High Cholesterol

[SHRED]

Last edited Thu Sep 14, 2017, 10:16 AM - Edit history (1)

It's been creeping up on me and I need to do something.

I'm almost 61, male, 6'3", 190 pounds, I stay physically active (not very much cardio however), and I buy organic groceries, avoid refined processed foods, and eat pretty healthy.

Has anyone here gotten their high cholesterol under control without medications?
How did you do it and how long does it take?

On edit. Here are some numbers:

Cholesterol 244
Triglycerides 206
HDL 54
LDL 149
VLDL 41

[Phoenix61]

1. CoQ10 can be helpful

If you decide to take a statin, CoQ10 is especially good to take. I get my supplements from iherb.com. I've used them for years. They have great prices and free shipping on orders over $40.

[SHRED]

2. Thanks

Why is it good to take with statin?

[onecaliberal]

3. Statin will help get your cholesterol in check.

Especially since it sounds like you are moderately active and eat well. The CoQ10 replaces what statin could deplete.

[SHRED]

4. Thanks

[Phoenix61]

5. One of the side effects of statins

is they lower the level of naturally occurring CoQ10.

[cbreezen]

6. I have high bad cholesterol and

The only way, that I know of, to avoid medication is to increase your level of good cholesterol. My good cholesterol level is really high (82). The good cholesterol level was high enough to ameliorate the damage that could be caused by the bad cholesterol. I was not prescribed medication.

About 20 years ago, my good levels were about 56. My weight is about the same now as it was then. The difference, I believe, is that I no longer have a car and walk, walk, walk, everywhere.

[SHRED]

7. I walk a lot also

I am thinking I really need to do cardio type exercise a lot more than I do now.

[cbreezen]

8. Maybe all those boxes of cat litter

and grocery bags I carry give me some cardio. Hope so, cause I hate jogging and hanging out in a gym isn't my thing, at all!

[unc70]

9. It gets harder to control as you get older

I am roughly your size, a bit older. Diet and exercise eventually lost out to genetics. Last year, I was finally put on a low dosage statin. It did what things like fish oil could not.

[SHRED]

10. Here is some of my results

Cholesterol 244
Triglycerides 206
HDL 54
LDL 149
VLDL 41

[womanofthehills]

11. Niacin-Time dropped my cholesterol 80 points - mine was over 300

i can't take regular niacin because of the flush, but I take time release niacin before I go to bed. Many cholesterol meds have niacin.

Good article from Scientific American: Cholesterol and Controversy: Past, present and Future

Today, it is estimated that 50% of the American population have cholesterol levels that fall outside the accepted healthy range, and the prevalence of cardiovascular disease reflects this. However, the idea that cholesterol is a major risk factor for the development of heart attacks and strokes was one that was rejected by the scientific community for decades. Although high cholesterol is now a universally accepted warning sign, some medical professionals are starting to question the current standard of care when it comes to statin therapy, as these cholesterol-lowering medications may not benefit all patient populations equally. Will history repeat itself? Here I will present the story of cholesterol, and how it has – and continues to be - a controversial component of modern medical history............

and towards the end of the article..........

To date, niacin is the most effective FDA approved means of raising HDL-cholesterol. Interestingly, niacin also lowers LDL-cholesterol, as well as another type of blood lipid called triglycerides. Because of this, it is hard to tease out whether the protective effects of niacin are actually related to raising HDL levels. Fibrates, such as TriCor or Lopid, are another class of compounds that can significantly raise HDL levels, but, like niacin, these drugs also affect LDL and triglycerides.

All statins have been reported to be associated with adverse side effects, especially when administered at high doses2. These side effects include memory problems, sleeping issues, and, most commonly, that which is associated with muscle. For some, these muscle issues might just be minor. For others, however, statin use may come with more serious muscle problems, and this is catching some attention (see this post by Laura Newman). Based on this, as well as results published in November of 2010 in the Lancet, which reported a significant increase in the number of patients experiencing a muscle condition called myopathy as a result of high-dose statins (80mg per day), the FDA has issued the following safety announcement:

[06-08-2011] The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is recommending limiting the use of the highest approved dose of the cholesterol-lowering medication, simvastatin (80 mg) because of increased risk of muscle damage. Simvastatin 80 mg should be used only in patients who have been taking this dose for 12 months or more without evidence of muscle injury (myopathy). Simvastatin 80 mg should not be started in new patients, including patients already taking lower doses of the drug. In addition to these new limitations, FDA is requiring changes to the simvastatin label to add new contraindications (should not be used with certain medications) and dose limitations for using simvastatin with certain medicines.

https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/cholesterol-confusion-and-why-we-should-rethink-our-approach-to-statin-therapy/

[SHRED]

12. This product, correct?

https://www.carlsonlabs.com/niacin-time.html

Thanks.
You take one?

[womanofthehills]

15. That is what I take

I take one every night before I go to bed.

[SHRED]

13. Good news

I pretty much stayed with my regime I outlined.
Especially the oatmeal.

Just got tested again and numbers appear heading in the right direction!

Cholesterol 208
Triglycerides. 156
HDL. 55
LDL. 122
VLDL 31

[SHRED]

14. My current regime

Every other day.
I take one pill each and 2 tsp fish oil.

[safeinOhio]

16. Just got my results back...

Stopped taking my statin drugs a year ago. Doctor gave me the dirty look.

Cholesterol now down to 199Triglycerides now 91

HDL up to 43 from 36


This after starting 3 grams of Niacin/day (B3) for a month and a half. Took me 3 weeks to get up to that amount because of flushing. Non-flush Niacin does not work.

Lots more energy and lost 4 lbs too.

Please google Niacin for health.

Other number were better too. RBC is now normal, Testosterone was up and BP is down.

[SHRED]

17. Nice!

[safeinOhio]

18. Sound like me

6' 3' 204lbs and 68 years old.