Any tips on raising HDL please? Thanks

[Persevere99]

Hi

Vegan for almost 30 years now, age 52.

Latest bloods.

Total cholesterol 2.6 (<5)

LDL 1.6 (<4)

HDL 0.9 (>1.0)

Triglycerides 0.6 (<1.8)

Non HDL 2.25

Cholesterol/HDL ratio 3.0 (<5)

So, all markers are ok except for HDL.

I’ve read that vegans tend to have low HDL. Any tips to raise this please?

Thanks

Persevere99

[Recon]

Avocados, olive oil, and if you become a pescatarian, salmon.

[Kriticat]

Definitely avocado, olive oil as Recon says, but also oats. And they are so versatile, as well as breakfast you can use them to bake cookies, cakes and bread...

[Persevere99 in reply to Kriticat]

Thanks will try those, but not salmon

Persevere99

[Hedgeree]

Hi Persevere99,

I did an internet search for raising HDL and as previous replies say using extra virgin olive oil or some say coconut oil too will help raise HDL levels.

Eat purple foods, blueberries and blackberries, red cabbage, aubergine etc.

Also regular exercise but you're already a keen exerciser. Not sure if the intensity or duration of exercise makes a difference to your HDL cholesterol; might be worth exploring?

Best wishes.

[Persevere99 in reply to Hedgeree]

Thanks for your comments

I’ve read that exercise, which I do a lot of, raises HDL.

But probably not in vegans. Unsure why vegans have optimal total and LDL but low HDL.

Thanks

Persevere99

[Hedgeree in reply to Persevere99]

Hi Persevere99,

As I'm also a longtime vegan, I'll have a look at my cholesterol levels too on my next blood test.

It'll be interesting to see if my HDL levels are low also?

I really struggle raising my ferritin so will be making more efforts to try to increase those levels too.

Best wishes.

[Brightness14]

Organic nuts, I eat 2 x brazils, 2 whole walnuts and 5//6 almonds everyday of my life. When I first moved and had a new GP years ago he was surprised at my high NDL. I said that it must be the nuts, he laughed and said yes it probably was. All my friends laugh about my nut habit, they call it have nut will travel.

[Persevere99 in reply to Brightness14]

Thanks

I do eat a lot of nuts as well

Walnuts, Brazil, hazel, pine, cashews, pecans etc.

However, no difference to the HDL unfortunately

Thanks

Persevere99

[CLT115 in reply to Persevere99]

When I need to Remember which sould be Kept High & which should be kept Low ... I remember H is for HIGH (HDL) .... L - (LDL) means Keep the range (LOW) . Easy peasy.👍

[Persevere99 in reply to CLT115]

Excellent!

[Brightness14]

i should have said HDL.

[Batty1]

My cholesterol is horrible but my HDL is pretty high …. I don’t exercise hardly at all due to Psoriatic arthritis nightmare but I do eat a lot of blueberries, cranberries and flaxseeds, Coconut Almond milk every morning in my smoothie.

eatthis.com/foods-raise-goo...

[Persevere99 in reply to Batty1]

Thanks batty

I plan on trying avocado, walnuts, blueberries etc to see if it raises HDL.

I tried vegan omega 3 for 6 weeks and it didn’t make any difference.

What are your cholesterol numbers please?

Persevere

[Batty1 in reply to Persevere99]

Very high (250ish)LDL is (180) except my HDL(60) but this was over 6 months ago and I couldn’t tolerate 3 different statins doctor prescribed. During that last visit my doctor said”well” your numbers have been steady for a couple of years …. Lets wait and test again.. gotten worse with my thyroidectomy.

[Raphaekg]

Apologies for being a broken record with a repeat message:exercise, intensive exercise for long periods (2-3 hrs daily) will raise HDL (among its many benefits.) I have been a vegetarian for over 50 years. Close to vegan, but do occasionally consume dairy. My HDL is consistently 90 or above. Obviously, HDL is partially genetically determined. But I increased from HDL levels in the 60s to extremely high HDL through my exercise regimen.

[Persevere99 in reply to Raphaekg]

Thanks for contributing Raphaekg

Good to hear you’ve upped your Hdl from 60 to 90 (that would be 2.3 here in Uk) with exercise. Excellent!

And your previous 60 would be 1.5, which is also high. In the Uk HDL should be over 1.

However, lots of exercise it hasn’t worked for me, a lifelong exerciser - please read my bio for more.

Therefore, I contend it’s a vegan thing as I’ve read other vegans saying the same thing on the fora?

I’ve recently tried for 6 weeks, high dose (3g) vegan Omega-3 oil, however it made no difference at all.

I’m currently trialling niacin, avocado and olive oil and will retest in 6 weeks.

All the best! Keep up the exercise.

Persevere