Whats killing my HDL and what can I do to fix it?

[Tyler Durden]

The last 3 blood tests (so for about 1.5 years), my HDL is always around 25. I've been taking 1000mg of niacin (not flush free) for the last 6 months but it didn't make a dent. So, is it the AAS keeping it low, or is it something else? My AAS use is pretty straight-forward test e with one of the following - deca, tren or masteron (with the occasional oral thrown in) and letro at 1mg/eod.

Is there any component I can change to help this situation? My LDL is below normal too, but I suppose that's a good thing. I also take 10g fish oil every morning.

Things that are reported to help:
1-2 alcoholic drinks per day (I rarely indulge)
Lengthy cardio sessions (I try for 3x45min @130bpm every week)
polyunsaturated fats eg. olive oil, peanut butter (my intake is very low)

 

[ericraven2003]

The last 3 blood tests (so for about 1.5 years), my HDL is always around 25. I've been taking 1000mg of niacin (not flush free) for the last 6 months but it didn't make a dent. So, is it the AAS keeping it low, or is it something else? My AAS use is pretty straight-forward test e with one of the following - deca, tren or masteron (with the occasional oral thrown in) and letro at 1mg/eod.

Is there any component I can change to help this situation? My LDL is below normal too, but I suppose that's a good thing. I also take 10g fish oil every morning.

Things that are reported to help:
1-2 alcoholic drinks per day (I rarely indulge)
Lengthy cardio sessions (I try for 3x45min @130bpm every week)
polyunsaturated fats eg. olive oil, peanut butter (my intake is very low)

If you are not coming off gear, then for sure its the gear causing it to be low.

 

[Silencer]

I'd bet its the letro more than anything else you are doing...

Going "on" lowers my HDL a bit. I've been as high as a gram of test and my HDL never fell below 35. But then I get on PCT, and down she goes. As I recently stated in another thread, my HDL two months and five months into a cycle was 41, but then I do PCT with arimidex or letro, and my HDL crashes. I've had that result multiple times in my bloodtests.

It's gotten as low as 15 during PCT, when I had signs of gyno and needed to take arimidex at higher dosages every day for the lump to disappear.

This may not be the case with you, but I'd give it a shot. Try nolva if you need a substitute for letro.

Edit: BTW, how long are you "on". Is it low when you are clean for a long time as well? My doc said there is not much you can do to raise HDL if you have normally lower levels, outside of cardio, some niacin, etc. But you already do those two.

 

[PHIL HERNON]

Yes

AAS kills your HDL.......now, long ago Curtis Leffler and I spoke with a renowned Dr. in Los Angeles who told us it was a " false" reading because of the AAS.........I never pursued it further, one of my regrets for not asking.

 

[maldorf]

I was just the same as you, always had low on both HDL and LDL. The steroids were definitely bringing my HDL down, because when i went off it would come up after about 2 months. I never took letro, and did take adex off and on but nothing regular. Now that I am just one HRT, my HDL is higher,but its still below normal. I think some people just have low HDL because of genetics, just like some have high LDL. I went on crestor after my heart attack and it raised my HDL about 10-15 pts. Nothing huge, but it helped. I also take niaspan, perscription stregnth niacin at a dose of 1000 mg/day. It didnt seem to raise my hdl much at all. The crestor did though.

 

[Silencer]

I was just the same as you, always had low on both HDL and LDL. The steroids were definitely bringing my HDL down, because when i went off it would come up after about 2 months. I never took letro, and did take adex off and on but nothing regular. Now that I am just one HRT, my HDL is higher,but its still below normal. I think some people just have low HDL because of genetics, just like some have high LDL. I went on crestor after my heart attack and it raised my HDL about 10-15 pts. Nothing huge, but it helped. I also take niaspan, perscription stregnth niacin at a dose of 1000 mg/day. It didnt seem to raise my hdl much at all. The crestor did though.

Maldorf -- Did the Crestor also lower your LDL, getting the LDL/HDL ratio even more in line? I have heard Crestor is the only statin that may raise HDL, as all the others just lower LDL, which for me is not a problem. It's good to hear that you have evidence that it does, as I'm genetically stuck at 40 HDL even when clean, and spend most of my time below that figure.

