29 replies to this topic

[chrisp2]

Hey guys.

My HDL is 102, LDL is 39.

I'm wondering how low is too low - as cholesterol is a precursor to hormones such as testosterone?

(I am hypogonadal - due to one atrophied testicle... And the treatment that I believe should have worked to help boost endogenous T (hCG) is not working)

Thanks

[wydell]

"A number of investigators have reported on the relationship between chronically low cholesterol levels (usually less than 160 mg/dL) and excess risk for most cancers, hemorrhagic stroke, suicide, affective disorders (depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia), and certain gastrointestinal conditions.1-5 Remarkably, several studies have found that patients with low cholesterol levels had the highest rates of death from coronary heart disease.6,7"

From http://www.lef.org/m...c2004_ch_01.htm

I am not a doctor or medical professional, but maybe you should consider trying to raise your cholesterol through diet to more moderate levels. You may be able to do this through the addition of foods that are somewhat higher in fat but are still in the "healthy" category. Are you a Vegan?

[chrisp2]

Wow.

Funny thing is I am not eating a super low cholesterol diet. I don't eat a lot of meat - because while I like red meat, I know it isn't particularly good for you. I eat chicken, not extremely often or anything...

I tend to eat what I want, other than looking for low sugar / low sodium options. (Buying ice cream made with sugar alcohol's and splenda for instance... In other words, I eat what I want, but make compromises so that I won't significantly adversely affect my health)

At the same time - I don't eat an absurdly high fat / high chol diet.

But the only thing I can think of is that my supps are pushing the chol numbers even lower... (EPA/DHA, garlic, etc...)

I sort of like the idea of having to raise my cholesterol

But I'm not quite convinced yet - I'll have to look into it more. Thanks though

[neogenic]

Certainly cytokine/inflammation connection is there. Testosterone would be markedly decreased and is correlated to longevity. It seemed every chronic disease I looked at of a serious nature had some correlation (not establishing cause and effect necessarily) to hypocholesterolemia. Cancers, HIV1, Renal Failure/dysfunction, etc. It would certainly radically impair your cholesterol-based processes in the body, again, putting you at higher risk for heart disease, higher than HYPERcholesterolemia.

Are you using niacin?
What was your triglycerides?
I would have a VAP test done to get a full picture of what's going on with your lipoproteins...VLDL, LDL, HDL, Chylomicrons, etc. The usual chol. test is an estimation and not nearly as accurate.

I would keep an eye on this. You don't know if there's a downward trend associated with something that may be of concern. You have a baseline now, followup on this.


Interleukin-6 causes hypocholesterolemia in middle-aged and old rhesus monkeys
WH Ettinger Jr, WH Sun, N Binkley, E Kouba and W Ershler
Department of Internal Medicine, Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.

BACKGROUND. Hypocholesterolemia is a risk factor for morbidity and mortality in older people. We have hypothesized that hypocholesterolemia in older people is due to the chronic effect of proinflammatory cytokines on lipoprotein metabolism. METHODS. To test the effects of the chronic administration of interleukin-6 (IL-6) on lipoprotein levels in middle-aged and old rhesus monkeys, five middle- aged and five old rhesus monkeys received a subcutaneous injection of recombinant human IL-6 (15 micrograms/kg) for 28 days. Lipid, apolipoprotein, and albumin levels were measured at 0, 28, and 42 days after injection. RESULTS. Total and HDL cholesterol levels fell by 16 and 23%, respectively, after IL-6 injections. The concentrations of apolipoproteins A1 and B also decreased. The changes in lipoprotein levels were accompanied by a decrease in albumin levels and body weight. Levels of lipids and plasma proteins returned toward normal 2 weeks after injections were stopped. There was no difference in response between middle-aged and older animals. CONCLUSIONS. Chronic IL- 6 injections cause acquired hypocholesterolemia, hypoalbuminemia, and weight loss in nonhuman primates. These changes are similar to those seen in older persons with acquired hypocholesterolemia.

[bgwowk]

My HDL is 102, LDL is 39.

Are you sure that you don't have those numbers reversed?

[Shepard]

That would be the oddest and most unsettling cholesterol reading ever. But yeah, I'd be betting on swapping the numbers.

[neogenic]

I didn't notice that. I automatically rearranged them. I chart on labs all day long and my brain fixed a potential goof I guess.

That would be odd.

[krillin]

Hey guys.

My HDL is 102, LDL is 39.

