Lipid Profile reflective of what time period

[janieann]

I'm hoping someone can answer this question as I can't seem to find information on it anywhere.

When you have a lipid panel done, what time period are the results reflective of?  In other words, will they be reflective of my cholesterol status based on what I've eaten in the previous 72 hours?  Week?   Month?   Six months?  

I ask because I stupidly (I think) had an annual physical scheduled right after I got back from a 5 day vacation on which my diet was just about the polar opposite of what it normally is.   I probably ate more saturated fat in those 5 days than I had in the previous 3 months.  

I obviously ask because my cholesterol results were not good.    I don't blame the vacation solely as I'd fallen off the wagon a little bit before-hand, but I realized I had no idea what time-period the results were really reflective of.  

Anyone know?

[janieann]

Well, other than what I ate on vacation during which I didn't watch what I ate at all, I had actually previously cut way back on carbs and was eating more meat than usual.     This is obviously not a good approach for me.    I'm going back to a more Mediterranean diet which seems to produce the best results.  

I don't eat margarine.

[NT77]

In my oppinion 222 is not that bad, just slightly above your average. Triglycerides at 174 surprise me, as if you've eaten more carbohydrates the past few months then in the last 7 years... After experimenting on myself I can say that you can drastically lower the triglyceride levels by eating less carbs and more saturated fat and protein, but that in turn will raise your cholesterol levels considerably, so I'm out of wits here.

Whatever you do, don't eat margarine. Ever.

[janieann]

My total was 222, the highest in 7 years which had varied between 175 and 219.. Triglycerides were 174 varying between 56 and 125 the previous 7 years.

  

[NT77]

I would go further and add that no matter what she eats, her cholesterol will be above 200, and on the saturated fat diet probably over 300. On the other hand, the triglyceride levels will be lower while eating fats. I'm curious as to what the triglyceride levels were on the panel... Do you know the number Janieann?

[erijon]

As long as you fasted for 12 hours first, it doesn't matter.