Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

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Got my blood work results tonight. Started paleo in January. Male, 48 years old. My MD called these results "excellent."

"vs xxx" number is from the last time I had these tests done.

total chol: 174 vs 168 (whatever, and I know this is irrelevant)
triglycerides: 54 vs 170
HDL 74 vs 39 
LDL** (yeah I know this is largely useless) 89 vs 93 
VLDL 11 vs 36 
trig/HDL-C 0.7 vs 4.4 
glucose 89 vs 88

One thing is flagged "high" albumin/globulin ratio at 2.5 (albumin = 4.9 globulin 2.0) vs 2.2 last time. I have no idea what this means. Doc didn't mention it so I guess it's not that important.

This isn't a comprehensive blood lipid profile. I think the most important things here are HDL and triglycerides.

Doc seemed somewhat amazed I did this solely with diet. No exercise, no f*cking statins. Hope it brings him around to the power of food vs. the Rx pad.

** The report just calls it "bad cholesterol". After reading Taubes, I laughed.

edited Aug 25 2010 at 9:26

Patrik♦♦
11.6k●2●22●76

asked Aug 25 2010 at 1:08

42
2,207●7●16

	W00t! Your trig number dropped dramatically. Very nice. Mine was in the 40s a while back. – Patrik♦ Aug 25 2010 at 9:24
	BTW what has your weight done in the same time? – Patrik♦ Aug 25 2010 at 9:24
	Oh, forgot. Weight went from about 200lbs to 155. – 42 Aug 25 2010 at 11:35
	Amazing and congrats!!!! – Patrik♦ Aug 25 2010 at 16:38

Stephen-Aegis · Answer 1 · 2010-08-25 01:26:41Z UTC

Grats!!

A/G (ALBUMIN/GLOBULIN) RATIO

The liver can function adequately on 20% of liver tissue, thus early diagnosis by lab methods is difficult. A reversed A/G Ratio may be a helpful indicator. With severe liver cell damage, the prolonged prothrombin time will not change with ingestion of Vitamin K. The proper albumin to globulin ratio is 2:1. When <1.7, there is may be a need for increasing stomach acidity. When >3.5 there may be a need for stomach acidity and pepsin.

Optimal Range: 1.7-2.2

The AG ratio may be elevated in:

Hypothyroidism High protein/high carbohydrate diet with poor nitrogen retention Hypogammaglobulinemia (low globulin) Glucocorticoid excess (can be from taking medications with cortisone effect, the adrenal gland overproducing cortisol, or a tumor that produces extra cortisol like compounds, low globulin)

grace · Answer 2 · 2010-08-25 22:00:48Z UTC

The liver test improving is what I would conclude indicates a lower inflammatory profile. Some liver experts believe > 20 ALT indicates fatty, calcified liver (NASH/NAFLD) and yours are now very VERY NICE. Nice liver!! Less risk now of all-cause mortality, hepatic carcinoma and all cancers and heart disease/strokes. In europe which is way more progressive than US or Canada, fatty liver is an identified risk factor for Metabolic Syndrome and insulin resistance.

The HDLs 'good' chol are BANGING. Strong work! I believe you are correct on everything - the Total and LDL are worthless values by themselves.

When I went lower carb and continued exercise and fat loss my Trigs also decreased to 30s-40s and my HDLs higher (I'm a grrl so > 100 mg/dl but from a baseline of 60 on high carb, SAD).

YOu feel better right? More strenght, endurance, better performance, and hey some 6-paks emerging???! Please reveal haa! so I can get my kicks...

E. TP. · Answer 3 · 2010-08-25 01:44:02Z UTC

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Was the serum glucose preprandial? Did you also get results for ALT/AST? Best of health. :)

answered Aug 25 2010 at 1:44

E. TP.
101●5

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Yes, both times fasted. This time, over 18 hours. SGOT (AST) 24 SGPT (ALT) 30 Both were 18 on the last test. Unsure what they are. – 42 Aug 25 2010 at 2:59

Those are two of your liver enzymes. They do not have high specificity but are good early indicators of any liver condition that you may have. Yours are optimal values. Congratulations, sir. :) – E. TP. Aug 25 2010 at 3:21

Thank you, MamSir! – 42 Aug 25 2010 at 4:21

Philip · Answer 4 · 2010-08-25 02:29:40Z UTC

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This isn't a question << ^^ >_> Just throwin that out there.

Good job by the way! Why don't you workout and double your results?

answered Aug 25 2010 at 2:29

Philip
51●4

	Well, it's kind of a question. Will be weightlifting, but I am the laziest man in the world, so in time... – 42 Aug 25 2010 at 2:52
	See if you can find something you kinda like, or at least hate least. Long term compliance is usually better that way. Maybe martial arts with a bit of stretching, or hiking, or whatever. But the nice thing about weight lifting is it doesn't need to take up much time. You can be done in 30 or 45 minutes a few times per week and still get great benefits. Plus if you do it right, you will get at all muscle groups. – Eva Aug 25 2010 at 4:05
	I've been a weightlifter before, ca. 2002-2005 until I hurt myself and had to stop. It took a loooong time to get into it, but once I did I enjoyed it. Same deal this time; it's just a matter of starting and getting through the initial pain. My 18" guns are now 12" noodles... yeesh! – 42 Aug 25 2010 at 4:22

CT · Answer 5 · 2010-08-25 07:38:10Z UTC

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Very good results. I'm guessing you're US based? Frustrating being in the UK, where the cholesterol knowledge seems very poor. I had my results recently and I asked my doctor if LDL was directly measured or calculated - didn't know, and whether they could give me a VLDL result - didn't know what it was! Anyone know of any good private doctors in London who give full panels?

answered Aug 25 2010 at 7:38

CT
2,686●1●5●14

	What part of London ? There was a private GP in Wanstead a few years ago - and I know there was a Dr that was big on the whole Insulin resistance at the London Clinic – Vivalapaleo Aug 25 2010 at 8:42
	Anywhere really, preferably Central London. – CT Aug 25 2010 at 14:06
	@CT -- Malcolm Kendrick is a Scottish doctor who has been fighting the lipid hypothesis -- he might know where to go to do a full panel. – Patrik♦ Aug 25 2010 at 17:51

Paleo_Rob · Answer 6 · 2010-08-25 08:58:20Z UTC

Great results! Your numbers are awesome. I don't put to much stock in the absolute values on there own but rather the ratios between the values.

As you have very low triglycerides the formula the doctors use to calculate LDL is inaccurate. But rather you should use what is known as the Iranian Formula for low Triglycerides. Doing the calculation your Iranian LDL is 69.4 which is great.

Your Triglycerides / HDL is 0.73 and you want this to be less than two. It is this ratio that is thought to have the highest bearing on heart health.

Your LDL / HDL ratio is also another important factor, and your Iranian LDL / HDL is 1.21 which again is great.

To do all these calculations yourself, in both Metric and US units I built a small calculator. Try it out here for yourself.

First post-paleo blood work results

6 Answers