I'm wondering how low is too low - as cholesterol is a precursor to hormones such as testosterone?

(I am hypogonadal - due to one atrophied testicle...  And the treatment that I believe should have worked to help boost endogenous T (hCG) is not working)

Thanks

Hormones can be produced from cholesterol made locally, so serum cholesterol is unnecessary for that purpose. (Although if hormones are low, the body will try to compensate by increasing serum cholesterol.) I'm at

TC 112
TG 59
HDL 58
LDL 42
Pregnenolone 129 (reference range 20-150)
Progesterone 0.6 (0.3-1.2)
Estradiol 33 (0-53)
DHEA-S 113 (120-520)
testosterone 496 (241-827)

So even with low cholesterol, I have normal hormones, except for the DHEA, since pregnenolone is being diverted to kill me with cortisol in response to my mold allergy.

[krillin]

But the only thing I can think of is that my supps are pushing the chol numbers even lower...  (EPA/DHA, garlic, etc...)

Fish oil just lowers triglycerides. It doesn't move cholesterol numbers much. Garlic doesn't reliably affect cholesterol either. Its benefit is mostly anticarcinogenic.

Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2007 Mar 15;64(6):595-605.
Prescription omega-3 fatty acids for the treatment of hypertriglyceridemia.
McKenney JM, Sica D.

Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA. jmckenney@ncrinc.net

PURPOSE: A review of the key properties and trial results associated with prescription omega-3 fatty acids (P-O3FA) and a description of its place in the treatment of hypertriglyceridemia and coronary heart disease (CHD) risk are presented. SUMMARY: P-O3FA is made from the fish oil extracted from the fish carcass, which is put through a purification process that refines, esterifies, purifies, and concentrates the ethyl esters of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Each 1-g capsule provides 840 mg of EPA and DHA; the remaining 160 mg contains other omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, saturated fatty acids, and monounsaturated acids. When used at a daily dose of 4 g in patients with very high triglycerides (> or = 500 mg/dL), P-O3FA reduces triglycerides by an average of 45% and very-low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol by more than 50%. Changes in high-density-lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol are usually modest. P-O3FA has been tested in the GISSI-Prevenzione trial - a large, multicenter, open-label, randomized, controlled trial conducted in 11,324 patients. The results of the trial demonstrated significant reductions in all endpoints with the use of P-O3FA. CONCLUSION: P-O3FA has demonstrated an efficacy and safety in adult patients with high and very high triglycerides adjunct to diet, and the reduction in serum triglyceride levels was dependent on the baseline triglyceride levels. A large controlled clinical trial is necessary to determine if P-O3FA can be used to reduce CHD risk, either as combined with hydroxymethylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibitors or as monotherapy.

PMID: 17353568

Arch Intern Med. 2007 Feb 26;167(4):346-53.
Effect of raw garlic vs commercial garlic supplements on plasma lipid concentrations in adults with moderate hypercholesterolemia: a randomized clinical trial.
Gardner CD, Lawson LD, Block E, Chatterjee LM, Kiazand A, Balise RR, Kraemer HC.

Stanford Prevention Research Center and Department of Medicine, Stanford University Medical School, Stanford, Calif 94305, USA. cgardner@stanford.edu

BACKGROUND: Garlic is widely promoted as a cholesterol-lowering agent, but efficacy studies have produced conflicting results. Garlic supplements differ in bioavailability of key phytochemicals. We evaluated the effect of raw garlic and 2 commonly used garlic supplements on cholesterol concentrations in adults with moderate hypercholesterolemia. METHODS: In this parallel-design trial, 192 adults with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) concentrations of 130 to 190 mg/dL (3.36-4.91 mmol/L) were randomly assigned to 1 of the following 4 treatment arms: raw garlic, powdered garlic supplement, aged garlic extract supplement, or placebo. Garlic product doses equivalent to an average-sized garlic clove were consumed 6 d/wk for 6 months. The primary study outcome was LDL-C concentration. Fasting plasma lipid concentrations were assessed monthly. Extensive chemical characterization of study materials was conducted throughout the trial. RESULTS: Retention was 87% to 90% in all 4 treatment arms, and chemical stability of study materials was high throughout the trial. There were no statistically significant effects of the 3 forms of garlic on LDL-C concentrations. The 6-month mean (SD) changes in LDL-C concentrations were +0.4 (19.3) mg/dL (+0.01 [0.50] mmol/L), +3.2 (17.2) mg/dL (+0.08 [0.44] mmol/L), +0.2 (17.8) mg/dL (+0.005 [0.46] mmol/L), and -3.9 (16.5) mg/dL (-0.10 [0.43] mmol/L) for raw garlic, powdered supplement, aged extract supplement, and placebo, respectively. There were no statistically significant effects on high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride levels, or total cholesterol-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio. CONCLUSIONS: None of the forms of garlic used in this study, including raw garlic, when given at an approximate dose of a 4-g clove per day, 6 d/wk for 6 months, had statistically or clinically significant effects on LDL-C or other plasma lipid concentrations in adults with moderate hypercholesterolemia.

