I just got my blood test results. After almost two years on Atkins.

Blood sugar 93 (was 109 a year ago)
Total Cholesterol 183 (was in the 230s on low -fat)
Triglycerides 74 (was in the 200s on low-fat)
HDL 58 (was 40 on low-fat)
LDL 110 (was 150 on low-fat)

and for the first time ever, all my liver chemicals were in the normal range! Also my weight has been stable for the last 8 months. Not eating many carbs doesn't seem to have hurt me in any way.

Dodger-
WOW!! Those are great labs. Congratulations, and thanks for the inspiration. You have been such a terrific resource for those of us on this forum- thanks!
Eno

Great results! Glad you posted so other people can see that any fears about cholesterol or other numbers rising are unnecessary.

Great results!
It's strange that locarb makes some people's LDL worse but
it works fine for others.Most locarbers seem to have excellent
triglycerides and HDl.
If locarb created perfct cholesterol profiles for everyone,this forum probably
wouldn't be here.

Your blood test results are encouraging. You appear to have similar lipid profiles I've always struggled with on the so-called "healthy high carb diets".

Question to all you folks who have been checking your blood lipids.

Have you been concerned at all about the amount of saturated animal fats you consume? When I first started Atkins it almost felt like "wahoo! I can
go back to eating bacon, prosciutto, and all those mammalian meats I enjoy."

But, is there a limit to "how much" is good?

I like fish and I eat alot of it: at least 4-6 oz. of cold water finfish (like salmon, trout, herring, sardine) 5-6 times per week. That's a great source of
omega 3 fatty acids.

But how do you people who have demonstrated healthy drops in the negative aspects of cholesterol/triglycerides feel about how much and what types of
mammalian meats to consume?

To satisfy myself that saturated fats didn't mess up by blood levels, I purposely ate meals that were very fatty beef on the days before my test. Steaks and fatty ground beef. Eggs and sausages/bacon for breakfast almost every day for a year. It doesn't seem to have caused any problems.

Almost three years in, with TONS of animal fat, my cholesterol is nice and low.
Age 33 Total 232 mg/dL (high enough to medicate)
Age 36 Total 204 mg/dL HDL 74 mg/dL LDL 111 mg/dL TRI 43 mg/dL (still high enough to medicate. Oh, the wonders of a low-fat diet)

Began Atkins, age 38


Age 39 Total 186 mg/dL HDL 76 mg/dL LDL 100 mg/dL TRI 22 mg/dL
Age 40 Total 158 mg/dL HDL 86 mg/dL LDL 64 mg/dL TRI 15 mg/dL

The only BAD fats are trans-fats (shortening, margarine, hydrogenated fat in peanut butter unless it's natural) and polyunsaturated fats (canola, corn) because they can lower thyroid output.

Saturated animal fats are HEALTHY fats.

I am looking at everyones experience with improving lipid profiles and just think, we know that it is NOT fats that cause high cholesterol or triglycerides. However, they get blamed for this problem. I feel that in those who have problems with their cholesterol or triglycerides on this WOE, probably, have other problems with the arachidonic acids and not the fats.

I have been eating the "heart healthy" low fat diet for the past 20 years, and all it got me was fat. I had maybe an egg a month. Since doing LC I have lost 45 lbs, eat at least a dozen eggs a week, and all my lipids are much better. This is for health.
E

Mike,

Did your liver enzymes go down right away? My Chol numbers have gotten much better but my AST is 45 (10-41 normal). Dr had me go take a Hep B & C test which came out negative. Says he's worried about fatty liver.

My weight is staying off no problem. I've cut back to two strips of bacon and have added some lower fat ham or turkey sausage every few days.

I'll be getting another test soon.

Larry

Hi Larry-
Fatty liver is a huge problem that the medical world is just now getting into. It seems that lots of people have it, with no symptoms, and it is picked up on liver function tests.
Just out of curiosity- are you on any cholesterol meds? My liver functions were high, and they went back to normal after I stopped Tricor. I was tested for Hep A,B,C,and autoimmune. I was one day away from a liver biopsy when I insisted on rerunning the blood work, as it was over 6 weeks after stopping the Tricor. Normal! It has been 8 months, still on Pravachol, and liver still normal.
E

I was on Lipitor twice and it raised the liver enzymes into the danger range both times. When I got off the Lipitor and started taking a couple of Milk Thistle per day they went back down. Also when I first started on the low carb diet I was eating too much fat. I have tried to regulate it a little bit.

I'm really hoping I'm back in the safe range this time. The Dr. wants me to get a liver ultrasound test next and maybe the biopsy. I put him off three months ago to see if things would go back to normal by just eating a little more heathy.

Larry

It was almost two years after I started low-carbing that the enzymes, serum albumin and GGTP, became normal.

The reference that I have says that AST in found mainly in the heart, liver, and muscles. It is released into the blood stream when any of these organs are damaged. Of course 45 does't seem all that high with 41 as being the high end of normal. My understanding is that the normal value is based on what 95% of the population has. In that case you may be one of the other 5%. One of my values was almost 3 times the normal limit when I was low-fatting.

Larry,

Since you have been taking Lipitor, you may want to take some CoQ10 as the Lipitor depletes you body of it. CoQ10 is used by the heart and muscles for proper functioning.

Thanks Mike,

I do take CoQ10 and everything else that is natural that is supposed to reduce Cholesterol. I haven't been on the Lipitor sense Mar 03.

Larry