cholesterol- more important, raw#`s or ratios

[Deleted member 121863]

I recently had blood work done and according to classic thinking of cholesterol over 200 I`m in trouble. When looking at it closer my ratios show me to be low risk. All my reading leads me to believe that the theory of 200= high cholesterol was established (and lowered from 220 yrs ago) to feed the developing statin market when they were discovered. Which method of evaluation is more telling of health? Here`s my #`s:

total: 247
TG: 110
HDL: 59
VLDL: 22
LDL: 166

That`s a total/HDL ratio of 4.1, low risk
LDL/HDL ratio is 2.8, below average risk
TG and VLDL are both great.
I`m only on 250mg test/wk for 4 months. It has been dialed back a little because it put me >1500

 

[BillyBlanco]

Personally, I say ratios. Those ratios look pretty good to me

 

[TheOutlier]

Yes, nothing concerning going off of these numbers. If a provider is wanting to prescribe a statin medication solely off of these numbers, run, run fast and far away. Assuming no current cardiovascular risk factors or prior cardiovascular events, the method that would provide greater insight into better health would be to include an up to date HbA1c value and fasting insulin level, then take it from there.

 

[buck]

get a VAP test if you really want to know what is going on.

 

[TheOutlier]

If addressing the question, a VAP study would not be the most indicative of overall health, the quality of his lipid panel yes, which isn't in a bad spot to begin with. They do not change much if anything at all in regard to lifestyle modifications or dietary adjustments required to produce improvements. Pending the results, the study may help calm the urge of a physician or health care provider who is persistently advising statin therapy. However, just the opposite could occur, VAP studies are primarely used to assist in proper medication prescription. In particular, when determining which medications will work best; im sure Hogan86 is wishing to refrain from cholesterol lowering medications. VAP studies are cool, they even look pretty once printed out, but no where close to being a necessity.

If a VAP study were to be performed, regardless of the outcome, you know what would be addressed? HbA1c and circulating insulin levels.

Depending on Lp(a) maybe a cardiovascular work-up, maybe. If significant, you can thank your parents for that one. IDL, right back to metaboloc health, once again, improve insulin sensitivity and control average blood sugar levels.

LDL is a little elevated, determining the partial size would be more of a priority if the value were higher. Even so, triglycerides and VLDL are within great range.

His HDL is in a very good spot, almost high enough to deduct a point if going by cardiovascular risk assessment. Yeah, he could find out the make-up of HDL2(most effective) vs HDL3 (least effective), plenty of information regarding beneficial supplementation found on this site (fish oil, citrus bergamot, niacin, etc.)

His current values, with no indication of additional cardiovascular risk factors or metabolic issues, no mention of a family history of cardiovascular disease or diabetes, do not warrant a VAP study unless requested for personal interest.

 

[Deleted member 121863]

Thanks for the input guys. I'm not considering any statins at all. I'm 37. Me and my dad have always had cholesterol over 200, more like 230 for him. He started some statin and dropped it soon after. My BP is usually about 110/65, pulse 55ish, not to worried about health issues with where I'm at. I just hear so many things about cholesterol, like over THIS # is bad!!!.... But you gotta take it with a grain of salt, how dated is that info, is the study biased pushing people to statins, etc. I was reading up about ratios being a newer way of evaluating thing. Also the particle size and others things outlier said. Thank you


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[Thor]

Mine was very high..

My total # was 342 !.. I know i should be alarmed but i have changed my diet a bit and have added daily cardio and some chol supps and will get retested soon

 

[Deleted member 121863]

My total # was 342 !.. I know i should be alarmed but i have changed my diet a bit and have added daily cardio and some chol supps and will get retested soon

wow!! Were you on certain compounds making that happen or was it just no cardio, bad food binge for awhile? At that number (342) I think ratio`s are out the window, lol.

 

[Thor]

well..

it had been a few years since i had my bloods done, ok many years, but last time it was perfect ,200 total and good ratios, but i had been on for about two years straight B&C moderate doses and tren off and on too. And my diet could have been better, not much cardio either, then i found out that my mom had high chol, so...

 

[nothuman]

If addressing the question, a VAP study would not be the most indicative of overall health, the quality of his lipid panel yes, which isn't in a bad spot to begin with. They do not change much if anything at all in regard to lifestyle modifications or dietary adjustments required to produce improvements. Pending the results, the study may help calm the urge of a physician or health care provider who is persistently advising statin therapy. However, just the opposite could occur, VAP studies are primarely used to assist in proper medication prescription. In particular, when determining which medications will work best; im sure Hogan86 is wishing to refrain from cholesterol lowering medications. VAP studies are cool, they even look pretty once printed out, but no where close to being a necessity.



If a VAP study were to be performed, regardless of the outcome, you know what would be addressed? HbA1c and circulating insulin levels.



Depending on Lp(a) maybe a cardiovascular work-up, maybe. If significant, you can thank your parents for that one. IDL, right back to metaboloc health, once again, improve insulin sensitivity and control average blood sugar levels.



LDL is a little elevated, determining the partial size would be more of a priority if the value were higher. Even so, triglycerides and VLDL are within great range.



His HDL is in a very good spot, almost high enough to deduct a point if going by cardiovascular risk assessment. Yeah, he could find out the make-up of HDL2(most effective) vs HDL3 (least effective), plenty of information regarding beneficial supplementation found on this site (fish oil, citrus bergamot, niacin, etc.)



His current values, with no indication of additional cardiovascular risk factors or metabolic issues, no mention of a family history of cardiovascular disease or diabetes, do not warrant a VAP study unless requested for personal interest.

I improved my VAP based on what the last one told me so I'd have to disagree about it being unnecessary. That's like saying there's no need to get cholesterol tested at all. The standard lipid panel should be banned IMO. It's too misleading.