Thu, Jan-29-04, 08:36
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Senior Member
Posts: 387
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Plan: Atkins
Stats: 270/225/145
BF:
Progress: 36%
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You do realize that LDL is a calculated number, not an actual reading? If your tri's go down (which they did), then your LDL AUTOMATICALLY goes up.
Here's a piece that I'm stealing from another board about how LDL is calculated--
Quote:
People don't understand that LDL is not routinely measured but rather is calculated using the Friedewald equation: LDL = total cholesterol - HDL - Triglycerides divided by 5 (which is actually the calculated VLDL.)
From this you can see that as triglycerides drop, LDL AUTOMATICALLY goes up! Doing Atkins quite frequently raises LDL, but it's only because Atkins consistently LOWERS triglycerides. At the same time, the LDL that are present are most likely Pattern A LDL, the "good" LDL which are larger, fluffy, buoyant, and the kind less likely to oxidize and cause problems.
For example:
Total Cholesterol 320
HDL 60
Triglycerides 500 divided by 5 = 100
Calculated LDL 160
Total Cholesterol 320
HDL 60
Triglycerides 150 divided by 5 = 30
Calculated LDL 230
Total Cholesterol 320
HDL 60
Triglycerides 50 divided by 5 =10
Calculated LDL 250
Ss you can see, merely lowering or raising triglycerides will lower or raise LDL, whether LDL actually changed or not. If you have copies of previous cholesterol tests, and the results include triglycerides and HDL, do your own calculations.
When triglycerides go up, so does the VLDL. High triglycerides also means high VLDL; low triglycerides means low VLDL. VLDL (very low density lipoprotein) is a dangerous lipoprotein, so it's a good idea to lower triglycerides...if one believes that cholesterol causes heart disease.
There are good LDL and bad LDL particles. Pattern A is considered the good LDL. Pattern B is considered the bad LDL. Therefore, ratios that have anything to do with LDL are meaningless. The ratio would only be relevant if there is no such thing as good LDL, and if the LDL was the only lipoprotein reflected in an LDL result.
Also, because the LDL is calculated, everything that isn't HDL and VLDL gets lumped under LDL, whether it's LDL or not. There are other lipoproteins that aren't measured and these are lumped under the LDL. Therefore, the calculated LDL number is misleading, and doesn't really mean much.
So, just what exactly does it mean LDL "went up?" It means absolutely nothing! The only way to know your true risk from LDL is to have the LDL particles measured and quantified. You have to ask specifically for the LDL to be measured. If you've been adequately controlling generated blood sugar and eating enough saturated fat, your LDL particle will most likely be LDL Pattern A.
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