PMID: 17325296

[Matt]

Low cholesterol is fine if its not caused by a disease, such as cancer. Its also important to note that having LOW BLOOD PRESSURE (not normal and def not high) would be optimal in this situation. If you think about it, cholesterol is needed to repair the walls of the artery, but with low blood pressure you need less repairing going on. Thus decreasing your risk of both ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke.

My advice, don't bother raising your cholesterol. If it is caused by some disease then raising it would likely be of no use anyway. Most studies are performed on ad lib junk food eaters, so 'low cholesterol' is more likely to be the result of a crappy lifestyle induced disease, rather than a healthy one which both lower cholesterol and overall mortality. [thumb]

[Shepard]

Fish oil just lowers triglycerides. It doesn't move cholesterol numbers much.

Just going by the studies, this area has a lot of contradictions. Fish oil has been shown to lower triglycerides, raise LDL, raise HDL, etc. etc. etc. It's also been shown to do none of the above in normolipidemic young subjects.

[chrisp2]

Hey guys.

Thanks for the input.

My numbers are correct:

TC: 166 mg/dl
HDL DCDholestorol: 39 mg/dl
LDL (Calc): 102 mg/dl
Triglycerides: 127 mg/dl

[buck1s]

Hi guys, I don't mean to thread hijack, but I wonder if any of you could comment on my last cholesterol tests results. I didn't know that cholesterol that was chronically low could be an indication of increased risk of cancer (amongst other things). I don't think my cholesterol is "too" low but I'd appreciate a more opinions.

TC: 146 mg/dl
HDL: 54 mg/dl
LDL: 80 mg/dl
VLDL: 12 mg/dl
Trig: 61 mg/dl

This TC, LDL, and VLDL are slightly lower than a test I had 4 years ago, while the HDL is 10 pts higher. Triglycerides were nearly 30 pts lower.

[bgwowk]

Hi guys, I don't mean to thread hijack, but I wonder if any of you could comment on my last cholesterol tests results.  I didn't know that cholesterol that was chronically low could be an indication of increased risk of cancer (amongst other things).  I don't think my cholesterol is "too" low but I'd appreciate a more opinions.

TC: 146 mg/dl
HDL: 54 mg/dl
LDL: 80 mg/dl
VLDL: 12 mg/dl
Trig: 61 mg/dl

This TC, LDL, and VLDL are slightly lower than a test I had 4 years ago, while the HDL is 10 pts higher.  Triglycerides were nearly 30 pts lower.

IMHO, those are good numbers, better numbers than chrisp2's because your HDL/LDL ratio is better, lower total cholesterol notwithstanding.

chrisp2, I would NOT try to raise your cholesterol, just get your triglycerides down and improve your ratios.

Matt's point about low cholesterol often being caused by, not necessarily causing, other pathologies is well-taken. The one serious medical condition that I think may sometimes be directly caused or exacerbated by low cholesterol is depression. If your mood and general health are okay, I would not be concerned by the numbers shown in this thread.

Disclaimer: I'm not a medical doctor.

[abaily]

Hello my name is annie
In the last two years i have lost 40 pounds. Im 5'2 and i was 175lbs so i am now 135lbs. I'v wanted to compete in fiugre (kinda like body building with out all the bulk). I hit a wall at !35lbs. No matter what i did i cant get under 135lbs. diet excersize, nothing.
I was wondering if any one could help me. I had my thyriod checked out because of symptoms: Super tired, memory loss, hair loss, can't lose wieght, low levels of iodine, cant get enough sugar, and im addicted to coffee.
So i had it checked and mt tsh is 2.19!! But my triglycerides are at 22. Im so confused. [glasses]
I started to research this and i can't find any info on low triglycerid levels.
I have the results to all my other blood work if it helps.
Should i have my blood work redone? Please any one who could help would be great. Thanks annie

