Critically Low HDL Cholesterol Levels

Hi there,

I just took a home cholesterol test and found out my LDL(bad) cholesterol is 130 or so, which I know is great, but my HDL(good) cholesterol is 24 or so, which means I am at serious risk for heart disease. I take many prescription and other medications, and I was wondering first off if these medications had any effect on my cholesterol:

Lamtical 200MG
Fluoxetine
Minocycline (for acne)
MegaRed (Omega-3 Krill Oil Dietary Supplement)
Red Yeast Rice by Nature's Bounty (600mg, I take two a day, it says it is supposed to reduce chloresterol)

I also eat Wendy's about twice a week, and have so-so healthy foods every day. I drink on the weekends, and stopped smoking about 2 weeks ago.

I am 19 years old, 5'10", 162 lbs.

One of my main questions is: does drinking alot hurt my HDL levels, or is that ok?

Can anyone give me some advice? Thanks,

Mark

[RadioAstronomyObserver]

  My HDL isn't too far off from yours and I'm not overly worried.  I know I have to raise it and am taking steps to do so similar to you.  I'd be more worried about your LDL, It's nearly twice as high as it should be
80/40 is Ideal last time I checked.
90/29 (LDL/HDL)  These are my numbers with similar HDL as yours.

  Exorcise will change these numbers, raising your HDL and dropping your LDL.  The exorcise we talk about has to get your heart pumping good for 30 minutes.  Walking one mile minimum (i do one and sometimes more miles a day) will help but walking fast helps more.  Riding bike, jogging, all the stuff you did in Gym class years ago, all the active games you did years ago, ect.. anything that gets your heart pumping for at least 30 minutes a day.  Again, the more the better.  Your drugs, The Omega-3 will help your HDL, I don't know anything about the yeast other than it's on the shelves right next to the fishoil.

I ate at Wendy's only once and that was years ago so I can not comment on what's there, let alone what you normally have.  I'd stay away from the Cheese and Mayo and onion rings (fried stuff).  Basically, Eat supper healthy foods till your numbers are improved.

  Drinking a little Wine will help but drinking a lot of whine will hurt the numbers, drinking beer and/or whiskey will only destroy the numbers.

[erijon]

Your LDL is fine, 130 is the recommended level for you. Your HDL will respond to exercise, it elevates HDL and reduces blood pressure, a win win. Best thing you can do is stop drinking. You did not mention your triglycerides, but I'm guessing they're high as people with low HDL will commonly have high tgl's. Drinking is bad for your tgl's which will lower your HDL so give that some thought.

Also, you are taking red yeast rice which is a natural statin with the same chemical make up as the real thing, just in a lesser dose. You should mention that to your doctor and consider changing to a Niacin supplement as that will also increase HDL much more effectively.

Hope this helps,

Jon

[kenkeith]

QUOTE: Your LDL is fine, 130 is the recommended level for you

Every table I have looked at indicate less than 100 for LDL, chol less than 200, and HDL greater than 60, trig less than 150.  How can 130 be fine?

[RadioAstronomyObserver]

I'm with Ken.  I'd ad the statement, extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof,  Or put differently, please post your references.

[erijon]

Not an "extraordinary claim", current medical guidelines. According to the NCEP (National Cholesterol Education Program) as managed by the NIH;

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/cholesterol/atglance.htm#Step5

Also the American Heart Association;

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4500

LDL levels are recommended to be below 100 for individuals considered to be high risk (3 or more risk factors for CAD) or below 70 in individuals with known CAD. Neither of which applys to this individual.


Jon

[kenkeith]

Table:CHD or CHD Risk Equivalents (10-year risk >20%) >>>AHA in agreement with below 100 for CAD. It seems to me there is an assumption that Mark doesn't have CAD.
________________
To answer Mark's question regarding alcohol use: As RAO states in regard to alcohol and the Medical Review: The authors concluded that moderate-to-heavy alcohol consumption increased the risk of CAD in some men. CAD risk tended to increase with an increase in frequency and duration of drinking.

Alcohol can also increase your level of triglycerides, a form of cholesterol that hardens the arteries in the body.

Medical Review: "Alcohol can also increase your level of triglycerides, a form of cholesterol that hardens the arteries in the body". Alcohol  can increase your blood pressure.

Hope this helps answer your questions.  Take care.

[erijon]

Just curious, why would you think a 19 year old has CAD based on what he wrote? The chances of Mark having is extremely remote. This sounds like a case of metabolic X syndrome that is easily corrected with proper lifestyle changes. It would be necessary to know Mark's Tgl's to know better, but it is typical to have a normal LDL, low HDL and high Tgl with metabolic X. Drinking is known to raise Tgls which will stunt HDL. As I stated earlier in this thread, it is very likely that changing his drinking habits may very well bring his numbers in line.

[kenkeith]

Right or wrong I usually assume a heart related condtion or a genetic predisposition unless stated otherwise when reading a post on the heart disease forum.  Genetic predisposition can put an individual in a high risk (LDL <100).  Also autopsies of returning soldiers show advanced CAD in many young individauls.  Children with high levels of four markers—total cholesterol; levels of blood fats called triglycerides; a measure of body size called body mass index, or BMI; and systolic blood pressure—were considered most at risk. So I didn't rule anything out based on age.


Also,"Children with high levels of four markers—total cholesterol; levels of blood fats called triglycerides; a measure of body size called body mass index, or BMI; and systolic blood pressure—were considered most at risk". No information available with posted question.

[erijon]

This individual has a normal BMI of 23.2 so they are not overweight, I doubt that there is any heart disease here. I am aware of the studies of soldiers with heart disease, I don't know that there is a reason to make a connection. Plus, by assuming they are a high risk patient, they should be on statin therapy which is really not realistic and part of the over prescription issues currently being seen with statins, and that comes from a statin supporter.

Just my 2 cents...........

[ed34]

Was the home test taken after fasting?

[Flycaster305]

I'd be far more concerned about alcohol intake while taking two strong drugs to control depression and anxiety.  The combination would tend to make one sedentary, which would of course suppress HDL production.  I'd talk to your doctor about the alcohol consumption while taking two drugs that discourage imbibing.