Recent Blood work, rasing HDL

[SEOINAGE]

Recently had basic blood work done. Most everything is looking really good. Vit D is top of sufficient range. Hematocrit is 47.8, rbc 5.7, and I haven't donated blood in 6 months or so.

I have several low values including Iron, which is shocking to me. I am eating at a crazy deficit right now and have another 10 lbs of actual fat loss before I'm done. Liver values look amazing etc. Or they are low like GGT or other liver values at 0 or low end.

Currently taking trt dose test, light npp dose, really low winstrol dose, low ai dose, hcg , NAC, vitamins, vitamin e, d3 7k iu a day. Caber .25mg a week. and just started eod of mucuna pruriens. and on t3.

Cholesterol 96 (0-200)
LDL 79.77 (0-130)
HDL 17.8 (40-60)

Now this is my concern. I'm going to do some research on raising HDL. I eat primarily lean beef as my protein source. A little chicken and pork in there and tiny bit of whey on higher calorie days. Don't really eat any eggs. I consume a decent amount of kale and spinach with my lean beef.

Anyone have tips for raising HDL or even cholesterol in general? Usually my cholesterol is 220, and hdl is just above range.

Or do I just wait until I am consuming more food again? I've been losing a lot of weight recently, but should be shifting gears in 8 weeks or so, I'd say max 12 weeks. I'm not that alarmed, but didn't expect low cholesterol values.

[nyjetsfan]

Guys will chime in. My thoughts: niacin

[Bio-Active]

That hdl is pretty low. I eat 2 egg yolks ed and a good amount of friendly fats and it really has helped

[FRDave]

My HDL has always been between 18-20, way below range. The rest of my cholesterol values are always great. I tried niacin as it seems to be your best bet, but the flushing is horrible so I have up. I am thinking it is hereditary.

[SEOINAGE]

Hmm, yeah I'm not sure. My HDL was in range before, it could have been low like this for a while, I'm not sure, haven't done blood work in a while. I was perfectly happy with my 220 total chol before since hdl was good. Now my HDL risk factor is really high.

[Docd187123]

Aerobic exercise will increase HDL levels by 5-10% if done regularly. Try swapping some of your saturated fats for unsaturated fats. Cut back on smoking and alcohol if you partake. I forget if fiber, insoluble specifically, just lowers LDL or also raises HDL but increasing fiber intake is usually a good idea anyway. Try adding plant sterols to your diet. I've heard ppl recommend garlic extract but from studies I've seen I'm not convinced it works that well. Niacin is also one of the lost potent. HDL raising medications out there.

[SEOINAGE]

I'll pick up on some niacin, maybe increase my leafy consumption. I consume a crap ton of garlic, but maybe not same as how potent extract could be.

I'm doing cardio basically twice a day. an hour of liss and 20 minutes of HIIT, I do this 2/3 of my days. Just sucks most of those other things already doing. Its like when my chol was 220 doctor said increase exercise and improve diet, and I was lifting and doing cardio 6 days a week.

[kelkel]

Pick up "Slo-Niacin" as opposed to regular niacin.

https://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2007/mar2007_atd_01.htm

Next BW pull either a VAP or NMR Lipo Profile so you really see exactly what is going on with your cholesterol, particularly your LDL particles.

[J DIESEL3]

^^^^ or some are called no flush niacin. I added this months back and has helped me a great deal.

[SEOINAGE]

Only other chol item was vldl 11 (5-40) which I am reading lower vldl lowers small ldl and increases hdl, which I am now reading niacin is supposed to help with. But concerned as it is already on the low end of the range, how much niacin can help in that regard. Won't hurt to try though.

[FRDave]

^^^^ or some are called no flush niacin. I added this months back and has helped me a great deal.

No flush does not work for raising HDL. You need Niacin (bad flushing) or a times release like Kel mentioned, but have to be careful as it can be hard on the liver. Kel's link is a good read.

[Bonaparte]

Drop the winstrol .
Eat more monounsaturated fat. Olive oil is a great source of it.

[SEOINAGE]

Drop the winstrol .
Eat more monounsaturated fat. Olive oil is a great source of it.

Thanks, I think I need to eat more in general, but my source of calories on low days is lean beef, leafy veg, and olive oil. I might have to drop the winstrol if that is a part of it. Would be nice to be done with this cut, pretty sure things would get back to normal. I mean I have been in a deficit for over a year now.
edit: I guess on my higher calorie days just about anything I cook that uses oil is olive oil. Maybe I can bump it up some.

[Bonaparte]

Thanks, I think I need to eat more in general, but my source of calories on low days is lean beef, leafy veg, and olive oil. I might have to drop the winstrol if that is a part of it. Would be nice to be done with this cut, pretty sure things would get back to normal. I mean I have been in a deficit for over a year now.
edit: I guess on my higher calorie days just about anything I cook that uses oil is olive oil. Maybe I can bump it up some.

Of course it is. Winstrol is murder on your lipids.