[abaily]

Hello my name is annie
In the last two years i have lost 40 pounds. Im 5'2 and i was 175lbs so i am now 135lbs. I'v wanted to compete in fiugre (kinda like body building with out all the bulk). I hit a wall at !35lbs. No matter what i did i cant get under 135lbs. diet excersize, nothing.
I was wondering if any one could help me. I had my thyriod checked out because of symptoms: Super tired, memory loss, hair loss, can't lose wieght, low levels of iodine, cant get enough sugar, and im addicted to coffee.
So i had it checked and mt tsh is 2.19!! But my triglycerides are at 22. Im so confused. [glasses]
I started to research this and i can't find any info on low triglycerid levels.
I have the results to all my other blood work if it helps.
Should i have my blood work redone? Please any one who could help would be great. Thanks annie

[krillin]

Hello my name is annie
In the last two years i have lost 40 pounds. Im 5'2 and i was 175lbs so i am now 135lbs. I'v wanted to compete in fiugre (kinda like body building with out all the bulk). I hit a wall at !35lbs. No matter what i did i cant get under 135lbs. diet excersize, nothing.
I was wondering if any one could help me. I had my thyriod checked out because of symptoms: Super tired, memory loss, hair loss, can't lose wieght, low levels of iodine, cant get enough sugar, and im addicted to coffee.
So i had it checked and mt tsh is 2.19!! But my triglycerides are at 22. Im so confused.  [glasses]
I started to research this and i can't find any info on low triglycerid levels.
I have the results to all my other blood work if it helps.
Should i have my blood work redone? Please any one who could help would be great. Thanks annie

Were T3 and T4 tested?

[Matt]

might be worth looking at thyroid antibodies too.

You're taking multi vitamin and mineral supplements at all?

[pls]

Hi there. I was just Googling low cholesterol and stumbled onto this thread.
Here are my #'s:

HDL 88
LDL 50
TG 25
(female, age 39, 5' 7", 135 lbs)

I decided that these numbers were too low, and proceeded to eat double cheeseburgers,
butter, and cream whenever possible for a whole year. My numbers did not change at all;
in fact the total went down by one point. So I complained to my internist. He said that
there is *nothing* that I can do about my low cholesterol, but that from a cardiologist's
perspective everything looks great. He then said that a neurologist might have a different
opinion.

Now I take high-EPA fish oil, and have felt much better overall. I sleep better, feel more
relaxed, and my acne has cleared up.

Cheers,
-P

Hey guys.

My HDL is 102, LDL is 39.

I'm wondering how low is too low - as cholesterol is a precursor to hormones such as testosterone?

(I am hypogonadal - due to one atrophied testicle... And the treatment that I believe should have worked to help boost endogenous T (hCG) is not working)

Thanks

[pro-d]

Good question - I wish I had an answer. All British literature on the subject says things along the lines of "while some cholesterol is essential for your health, too much is bad for you" and there's data that tells you what you should be less than, be it HDL/LDL/total, but not more than. What I can guarantee is that medically imposed limits are likely misleading and possibly dangerous. For example, my local GP has a reference range starting from 0.00 for LDL and total cholesterol?! Only HDL is listed as being more than 1.00.

Fish oil cuts trigylcerides and vitamin D is known to raise HDL and reduce the particle size of LDL cholesterol which is more useful than just lowering it. These two items are the best things to try first when your doctor has stern words with you about cholesterol as modifications to your diet don't really do anything.
I was handed a British Heart Foundation leaflet on diet changes - but there wasn't really anything for me to change. Furthermore, it's your liver that's the core cholesterol maker anyway; I figure the best values are related to mimicking a paleolithic diet and lifestyle (vitamin D as the sun, fish as fish oil). My total cholesterol value is UK average, even when carved up; but these figures would have everyone on statins.

I'm not sure what can be done to raise cholesterol in low situations, even if it should be done. But in regards to the heart disease theory, the 2 mentioned things above will help clear up inflammation and prevent arterial calcification.

[woly]

My cholesterol profile is:
Total Cholesterol 2.9 mmol/l
HDL 1.6 mmol/l
LDL 1.0 mmol/l

I have always wondered if it was too low, my serum test is 21.3 which for a 22 year old may be a little low but i have always wondered if there were any real risk to my cholesterol profile. so it seems the evidence isnt too clear?

