Cholestorol readings

[commodore]

I have just had my cholestorol checked. The readings are: Total chol - 5.6 L5. HDL chol ratio - 4.71 L3. Wondering if anyone can explain what this means. Is this high? Thanks.

[Sqad]

Figures are a bit odd, BUT


Total cholesterol.....NORMAL
HDL (the good stuff)....NORMAL

Where is your LDL (bad stuff) level?

All looks good to me.

[Sqad]

Ah!........just clicked.

L5 presumably means less than 5mgms
L3 presumably means less than 3mgms.

But still no value given for LDL

Odd way of reporting......but still NORMAL

[LoftyLottie]

My Cholestorol readings are much the same and I was told at the Docs this morning that most people fall between 4.5 and 6.5.

I am hearing of people who have readings of above 5.00 that are advised to lower their cholestrol or are put on statins. Why would this be.

Anyway I was told I was normal (well at least my cholestrol levels are!!)

[DEN53]

I wish my reading was 5.6, commodore - my last reading 3 weeks ago was 7.5 - I am trying to get it down, and have a fridge full of Benecol drinks, yogurts and spreads. I don't eat red meat and only eat turkey and chicken - my only vice is chocolate. {:o(

[WELSHYORKIE]

LL - i'm currently on statins - my level was 11.6 when I was diagnosed with FH as were both my sons (6.5 + 6.2) now down to 'within normal levels'

[LoftyLottie]

Soya is good for reducing cholestrol as are oats DEN. A nice bowl of porridge made with soya milk for breakfast every day.............. and dinner..................... and tea.

Seriously though, even when my cholestorol was 7 my GP wasn't unduly worried and never suggested I reduce it. I think readings have to be taken in conjunction with other factors which might increase risk.

[LoftyLottie]

Welsh. What is FH?

[Sqad]

commodore....an error on my part....you presumably live i the UK and hence your results are in millimoles NOT milligrams....sorry.

Lofty.....here we go again ...........cholesterol saga.

Medicine is a matter of opinions and the Drs who put patients on statins with a cholesterol level of above 5mmoles feel that they will prolong their lives. I am not going into the pros and cons....BUT if i had a level of 7mmoles Nd had not had a heart attack, then i would not worry and certainly would NOT take statins.

[LoftyLottie]

What I was trying to say Welsh is that if my cholestrol is considered normal by our GP practice why are other people in other practices considered that 5 ish is too high and they are put on statins. Statins can have some horrible effects!!

[LoftyLottie]

Our posts crossed Sqad.

I never did worry about my levels Sqad, 'cos the doc. said no problem when they were 7. I think mine have lowered because I have have lost weight and am probably eating a less fatty diet - not because I have dried to reduce my cholesterol.

[anneasquith]

mine was over 5. now on statins. now 3.9, im happy to take the medication.

[Zeuhl]

Cholesterol in our diet is not a significant factor.

For example, eggs are excellent food and will not affect your levels.

What will, is the cholesterol produced by your own body triggered particularly when you eat saturated (animal) fat, though I have dramatically reduced my cholesterol (5.5 down to 4.5 all the reduction in bad Cholesterol) whilst on a version of the Atkins diet which is relatively high meat/fats/eggs but zero carbs and sugars.

Just watch out for chicken if you are Blood Type B; there is evidence that an enzyme there can thicken the blood - turkey is fine.

[LoftyLottie]

I don't eat much red meat at all, much, much less than I did a few years back. I don't even think about my cholesterol levels, I just presume the GP is not unhappy with around 5.00. Personally I think Statins have become fashionable!! (Perhaps not the right word) So many people I know have suffered problems whilst taking them.

[LoftyLottie]

I hate turkey!!

[Zeuhl]

True, and of course the Pharmo companies are very happy to encourage the idea that everyone over a certain age should take them as a 'precaution'!

[carmalee]

Zeuhl surely you're not suggestion pharmo companies (I can't spell pharmaceutical either) have anything other than our well being at heart?

[Sqad]

Zeuhl.....for my opinion.....for what it is worth.

There is absolutely NO evidence that heart disease is caused by cholesterol... a natural substance found in the body and 25% of which is found in the brain. It is unthinkable that nature would let us evolve with an important molecule like cholesterol... and then let it kill us all. FACT: People with lower cholesterol tend to die earlier than people with high cholesterol. Dietary intake of fat makes no difference to the cholesterol level we have.

[DEN53]

Lottie - I have always eaten porridge made with Soya Milk and have done for the last 10 years - also Soya Milk in decaffinated coffee. I hate cheese, never eat anything with obvious fat in, apart, as I said chocolate, which has been a comfort food with the upset of my Mum.

[Zeuhl]

Sqad

<FACT: People with lower cholesterol tend to die earlier than people with high cholesterol.>

That's very intersting.

<Dietary intake of fat makes no difference to the cholesterol level we have.>

Well my increase of animal fat and reduced C levels sort of bear that out. I wonder if the drop was due to zero carbs or simply the shedding of 36lbs of my own body fat!

[WELSHYORKIE]

LL - please forgive the delay, I had to go off for a while - FH is Familial hypercholesterolaemia where the family all have high cholesterol levels due to some genetic giggery pokery. My sons should be looking to reduce theirs by diet but I had to have statins and yes, they can have some very bad side effects. I have been on 2 different ones due to the effects currently on atorvastatin.