Guys,
I thought some may find this interesting. I struggle with cholesterol issues due to heredity and have been on a non-statin for a while. The last two sets of BW I requested a VAP Cholesterol profile which is a more detailed breakdown. A similar profile called an NMR Lipo Profile is also available. Here's a link to the the VAP Profile:
http://www.medfusion.net/templates/g.../12677/VAP.pdf
Here are some of my results from 6 months ago and this week. Left and right respectively:
6 mo ago.............................................. Current
LDL...............131........ Range......<130.......99
LDL-R............119.......................<100...... 89
Triglycerides.....76.......................<150... ... 63
Non HDL Chol..147.......................<160......113
IDL...................9...................... < 20.........7
Most interesting to me is the LDL Density Pattern which gives a scale like below:
old level
[______________*_______] [____________] [______________________]
Pattern B..........................Pattern A/B.........Pattern A
Small, Dense LDL (bad)................................Large, buoyant LDL (good)
New level
[_____________________] [__*__________] [______________________]
Pattern B..........................Pattern A/B.........Pattern A
Small, Dense LDL (bad)................................Large, buoyant LDL (good
Old density pattern was termed as "abnormal" which always makes you feel good. I wasn't labeled on this new one, but I'm thrilled it has improved. Naturally I immediately thought of this:
Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein - "Whose Brain I did put in?" - YouTube
But back on topic. The changes I made were the following:
1. NAC 600mg 2-3 x per day
2. Slo-Niacin 750mg at bedtime
3. Red Yeast Rice 1200mg 2-3 times per day
4. Eliminated all sugar. Basically just meant no sugar in my coffee.
NAC:
Dose-related increase of HDL-cholester... [Pharmacol Res. 1993 Oct-Nov] - PubMed - NCBI
RYR:
Powdered red yeast rice and plant stanols and s... [J Diet Suppl. 2012] - PubMed - NCBI
Niacin:
Niacin and cholesterol: role in cardiovascula... [J Nutr Biochem. 2003] - PubMed - NCBI
Using Niacin to Improve Cardiovascular Health - Life Extension
Sugar:
Influence of dietary carbohydrate and f... [Curr Atheroscler Rep. 2005] - PubMed - NCBI
Anyway, just wanted to share my progress with hopes it can enlighten or encourage others with the same struggle. I encourage everyone with issues to read anything from Dr. Stephen Sinatra. Google or Youtube him. His book, "The Great Cholesterol Myth" is top notch. Crisler, btw, considers him the best in his field.
Kel