 

[ericraven2003]

Tren killed my HDL last year. I only did it for about 5 weeks, but dropped my HDL by 25 points. I stay on 100mg a week of test which doesnt bother my hdl. I try to keep my cyles no longer then 6 weeks so my hdl doesn't get destryoed as much.

 

[cirish]

**broken link removed**

 

[wasp]

Tren killed my HDL last year. I only did it for about 5 weeks, but dropped my HDL by 25 points. I stay on 100mg a week of test which doesnt bother my hdl. I try to keep my cyles no longer then 6 weeks so my hdl doesn't get destryoed as much.

make sure you get your rbc and hematocrit checked, 125 a week drove mine into danger zone...............no more cruising for me

 

[dece870717]

Soluble Fiber can drastically improve cholesterol levels. Try eating tons of it, I think thats what let my HDL be so good only a month after PCT, my HDL was at 61, and that was coming off test, tren, dbol cycle.

 

[evolutionX]

The last 3 blood tests (so for about 1.5 years), my HDL is always around 25. I've been taking 1000mg of niacin (not flush free) for the last 6 months but it didn't make a dent. So, is it the AAS keeping it low, or is it something else? My AAS use is pretty straight-forward test e with one of the following - deca, tren or masteron (with the occasional oral thrown in) and letro at 1mg/eod.

Is there any component I can change to help this situation? My LDL is below normal too, but I suppose that's a good thing. I also take 10g fish oil every morning.

Things that are reported to help:
1-2 alcoholic drinks per day (I rarely indulge)
Lengthy cardio sessions (I try for 3x45min @130bpm every week)
polyunsaturated fats eg. olive oil, peanut butter (my intake is very low)

Your lack of estrogen hormone is possible for lowering HDL. Effective dose of Niacin to raise HDL (15-20%) is 1.5/3 gram/day in split dose. I recommend trying Niacin 1000mg immediate release (less hepatotoxic) 1000mg BID for 6-12 weeks at least.

 

[Thebigone]

I really dont think a low HDL is that bad if it comes from aas. If your natural and its low thats one thing but everyone on gear has a low HDL. As long as you can keep LDL and triglycerides low I dont see how low HDL is that bad longterm

 

[maldorf]

Maldorf -- Did the Crestor also lower your LDL, getting the LDL/HDL ratio even more in line? I have heard Crestor is the only statin that may raise HDL, as all the others just lower LDL, which for me is not a problem. It's good to hear that you have evidence that it does, as I'm genetically stuck at 40 HDL even when clean, and spend most of my time below that figure.

Yes, youre right about it being the only drug clinically proven to raise HDL. My LDL is actually about the same now as it was before I took it though. The reason for this is the fact that I dont eat nearly as clean as I did before my heart attack. Im not really staying to a strict bodybuilding diet, and so I think the crestor counteracted that and hence my LDL levels stayed the same. This is just a guess of mine though. Crestor is supposed to be the strongest statin. Docs call it the gorilla statin.

 

[maldorf]

make sure you get your rbc and hematocrit checked, 125 a week drove mine into danger zone...............no more cruising for me

Cruising is what screwed my HCT up bad.

 

[maldorf]

I really dont think a low HDL is that bad if it comes from aas. If your natural and its low thats one thing but everyone on gear has a low HDL. As long as you can keep LDL and triglycerides low I dont see how low HDL is that bad longterm

It is a serious factor if you are on AAS more time than off. Guys that cruise on say 250 mg/wk test inbetween cycles and never get off are going to be at risk of coronary artery disease.

 

[Mr.Bungle]

anti-estrogens kill my hdl

 

[The Wolf]

It is a serious factor if you are on AAS more time than off. Guys that cruise on say 250 mg/wk test inbetween cycles and never get off are going to be at risk of coronary artery disease.

Spot on mate!

 

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[ericraven2003]

It is a serious factor if you are on AAS more time than off. Guys that cruise on say 250 mg/wk test inbetween cycles and never get off are going to be at risk of coronary artery disease.

How do you feel about 100mg a week? I pretty much stay on that year round.

 

[DicedSix]

Cruising is what screwed my HCT up bad.

I've been on TRT for almost 4 years. 100mg cyp per week. Other compounds are added occasionally. My bloodwork is all coming back in the normal ranges on all my panels. Is this something to be worried about ?