Cholesterol 6.2

Hi

Anybody got an opinion on this my cholesterol is 6.2 - quite healthy apart from the cll exercise quite a bit

Don't eat junk food and doing dry January any experts out there.

The miserable blood women said bad was 4.7 goodcholesterol was .8 even with my maths I can see that doesn't add up to 6.2

jules

[Newdawn Administrator]

Hi Jules,

That's considered a little bit high but the numbers themselves can't predict heart and other health risks because it's not as simple as that. You're a physically active guy with your cycling, don't seem very overweight and hopefully don't live out of the take away? Genetics play a part too...do you come from a family with a history of heart disease, stroke or arterial disease? (particularly at a younger age).

It's the nasty LDH (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol you need to be looking at and it should be no more than 190. Was it broken down on the lab sheet?

HDL (high density lipoprotein) is the good cholesterol and the higher it is the better your risks of not developing artery clogging conditions.

The one to watch is your triglyceride levels. Triglycerides also come from the food you eat and alcohol you drink. Extra calories are turned into triglycerides and stored in fat cells for later use. If you eat more calories than your body needs, your triglyceride level may be high. That represents a significant risk. Does you lab sheet show the trig levels?

'Fasting triglyceride levels should be below 2 mmol/L for both men and women. HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) should be over 1.2 mmol/L for a woman and over 1 mmol/L for a man. Higher levels confer more protection against heart disease.'

It's a considered decision whether you require statins Jules and your doctor will advise. A balanced diet and plenty of exercise should restore cholesterol levels which ideally would be 5 mmol in a healthy adult. Your LDH 'the baddie' should be 3 mmol/L or less for healthy adults.

Hope that helps and you're keeping well.

Newdawn

[Hidden in reply to Newdawn]

I have had levels between 5.4 and 7 for decades now, despite eating hardly any animal fats and doing lots of exercise. My GP won't even do the test for me any longer as he says that I wouldn't be given statins as my overall risk factor is so low. (I do pay for a test at Tescos now and again just for my own peace of mind). Conversely, my late husband always had very low cholesterol levels (below 4) yet had a stroke at the age of 50.

[Newdawn Administrator in reply to Hidden]

Quite right Maggie! For me the jury is still out on statins too. I. Also think the medical community need a re-think on the way ALL fats have been demonised.

It's as you say, a considered opinion based on a number of factors.

Newdawn

[Hidden]

I was prescribed Statins (7/8 years' ago) and they caused muscle and joint problem's, so I stopped taking them. They are a money spinning 'panacea'! I'll take my chances with cholesterol! Heart attack vs cancer?

[PE1234]

Hi Julian

I have high cholesterol and have had for 23 years .

I have always exercised and kept my weight down .I too eat a healthy diet .

I do take a cholesterol tablet but I must say that sometimes I wonder if these are to keep the drug company's happy .

My choleserol has never been under 5 as is now supposed to be the recommended level .

My old doc always said to me (now go out and have a cream cake and I hope you are having a glass of red wine each day )

How things change First we were not supposed to eat eggs or butter as it wasn't good for and would raise your choleserol now eggs are good so is butter but we shouldn't drink wine to name but a few )

Personally I try to have a varied diet and I don't think a little of what you fancy does you any harm at all anyway .

I do eat porridge at breakfast though and I do think that helps .

If we listened to too much of these so called experts I think we would all shoot ourselves as life wouldn't be worth living .

It sounds to me as you are doing just the right things .

Keep up the good work and enjoy .

Brenda

[MsLockYourPosts Passed Volunteer]

My cholesterol started coming back high even though I eat a vegetarian, working on vegan diet. My PC gave me the low cholesterol / low triglycerides handout and given everything I had already eliminated, she was stumped. My new nephrologist told me it wasn't my fault, that it is a part of the CLL kidney issue. It's so nice to have someone tell you that something isn't your fault! Now that I'm 7 months past treatment I want to have those levels retested to see if they have improved.