LOW HDL?

[nick86222]

Hi,
I recently had a fasting lipids test, I am 22, Male and 170 lbs.

Total Cholesterol 131
Triglycerides       152
HDL                   26
LDL                   75
VLDL                30

Do I have anything to worry about with the low HDL since my LDL are fairly low?
I have started eating better (was just all fast food and hardly any exercise) now I am exercising at least 30 mins to an hour a day as well. I also have started drinking a little more often, but still in moderation, two drinks or less every other day.

I tried niacin but got really dizzy and had bad headaches.

Thanks

[nick86222]

I'm so sorry I am new to this site and I searched for cholesterol, somehow it put me in the Hep C boards. I didnt notice it until after I made the post. I don't have Hep C, but that you very much for the information. Ironically you responded and yet no one has responded to the same post in the Heart boards.

Nick

[jmjm530]

In my opinion, "no", but I'm not a doctor. FWIW Nathan Pritikin (Pritkin diet fame) often wrote about some of the primitive tribes he studied when researching his diet and I believe these tribes also had very low HDL but because their total cholesterol (like yours) was so low, there was no heart disease. What that tells me is that while HDL is protective, it may only be necessary where LDL is high. Yours is 75 which is pretty good. Do you have Hep C by any chance? Your tri's seem a little high so maybe cut down on the simple sugars or drop the alcohol to one drink or maybe switch from beer to wine if relevant. Personally, I would not take Niacin with a TC of 130 and in fact I'm quite jealous of your numbers. They are almost as good as mine and I'm Lipitor!

-- Jim

[AKHepper]

Why are you asking this on a Hep C board?