how low should LDL be

[superempi]

I had single bypass this past May and they keep wanting to low my LDL - I am taking a low dose statin_ makes me tired- 10 mg. last blood test was 64 and still want it lower - I read all I can read about it and seems they want it lower then I read. Also I am confused since you guys must use a different way to read cholesterol then we do. any input would be appreciated

[sos007 Ambassador]

Please provide your unit of measure and your complete lipid profile including:

LDL

HDL

Non-HDL

Triglycerides

Fasting glucose

Do you smoke?

Are your above your ideal weight?

Do you exercise daily?

[superempi in reply to sos007]

here are how my numbers changed - hdl - 56, ldl - 70, trig - 106 7 weeks after bypass and on statin three months later and been on vacation and not taking med for the 3 1/2 weeks before test was hdl - 66, ldl - 133, trig - 103 doc complained about my increase and insisted I start taking the statin. just had it done again 6 weeks later on statin and LDL is 64 - I don't know the other numbers they were not posted - they called and told me ldl was 64 and they want to double my dose to get it down to 50 - I told them I wanted to talk to the doc because I was not going to up my dose. I have never smoked, weight is good, exercise regular. eat no fried foods. I no longer consume caffeine since bypass and BP has been good - I am learning to get rid of sugar - just not totally there yet

[sos007 Ambassador in reply to superempi]

I'm assuming you live in the U.S. and your unit of measure is mg/dl.

For those with confirmed heart disease, the cardiologists prefer an LDL value below 70 mg/dl.

HDL is optimal when over 60 mg/dl.

Triglycerides should be below 70 mg/dl.

Sugar consumption and simple carbohydrates have a huge impact on your triglyceride level as well as your LDL levels. If you want to get off statins, you must virtually eliminate sugar and simple carbs.

Sugar and simple carbs as well as excess body weight that causes elevated blood pressure (anything over 130/80) causes damage to your endothelium. This triggers the body's defense mechanism to produce more Lp (a) a sub-component of LDL. This is why sugar must be virtually eliminated. Try and always eat whole foods and avoid packaged items.

Whether your weight is good or not, is subjective when self-assessed. The average sized 5'10" male should have a body weight of about 160 lbs. The average female 5'3" should weigh about 115 lbs.

Regular exercise is a minimum of 30 minutes per day elevating your heart rate above 120 bpm for the duration of the exercise.

If you have a Fitbit or similar device, try and target 13,000 to 15,000 steps per day.

Niacin helps to lower LDL and elevate HDL. Dosage can start at 500 mg and work up to 2,000 mg. I personally take 700 mg per day. This should be taken on a full stomach with a cold glass of water. When first used, it causes a harmless flush that can last for 30 minutes or so. As your body adjusts to the Niacin the flush diminishes in intensity and duration and is eventually unnoticed.

Vitamin C will also lower your LDL cholesterol levels. Start with 3,000 mg per day, 1,000 mg before each meal. Take the same dosage of the amino acid supplement Lysine at the same time.

Consider getting an ApoB and Apo A1 measurement at your next blood test. ApoB (should be 0.8 mg/dl or less) is a better indicator of risk than LDL. Lp(a) should also be measured.

Retest blood-work in 4 weeks.

Good luck.

[superempi in reply to sos007]

do you know anything about the use of lecithin

[sandybrown in reply to superempi]

Please have a look at this link:

drugs.com/npc/lecithin.html

[superempi in reply to sandybrown]

I have been ready a lot and one book claims lecithin is the wonder cure for cleaning arteries

[sos007 Ambassador in reply to superempi]

I did not use lecithin to achieve my goals. A healthy diet, daily exercise, niacin and high doses of vitamin C is what helped me.

[sos007 Ambassador in reply to superempi]

Watch this 60 minutes tv show episode on sugar here:

youtu.be/aIc6iF5k9v4(Not working as expected?)

[sos007 Ambassador]

The solution to your medical problem is not to lower your LDL with medication, but to change your diet and lifestyle, which will lower your LDL naturally.Elevated cholesterol values are a symptom of an inflammatory condition brought on by a sub-optimal diet and poor lifestyle choices.

Extra weight causes higher blood pressure. High blood pressure causes mechanical stress on your arteries, resulting in damage to your endothelium, the inner lining of your arteries. In the absence of collagen, cholesterol is produced by the liver to repair this damage. The patch grows in size over time and forms a hard plaque which impedes blood flow and can also trigger blot clots.

Sugar and simple carbohydrates also cause an inflammatory response by the body. As does a sedentary lifestyle and fried foods.

Sugar and simple carbohydrates impede your body's ability to regulate your appetite, resulting in weight gain.

You can reduce your body's need to produce cholesterol by giving it the resources to produce collagen instead. Collagen does not leave behind hardened plaques and therefore repair your endothelial damage more safely.

In order to create collagen, your body needs large amounts of Vitamin C. 3,000 to 6,000 mg per day, in divided doses of 1,000 each time. Ideally 15 minutes before eating.

The most dangerous component of cholesterol is Lp(a) which is usually not measured. This component can be reduced by taking 6,000 mg per day of the amino acid Lysine. Dosing should be at the same time as the vitamin C. Proline should also be taken daily, 2,000 mg per day.

Vitamin C and cholesterol are inversely related. The more Vitamin C you ingest, the lower your cholesterol levels to a point.

Google chapter 7 of the Linus Pauling therapy protocol and read it. I have personally done all of these things and resolved all of my cholesterol issues. I had a triple bypass in 2015 and stopped all medications by October 2016. Statins are very dangerous drugs that should be avoided.

[sandybrown]

In the world there are two different units of measurements for cholesterol and lipid.

In UK it is different to USA.

Your LDL lipid number is 64, in UK terms.

64 mg/dL = 1.6576 mmol/L

You can read the UK numbers here in this link:

nhs.uk/conditions/high-chol...

Relax and enjoy one life, watch out for hidden sugar in food and drinks, go for regular exercise.