Cardiac CT scan...score improved

[GaJoe]

I know some guys won't mess with it but Cardarine gives me about a 10 point bump in HDL.

Others have gotten a decent bumps in HDL from statins.

I got a few points (2-3) from niacin but it also increased my liver values so not worth it IMO.

That would be nice! I haven't used Cardarine yet...I've seen others say it's done wonders. Last week, Dr actually wanted me to try niacin but I didn't want to yet bc I've got something aggravating my kidneys/liver and I don't want to add anything in until I get that figured out.

 

[Fleezy]

I believe Chase Irons said he brought his down using Koncentrated brand of K2 in a high does.

Hopefully @ChaseIrons can pop in and confirm

 

[ChaseIrons]

Ya i used koncentrated K https://amzn.to/3PfMbxt designed by pat theut who has a decent amount of interviews online going over the ins and outs of it all. 1 pill in the AM 1 in the PM for 1 exact year on top of coming off everything and basically being natty with a <500ng/dl total test during that time, Feb 2022 to Feb 2023. Was also on 80mg telmi/25mg HCTZ as well as 5mg rosuvastatin daily that whole time and still take all these today.

Something worth noting though is the calcium score doesn’t really mean shit unfortunately. Vit K goes into everywhere that calcium doesn’t belong and takes it to our teeth and bones. There are plenty of people with 0 calcium scores that still have heart attacks and strokes from 100% blockage because the ct only picks up calcified bits. The real test that we need to be doing is the CCTA. They inject us with dye and then MRI the heart to find how much soft and hard plaque there is and what percentage of blockage you have in your arteries.

Unfortunately this test is expensive as fuck compared to the CT scan.. 10x expensive at $2k. I’ve got mine scheduled for the 11th and it comes with its own set of complications, number 1 you need to have a BMI under 39.. which for me at 5’10 means i have to be 270 or less. The other thing is you have to have your heart rate consistently under 65 while they are doing the scan otherwise the images will be blurred. This is going to be a problem for a lot of us. Mine hits 60 while i sleep… awake the lowest it goes is 70. I went in to get this scan a week ago and even on a mild beta blocker I wasn’t low enough averaging about 67-68 with some short stints under 65.

The company that evaluates these was already mentioned in here by someone else, Cleerly, and you can get it all set up through Heartbeat Health. They prescribe you a few beta blockers for the test to take, so when they found out i didn’t get low enough they rescheduled the test and prescribed me a stronger dose of beta blocker. I’m also really getting on top of my cardio and diet to do what i can to bring my resting heart rate down more cause I really want to get this thing done.

 

[LATS]

I have seen much posted on k2.. many cardiologist are on board with it as a protective measure.. I started it a few months back.. added it to my citrus bergamot and curcumin

 

[ChaseIrons]

I have seen much posted on k2.. many cardiologist are on board with it as a protective measure.. I started it a few months back.. added it to my citrus bergamot and curcumin

I was using k2 prior to Feb 2022… but unfortunately most supp companies k2 products have a pathetic amount of k2 mk4 and mk7 in them. That’s what is particularly different about koncentrated K. Most k2 supps on the market are measured in mcg, so remember that when you look at this label.

 

[nothuman]

I had one years ago. My doc wanted to do this test test before prescribing a cholesterol med. I came in at 0. No meds needed even though my numbers were 220+.

Am scheduling one in a few weeks with my wife. ~200$ each, Medicare does not cover it, WTF but it will be worth it.

Is that an LDL of 220?

 

[nothuman]

I went through a few bottles of Koncentrated K a couple years ago but haven’t used it in a while mostly due to cost and my CAC was 0 anyway. Regular dose K doesn’t seem to prevent calcium build up in arteries like we used to think. No studies on mega dose K for that purpose but it’s encouraging that we have anecdotes.

 

[alfresco]

Is that an LDL of 220?

No. Total.

 

[nothuman]

That would be nice! I haven't used Cardarine yet...I've seen others say it's done wonders. Last week, Dr actually wanted me to try niacin but I didn't want to yet bc I've got something aggravating my kidneys/liver and I don't want to add anything in until I get that figured out.

Don’t waste your time with high dose niacin. It raises liver enzymes and insulin and has no benefit on all cause mortality. Just ignore HDL as it’s essentially useless if your LDL/ApoB are low enough.

 

[LATS]

I was using k2 prior to Feb 2022… but unfortunately most supp companies k2 products have a pathetic amount of k2 mk4 and mk7 in them. That’s what is particularly different about koncentrated K. Most k2 supps on the market are measured in mcg, so remember that when you look at this label.
View attachment 181626

Yeah I'm due for more.. ill get the Koncentrated version this time.. heard good things..

 

[alfresco]

Don’t waste your time with high dose niacin. It raises liver enzymes and insulin and has no benefit on all cause mortality. Just ignore HDL as it’s essentially useless if your LDL/ApoB are low enough.

My wife’s HDL is outta range, high.

Her total is something like 260. (Hence the heart scan.)

Been a vegan for 8 years, vegetarian for 40.

 

[Swifto]

Don’t waste your time with high dose niacin. It raises liver enzymes and insulin and has no benefit on all cause mortality. Just ignore HDL as it’s essentially useless if your LDL/ApoB are low enough.

What ApoB number is acceptable in your opinion?

 

[nothuman]

What ApoB number is acceptable in your opinion?

less than 50 will make it virtually impossible to develop atherosclerosis. It’s very hard to reach that number without any sort of pharmaceuticals though. I take 10mg Ezetimibe and 5mg Rosuvastatin to get it down to 49.

Generally speaking, you don’t want to be above 80, but lower is better.

 

[Swifto]

less than 50 will make it virtually impossible to develop atherosclerosis. It’s very hard to reach that number without any sort of pharmaceuticals though. I take 10mg Ezetimibe and 5mg Rosuvastatin to get it down to 49.

Generally speaking, you don’t want to be above 80, but lower is better.

Mine was 89 last test but I was also using Test E 250mg and Deca 250mg per week.

Do you know of anything specific that can bring it down in terms of natural supplements/foods?

 

[nothuman]

Mine was 89 last test but I was also using Test E 250mg and Deca 250mg per week.

Do you know of anything specific that can bring it down in terms of natural supplements/foods?

Mine was 89 in the past. Lowest I got it without drugs was 80.

You lower ApoB the same way you lower LDL. They both go up and down together. So proper nutrition is the most effective and then I think citrus bergamot and berberine are probably the two best OTC supps for lowering it

 

[ChaseIrons]

My wife’s HDL is outta range, high.

Her total is something like 260. (Hence the heart scan.)

Been a vegan for 8 years, vegetarian for 40.

How much cardio does she do?

My wife has been marathon training for the last like 10 years or so. Her HDL is higher than her LDL and has a 210 total last we checked.

 

[alfresco]

How much cardio does she do?

My wife has been marathon training for the last like 10 years or so. Her HDL is higher than her LDL and has a 210 total last we checked.

Heaps.

Long distance backpacker (did the PCT solo). Prior to that, long distance cyclist.

He total cholesterol and HDL have always been high. Ratios good.

 

[ChaseIrons]

Heaps.

Long distance backpacker (did the PCT solo). Prior to that, long distance cyclist.

He total cholesterol and HDL have always been high. Ratios good.

Yup… it’s crazy what tons of cardio will do… and being natty.

 

[alfresco]

Yup… it’s crazy what tons of cardio will do… and being natty.

Will do what?

 

[LEX]

hate break it to you it didn't reduce it was the difference in scan, reader