Question Title: HDL and triglycerides

Dear Doctor:
I am a 38 year old Male that, for the last 2 years, have been following a mostly vegetarian diet, (The Dean Ornish diet). My only meat consumption is chicken and/or fish, 2 X a week, at most. My cholesterol ranges from 170 to 177, and my LDL is between 88 and 105. My question is in regards to my HDL and Triglycerides. My HDL is low, being between 36 and 38, and my Tri's are always somewhat elevated, between 170 to 200's.
I've been told that a vegetarian diet can sometimes cause the HDL to be low, and the Tri's to be elevated, but the concern is not so great, since the total and LDL levels are satisfactory. Can you provide some input into this logic? Is it true that my really low-fat diet can be causing this?
Thank You..

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Dear Jerry,

Thank you for your question. The answer to your question is actually quite complex but I will try to answer simply. HDL is directly related to total cholesterol therefore as cholesterol decreases so will HDL. It is also related to genetic factors and some people just have low HDLs. A low HDL is a risk factor for developing heart disease independent of the LDL.

The quandary then is how to optimize LDL without effecting HDL. Exercise is known to raise HDL levels and the current recommendations are for 40 minutes of vigorous exercise most days of the week. Red wine (a half a glass a day) has also been shown to increase HDL. Certain medications can help to both raise HDL and lower LDL and you doctor may recommend one to you if suitable.

In general it sounds as if you are doing an outstanding job of controlling you cholesterol and with some modifications may be able to improve it even more. Good luck.

I hope you find this information useful. Information provided in the heart forum is for general purposes only. Only your physician can provide specific diagnoses and therapies. Please feel free to write back with additional questions.

If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter. The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.

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