Cholesterol Q for the Docs. in the house
 

A couple of weeks ago I got my annual physical. My PA said that everything looked good except that my Folic Acid levels were a little low, so now I take 400mcg each morning to get that back in check, She also said that my cholesterol levels looked very good as well etc... I want to better understand where I stand on my cholesterol levels, so I would like you to rank the shown levels below based on a 5 point scale.

1- Bad/at risk
2- Below average
3- Average
4- Above average
5- Excellent

Here were my results:

Total Cholesterol= 178
Triglycerides=118
HDL=53
LDL=101
VLDL=24

Thanks in advance,

SG

Get health insurance!!!! :)

So now you're a Doctor? Ok, you have a choice, Dr.Doolittle or Dr. Suess :nanana:

*Snap* the sound of latex gloves...:rofl:

Your LDL (Bad) Cholesterol Level

The lower your LDL cholesterol, the lower your risk of heart attack and stroke. In fact, it's a better gauge of risk than total blood cholesterol. In general, LDL levels fall into these categories:

LDL Cholesterol Levels

Less than 100 mg/dL


Optimal

100 to 129 mg/dL


Near Optimal/ Above Optimal

130 to 159 mg/dL


Borderline High

160 to 189 mg/dL


High

190 mg/dL and above


Very High

Your other risk factors for heart disease and stroke help determine what your LDL level should be, as well as the appropriate treatment for you. A healthy level for you may not be healthy for your friend or neighbor. Discuss your levels and your treatment options with your doctor to get the plan that

With HDL (good) cholesterol, higher levels are better. Low HDL cholesterol (less than 40 mg/dL for men, less than 50 mg/dL for women) puts you at higher risk for heart disease. In the average man, HDL cholesterol levels range from 40 to 50 mg/dL. In the average woman, they range from 50 to 60 mg/dL. An HDL cholesterol of 60 mg/dL or higher gives some protection against heart disease.

Soooooooo basically u're risk is very low assuming u do not have diabetes, family history or smoke. Drinking a beer a day also helps(or some form of alcohol)

So 'she' put on gloves and asked you to cough? ;)

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SG, any family history of heart disease? Yes, the lower the LDL, the better. However, since you are NOT on lipid lowering agents and you have those numbers with diet & exercise, you are doing fine. The folic acid being low is interesting. Avoid ETOH. Your HDL is higher than most guys (HDL > 40 for men is recommended). Higher HDL is cardioprotective. Continue a low fat, low cholesterol diet...if I have more info re: age, weight, ht, waist size, then I can give you the stats your want re: cardiovascular risk. Keep up the low cholesterol diet. Your trigs are great as well (fatty acids).

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Also, what is your blood pressure and fasting sugar levels? If your BP & fasting sugars are normal & no family history, then your numbers are decent. Just keep those lipids in check.

BTW, my LDL is in the 70s.

Nope HE did the asking. :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

I was hoping she would, my PA is very cute ;) Didn't happen. I was also surprised that my prostate wasn't checked.