Cholesterol

[bluebanded goby]

Strictly speaking I suppose this may not be a _dive_ medicine question, but since there are so many friendly and knowledgeable docs here, I figured what the heck.

I just got results back from a cholesterol test last week. I had blood drawn in the morning after fasting for 14 hours so that they could also do a fasting blood sugar test.

In 1995 I had a total cholesterol of 187 and HDL of 44. In 1997 that ws 179 total and HDL 42. Last fall it was 173 total and HDL 40. Last week it was 192 total and HDL 47.

Now, over that time I've made various dietary and lifestyle changes. Over the past few years I've pretty much limited myself to chicken and fish and have cut down on various saturated fats. During the past year or so I've been taking a low dose (25 mg) of niacin in morning and evening for mild tinnitus, and I understand that niacin also lowers cholesterol. In the past six months I started bicycling a half hour every morning and have dropped about 20 pounds.

I'm a little baffled given these changes why my cholesterol has gone up in the past year. One possibility is that I had been taking omega-3 oil caps daily for several years, but stopped them about a month ago after I read a report linking their use to a heightened risk of prostate cancer. I've since been trying to replace them with natural dietary sources of omega-3, mostly by having salmon for lunch 2 to 3 times a week. The other possibility that occurred to me is that, the afternoon the day before the blood test, I ate a rare Haagen-Daz ice cream bar, which I'm sure was a neutron bomb of saturated fat and some cholesterol.

My question therefore is this. Could eating a Haagen-Daz bar shortly before a blood test elevate total cholesterol significantly? Or should I be thinking about the omega-3 caps or other changes as the cause for the rise in cholesterol this year?

I know that some of you will say that even with a total cholesterol of 192 I don't have to worry. It doesn't sound all that far from 200, however, when one does officially start trying to control it. Heart disease linked to high cholesterol runs strongly in my family, which is why I pay this much attention to it. Thanks for any comments! (If it's meaningful at all, I'm 47 y.o., 6'1", now 170 lb.)

 

[sky50960]

Reduced HDL levels is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
Positive Cardiac Risk Factor (Atherogenic)
1 HDL < 35
2 Total Cholesterol to HDL ratio
a. Men > 5.0
b. Women > 4.5

NIACINE: (reduces cardiovascular risk)
I.
A. HDL increased (15-35%)
1. No other agent raises HDL as much as Niacin
B. Triglycerides decreased (20-50%)
C. LDL decreased (10-25%)
II. Efficacy
A. Reduces myocardial infarction and coronary death risk


I do not think that this ice cream would still have an effect on your cholesterol level.

 

[sky50960]

Oh i forgot :


192/47=4,0 (total cholest./HDL=4,0))for this year.
This is still less than 5.
Maybe dubble check it in 3 months, laboratory mistake??
Do not forget there is always a certain error level.


in 1995 187/44=4,25
in 1997 179/42=4,3
in 2000 ( fall)173/40=4,3

Regardind that your cardiovascular profile is the best this year, congratulation.
In fact HDL is the "GOOD CHOLESTEROL" witch did increase a little this year and led to a better ratio of total cholest./HDL.
VLDL and LDL are “ BAD CHOLESTEROL“ and should be maintained lower

Fa

 

[bluebanded goby]

Thanks much for the insight. If you're learning English, it's already very good!

Yes, I had noticed that the ratio of HDL to total cholesterol was somewhat better this year, even though the total cholesterol had gone up more than 10 percent.

At the same time, my triglycerides went through the floor this time. In the past they were around 180, but this time just 103. Go figure!

 

[Zagnut]

so, I will turn it over to her . . .

Hi, I'm Kathleen, Zagnut's wife. I work as a clinical dietitian at a large hospital in Ft Worth, Texas. That said, you are not my patient, and I have not been asked to see you by your doctor, so take this information as coming from one scuba diver to another.

Sky is right. It should be of more concern to you that your HDL cholesterol has gone up and your total:HDL ratio has gone down than that your total is up. In addition, your triglycerides have gone down and your weight is down. These are all positive changes. It is logical that if you increase your good cholesterol, your total cholesterol must increase as well. While niacin can increase HDL, exercise also very effectively increases HDL.

If you are still concerned about reducing your total cholesterol, look at what margarine or butter you use. If you use any at all, you might want to consider Benecol or Take Control. Both are cholesterol lowering margarines that have been shown to lower cholesterol by about 14% (similar to cholesterol lowering drugs like Lipitor and Zocor).

In short, all changes you have made have been positive for your health. And . . . your labs are better, not worse, so try to feel good about what you've done.

As for the Haagen Daas, it is my understanding that it would have been more likely to have had an effect on your triglycerides (if you hadn't fasted) than on your cholesterol. Hope that helps!!