[wayside]

Total Cholesterol 2.9 mmol/l
HDL 1.6 mmol/l
LDL 1.0 mmol/l

What's the conversion factor to ng/mL?

[hamishm00]

My cholesterol profile is:
Total Cholesterol 2.9 mmol/l
HDL 1.6 mmol/l
LDL 1.0 mmol/l

I have always wondered if it was too low, my serum test is 21.3 which for a 22 year old may be a little low but i have always wondered if there were any real risk to my cholesterol profile. so it seems the evidence isnt too clear?

Yours is pretty darn good. pretty much the same as mine.

[pro-d]

Your HDL is very good and your total cholesterol under current guidelines would be seen as desirable. However, as written above, it's LDL particle size rather than quantity that matters and pretty much no lab measures this as standard. I wouldn't worry about it though.

[Matt]

I've been trying to get my HDL above my LDL, but not working yet... any ideas? So far my Chol profile is:


Total Cholesterol 3.7 (144mg/dl)
HDL Cholesterol 1.5 (59mg/dl)
LDL Cholesterol 1.9 (74mg/dl)
HDL: total Cholesterol Ratio 41%
Triglycerides 0.6 ( 53mg/dl)
Total Cholesterol : HDL Ratio 2.5

previous results here http://www.matthewla...com/results.htm

Edited by Matt, 19 July 2008 - 04:55 PM.

[HighDesertWizard]

Greetings... this is a little off the thread topic but relevant to many of the comments in the thread.

"G" over at TrackYourPlaque.com posted the following article links recently. The essential point goes like this...

- There is agreement that Small-Dense LDL Particle Number is a high correlated independent risk factor for CAD. I don't have time to dig out the references for this but these can be found in many places.

- The log of the ratio of Triglycerides to HDL is INVERSELY but significantly correlated with Small LDL Size.

- In short, what matters is NOT the LDL to HDL ratio but, instead, the TRI to HDL ratio.

I put together a google spreadsheet that computes this Artherogenic Index of Plasma (AIP) here:

http://spreadsheets....Ob53d5A1TzZrWMw

In one of the linked articles, the authors state...

"A practical advantage of using AIP is that its values range from negative to positive with ZERO closely corresponding to the LDL diamter of 25.5 nm, ie the size that was used as as cutoff between LDL patterns A and B."

A NEGATIVE AIP VALUE IS BETTER THAN A POSITIVE VALUE.

I haven't spent a lot of time looking in detail at the articles. I thought it would be useful to reference them here for ImmInst discussion.

The real value of this material is that, if the correlation of the AIP ratio to LDL Particle Size is as high as some of the articles state, then, measures of LDL particle size can be estimated more easily than can particle size blood testing be had.

Real thanks go to "G" who knows who she is and deserves thanks for digging this information up.

Comments, critique, and insight welcome!


****************************************************************************
** Dobiásová M, Frohlich J. The plasma parameter log (TG/HDL-C) as an atherogenic index: correlation with lipoprotein particle size and esterification rate in apoB-lipoprotein-depleted plasma (FER(HDL)).
Clin Biochem. 2001 Oct;34(7):583-8.
PMID: 11738396 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Frohlich J, Dobiásová M. Fractional esterification rate of cholesterol and ratio of triglycerides to HDL-cholesterol are powerful predictors of positive findings on coronary angiography.
Clin Chem. 2003 Nov;49(11):1873-80.
PMID: 14578319 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Dobiásová M, Raslová K, Rauchová H, Vohnout B, Ptácková K, Frohlich J. Atherogenic lipoprotein profile in families with and without history of early myocardial infarction.
Physiol Res. 2001;50(1):1-8.
PMID: 11300220 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Dobiásová M. [AIP--atherogenic index of plasma as a significant predictor of cardiovascular risk: from research to practice]
Vnitr Lek. 2006 Jan;52(1):64-71. Review. Czech.
PMID: 16526201 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Ohta T, Kakiuti Y, Kurahara K, Saku K, Nagata N, Matsuda I. Fractional esterification rate of cholesterol in high density lipoprotein is correlated with low density lipoprotein particle size in children.
J Lipid Res. 1997 Jan;38(1):139-46.
PMID: 9034208 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Ohta T, Saku K, Takata K, Nagata N, Maung KK, Matsuda I. Fractional esterification rate of cholesterol in high density lipoprotein (HDL) can predict the particle size of low density lipoprotein and HDL in patients with coronary heart disease.
Atherosclerosis. 1997 Dec;135(2):205-12.
PMID: 9430370 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Berneis K, Jeanneret C, Muser J, Felix B, Miserez AR. Low-density lipoprotein size and subclasses are markers of clinically apparent and non-apparent atherosclerosis in type 2 diabetes.
Metabolism. 2005 Feb;54(2):227-34.
PMID: 15690318 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Maruyama C, Imamura K, Teramoto T. Assessment of LDL particle size by triglyceride/HDL-cholesterol ratio in non-diabetic, healthy subjects without prominent hyperlipidemia.
J Atheroscler Thromb. 2003;10(3):186-91.
PMID: 14564088 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Goff DC Jr, D'Agostino RB Jr, Haffner SM, Otvos JD.Insulin resistance and adiposity influence lipoprotein size and subclass concentrations. Results from the Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Study.
Metabolism. 2005 Feb;54(2):264-70.
PMID: 15690322 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Green TJ, Moghadasian MH. Species-related variations in lipoprotein metabolism: the impact of FER(HDL) on susceptibility to atherogenesis.
Life Sci. 2004 Mar 26;74(19):2441-9.
PMID: 14998721 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Edited by wccaguy, 19 July 2008 - 09:13 PM.

