Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

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First number is a blood test taken in 2009, pre-paleo. Second (bold) number blood test from last week, after a year of paleo and weight training.

Total Cholesterol : 142 / 163

Triglycerides : 63 / 60

HDL : 62 / 65

VLDL : 13 / 12

LDL : 77 / 86

I'm surprised by how little it changed considering how much better I look and feel today. As others have said, I suppose it doesn't say much other than everything is normal.

Only other thing of note is that my BUN, Creatinine and their respective ratio were all high. I did some reading and it seems that perhaps is this from all the protein in my diet?

edited Aug 12 2011 at 13:37

asked Aug 2 2011 at 19:01

xjhues
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JayJay · Answer 1 · 2011-08-02 19:29:48Z UTC

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Actually all looks well. But other than the extremes these test simply aren't very helpful in determining if your in "optimal health", they are only markers for risk of disease. I guess what I'm getting at is I dont know that you could necessary look for any improvements in this panel to mean improvement in your general health. Not that it hasn't improved...just that this panel is limited in what it confers.

edited Aug 2 2011 at 19:29

answered Aug 2 2011 at 19:05

JayJay
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	My overall health has improved based on how I feel and look. I was just thinking there might be something more quantifiable in the blood work. If not, that's ok. – xjhues Aug 2 2011 at 19:50
	There is actually! Things that are more associated with fitness trackers though. Like VO2Max, cardiac output, recovery time, body composition and such. I guess I just mean, hey this looks great so maybe you should bump it up a notch and look to improve these other quantifiable things. For instance you could find your resting heart rate, max heart rate, and recovery time all in a couple of minutes and then track it on a monthly basis. – JayJay Aug 2 2011 at 20:09
	Well, I suppose more of a health/wellness thing is what I had in mind. Fitness wise, I track very closely how much weight I can lift. :) – xjhues Aug 2 2011 at 20:26

CaveRat · Answer 2 · 2011-08-02 20:48:42Z UTC

If you can, add the VAP Cholesterol Panel. VAP stands for 'Vertical Auto Profile' and there's an article about it here:

http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2007/may2007_report_vap_01.htm

(that was the first site that popped up with a reasonably complete looking article - I have no association with them).

This is the test that measures the sizes of the LDL particles. All those discussions about 'large, fluffy' and 'small, dense' cholesterol? The VAP is what determines this - among other things.

I'm not trained by any means, but from what I've learned over the past year, it wouldn't hurt you to have your total cholesterol be a little higher. Cholesterol is used to make many critical hormones, and bile, and if you don't have a generous amount your body has a harder time making what it needs. I was just reading an article (don't remember source right now) saying that one study showed an optimal health with cholesterol around 200-250. That's more than the 'medical community' says is good btw, so do keep on doing the research.

Travis Culp · Answer 3 · 2011-08-02 21:21:42Z UTC

If you've been eating tons of butter/cream, you can expect your LDL to possibly triple. Couldn't tell ya if that's medically significant however. You had a surprisingly good HDL and low-enough TG count. At 142, TC was ppossibly low enough to interfere with sex hormone and endogenous vitamin D production, even if you were getting exposed to sufficient UVB of the proper wavelength.

CaveDad · Answer 4 · 2011-08-02 21:30:59Z UTC

Your Total Cholesterol may have gone way up, your LDL will most likely have gone up, your Triglycerides should have come down a bit and your HDL should go up a bit. Expect your Dr to look at you funny and ask what you have been eating. Just know that you are healthier person and you don't need your Dr. to tell you that.. because chances are they wont. Heck, they might even try to put you on statins, or threaten that if you don't lower it then they will next time.

Something is very wrong with the test, and the markers.

Pre/Post paleo lipid panels

4 Answers