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2004/05/19, 06:23 PM
My husband recently went for a physical. He received a call from the dr. today saying his cholesterol level was over 800 and triclycerids were over 5000. Mike has been body building for over 20 years. Although he no longer competes, he is still at the gym a minimum of 5 days a week. Diet could probably be better, but by no means would explain such outrageious numbers. 99.5% of the time we eat chicken...occasionally red meat. He's determined that these numbers are inaccurate - going for a retest next week.
Any input? Has anyone else experienced something like this?
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2004/05/20, 03:57 AM
You blood cholesterol is determined by two things- your genes and your diet. If you've inherited genes that predispose to high cholesterol then it doesn't matter how good your diet is, you may still have a high cholesterol.
Do you eat any fish? Oily fish actually helps to reduce your blood cholesterol - you could try substituing this for some of your chicken or meat. I'm not familiar with the units his results are in so I don't know if he will need medication regardless.
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2004/05/21, 03:34 AM
cholesterol is caused by genes but also buy food. Prawns and eggs are high cholesterol but in moderation this doesn't cause high ldl- I mean a portion once a week, like 2 eggs or say 6oz of prawns for the week. More than that is a heart attack waiting to happen, if you are susceptible to ldl which he has evidence he is. Reducers of cholesterol are oats, flax, nuts, mackerel/trout/salmon/tuna and fish.
Statins from your GP also like lipitor.
Theres a bit of psychology here too- you say he is determined the test is wrong, so we have total denial and no respect for the medical proffession, fear of the result etc... etc.... Why so much pain and anguish, it aint worth the stress? This is an opportunity to look at the current diet(don't change it though)- look and make the small changes like oats etc as above. Embrace it, enjoy it and know it's actually a positive step to better health. After 20 years in bodybuilding he is not too old to learn new tricks.
Regarding the retest- 24+ hours before the test do not eat or drink any milky substances, protein or fats as it can seriously affect the cholesterol reading to be high.
Our measure here in the uk is based on about 4.2 being top end of normal levels and above 6 getting very naughty- I was a serious 9.2 and having a stroke. Your 800 I believe is like an 8 on my scale so if it's right or wrong but still up for debate- start some minor food changes in case he is wrong.
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2004/05/21, 08:39 AM
He eats egg substitute, not real eggs,daily and tuna occasionally. His lunches typically are sandwiches with whole wheat bread, fat free sandwich meat (turkey or ham) and fat free cheese and a protein shake or bar for snacks.
He graduated from Oklahoma State with a degree in health and fitness. He isn't completely oblivious to nutritional requirements.
You mentioned the protein before the test. He couldn't have anything to eat after midnight prior to the physical...I think his last food consumption that night was a protein drink (around 11pm).
I think he really needs to re-evaluate his goals. At 20 his goal was to be come as big as he could possibly be. He's now 42 and needs to concentrate more on cardiovascular and less on heavy weight training. He admits this himself. I think that part's an ego thing. As he becomes older, his goals should change.
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2004/05/21, 09:18 AM
Briefly, here is a breakdown of cholesterol. There are of course HDL and LDS. Here's how LDL and HDL work: LDL transports cholesterol from the liver to the rest of the body, and HDL returns cholesterol to the liver where it's disposed of.
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the
optimal LDL level is anything less than 100 mg/dL
(milligrams of cholesterol per deciliter of blood).
The "near optimal to above optimal" range is 100-
129. "Borderline high" is 130-159. And anything over 160 is considered "high."
The NIH guidelines call for HDL cholesterol to be 60 mg/dL
or more in order to help reduce heart disease risk. HDL
lower than 40 is considered dangerous.
Homocysteine is an amino acid that promotes the buildup of
plaque on blood vessel walls, increasing the risk of heart
attack and stroke. Homocysteine is a far more important indicator of arteriosclerosis risk than cholesterol
Folate can help. Some great sources of dietary folate are asparagus, lentils, chickpeas, most varieties of beans, and especially spinach and other leafy green vegetables - respond with a lower homocysteine reading. But if the diet doesn't do the trick, then vitamin supplements often will. This diet will go a long ways towards changing things for the better.
folate supplementation:
"Low doses of folate may work in many individuals, but for
some the requirements may be as high as 20 mg of folic acid, which isn't available in the U.S. due to a moronic decision of the FDA years ago (only 0.8 mg is available without a prescription). But the FDA only has jurisdiction over what dosage can be sold - not the amount you may choose to take in your own home, so a good recommendation is that high homocysteine individuals might consider 5 milligrams of folic acid, 100 milligrams of B-6, and 1 milligram of B-12 (the last taken under the tongue, not orally). In a great many cases 0.8 milligrams of folate, 50 milligrams of B-6, and 1 milligram of B-12 will do the trick."
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If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything....
bb1fit@freetrainers.com
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2004/05/24, 06:38 AM
Make sure oats, benecol or pro-activ spreads are used. Olive oil and olive spread. Check that the right fats are in too- nuts, fish, flaxseed... get lipitor from the doctor anyway.
And best of luck- real egg or substitute egg- it's an egg so go easy, I was told 2 a week but I gave them up for 6 months then I eat them as I like to at about 10+ a week maybe 20 sometimes...
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2018/05/25, 11:18 AM
FG1966
My husband recently went for a physical. He received a call from the dr. today saying his cholesterol level was over 800 and triclycerids were over 5000. Mike has been body building for over 20 years. Although he no longer competes, he is still at the gym a minimum of 5 days a week. Diet could probably be better, but by no means would explain such outrageious numbers. 99.5% of the time we eat chicken...occasionally red meat. He's determined that these numbers are inaccurate - going for a retest next week.
Any input? Has anyone else experienced something like this?
The only real solution maybe Repatha a non statin Rx. Many of the guys at my gym, once starting statins ended up with rhabdomyolysis within a week. Within a week I had rabdo, you should speak with a cardiologist ASAP and ask about Repatha!
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2018/05/25, 11:21 AM
FG1966
My husband recently went for a physical. He received a call from the dr. today saying his cholesterol level was over 800 and triclycerids were over 5000. Mike has been body building for over 20 years. Although he no longer competes, he is still at the gym a minimum of 5 days a week. Diet could probably be better, but by no means would explain such outrageious numbers. 99.5% of the time we eat chicken...occasionally red meat. He's determined that these numbers are inaccurate - going for a retest next week.
Any input? Has anyone else experienced something like this?
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2018/05/25, 11:34 AM
I have not heard of such elevated numbers, but they indicate a quick trip to a cardiologist that specializes in meditations to lower cholesterol, not a GP or your PCP not a internist The issue with station based cholesterol lowering medications is the disease called rhabdomyolysis, they claim it is rare but it is not rare. The solution maybe a non statin drug such as repatha, it maybe a much better solution for everyone . Just look it up on the net REPATHA! and call them or a real cardiologist.
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