Avocados
Seeds
Nuts
Peanut butter
Fish
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
How to Lower Cholesterol in 8 Simple Steps
I am currently in the same situation. Weight Loss is coming along, total cholesterol is down, LDL is down, unfortunately triglycerides are up, and HDL is down. Glucose was down too. I have psoriasis & I'm pretty sure that I have a gluten sensitivity - when I restrict the gluten, psoriasis improves. I had some blood testing done for possible celiac disease a couple of years ago, it came back negative, but I have recently learned that you need to be consuming gluten at the time of the test (I may not have been), the test is very iffy, and that a gluten sensitivity is possible without actually having celiac disease. My nutritional education is a continual work in progress.
I must take all of this into consideration when making food choices. Anyway, I have been doing some research re the mixed lipid results. It appears that I may have cut fat too much, and that I specifically need to increase the monounsaturated fats in my diet (peanut butter & olive oil for example). I would appreciate any additional info on this matter.
Thank you!