[pro-d]

Oh, it's small density that's bad for you. Cheers for pointing out that!

I wonder though how much HDL is possibly bad for you? Torcetrapib (HDL raising drug) was pulled due to being linked to an increase in CVD events. I mean, it could've been some other action of the drug or too high HDL, or a combo. I mean, what is optimal HDL anyway; 1.7? Surely some upper limit should've been determined.

I'm looking forward to 4D scanners becoming more mainstream in this part of the world. They already showed on local news how they're one means of identifying arterial calcification, which if I'm not mistaken can be confused with cholesterol because of how the substance looks?

[tham]

There is agreement that Small-Dense LDL Particle Number is a
high correlated independent risk factor for CAD.

- The log of the ratio of Triglycerides to HDL is INVERSELY
but significantly correlated with Small LDL Size.

- In short, what matters is NOT the LDL to HDL ratio but,
instead, the TRI to HDL ratio.


"A practical advantage of using AIP is that its values range
from negative to positive with ZERO closely corresponding
to the LDL diameter of 25.5 nm, ie the size that was used as
as cutoff between LDL patterns A and B."

Small, dense LDL phenotype B is what you should seek to lower :

http://www.ncbi.nlm....l=pubmed_docsum

http://www.ncbi.nlm....l=pubmed_docsum

http://www.pubmedcen...bmedid=18629364


The TG/HDL ratio, although inconsistent, is what Barry Sears has
been emphasizing all along with his Zone Diet, correlating it with
insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome and CAD/CVD risks.

http://www.ncbi.nlm....l=pubmed_docsum

http://www.ncbi.nlm....l=pubmed_docsum

http://www.ncbi.nlm....l=pubmed_docsum

http://www.ncbi.nlm....l=pubmed_docsum

http://www.ncbi.nlm....l=pubmed_docsum

http://www.ncbi.nlm....l=pubmed_docsum

http://www.ncbi.nlm....l=pubmed_docsum

http://www.ncbi.nlm....l=pubmed_docsum

Edited by tham, 20 July 2008 - 10:19 AM.

[tham]

Coconut juice :

http://www.ncbi.nlm....l=pubmed_docsum


However, both the Chinese and Indians over here in Malaysia
say that drinking lots of coconut juice, especially at night, is not
advisable if you have asthma, cough or bronchitis, as it tends to
"chill" or "cool" the lungs and cause mucus production.

http://www.hashmi.com/coconut.html

[salamandyr]

well, to add another (anecdotal) data point, my total cholesterol runs between about 90-120, with about 70% HDL.

i find that omega-3's make a fairly large difference in how fast i heal (from workout, or after exacerbating a chronic injury, etc).

i haven't noticed a huge effect on my cognition, but i DO notice a difference on my piracetams effectiveness when taken with omega-3's, so there is probably some nootropic benefit of the additional EPA / DHA that i take. it wouldn't surprise me if the root of my adhd is low-cholesterol. i have both low and high in my family, though, so i'm hoping a spread of genes will balance my risk factors

oh - and on omega-3's i've tried other essential fatty acids, but EPA and DHA seem to do the most for me, physically at least.