New 3/4 Guy Here

Newcomer introductions, personal anecdotes, caregiver issues, lab results, and n=1 experimentation.
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Phil
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New 3/4 Guy Here

Post by Phil »

Hi all,

Found this great resource through Peter Attia’s site. I ran my 23andme report last summer and then used Dr Rhonda Patrick’s tool to elaborate on my information. Saw the 3/4 info and didn’t really think much of it.

Fast forward to this year when I got a new dr and ran a full NMR lipid panel for the first time. LDL-C at 167, LDL-P 1968, small LDL-P 342, HDL-C 47, trig of 60, and total cholesterol at 226. The LDL-P is concerning to me. LP-IR score is 27. A1c is 5.3 and fasting glucose is 87.

Based on my LDL-P, I’m looking to dramatically lower saturated fat intake. I love red meat and eggs, so this is a huge change for me. I also like to eat a lot of protein because I lift weights and don’t want to give up the muscle mass I’ve spent years building. Currently 35 years old, 6’1” and about 208 pounds.

I’m planning to read a lot before I start chiming in on threads. Just wanted to say hi and see if my story resonated with anyone.
Fiver
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Re: New 3/4 Guy Here

Post by Fiver »

Hi Phil. It's a good thing when the testing motivates us to get check-ups and make lifestyle changes! Working with a good doctor to improve your health is bound to pay off, sooner and later. Welcome.
aphorist
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Re: New 3/4 Guy Here

Post by aphorist »

Might be worth an LP-PLA2 test. Not sure it will be the be-all and end-all of answers for your higher particle count, but any kind of marker of inflammation that might give insight could be worthwhile, depending on your personal budget.

Maybe myeloperoxidase might be another avenue.
Phil
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Re: New 3/4 Guy Here

Post by Phil »

Thanks, aphorist. I’ll ask about that test during my next appointment. We did the standard CRP with my other tests and got a high score. I had done a lot of endurance training the weekend before the test (tested Tuesday morning) and I’m wondering if that wasn’t part of the reason for seeing those levels elevated. I’m going to cut out the endurance sports if we can’t fix the inflammation markers with diet alone.
aphorist
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Re: New 3/4 Guy Here

Post by aphorist »

lp-pla2 has only been around for about 4 or 5 years. Most general doctors don't understand advanced lipid testing. You might have to go to a clinical lipidologist (https://www.lipidspecialist.org/findlipid/) to really dig into this stuff with granularity.

That being said, you will probably also spend more and may just get the same treatment recommendation/results of lowering your saturated fat intake, eat a mediterranean diet, etc.

I'm just throwing out ideas here, so do not take them as a hard recommendation. The particle count is worrisome in the context of inflammation. You want to see it lower, but whether or not you should be concerned (high particle count, no inflammation) or very, very concerned (high particle count, inflammatory environment) is an open question.
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Davida
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Re: New 3/4 Guy Here

Post by Davida »

Phil wrote:Hi all,

Found this great resource through Peter Attia’s site. I ran my 23andme report last summer and then used Dr Rhonda Patrick’s tool to elaborate on my information. Saw the 3/4 info and didn’t really think much of it.

Hi Phil and welcome to the Apoe4 site! Congratulations on your courage, endurance and steps you have already taken in pursuit of your optimal health. I have a son who is a trainer/ weight lifter and I am in awe of the dedication and time he spends maintaining his physique. So, I understand you not wanting to give up something you've spent years building.

In addition to the work you do with your physician, I think you will find this site and the community of people very useful. Take a look at the Primer if you haven't already. It is written by a physician member, Stavia. It's a wonderful source of information about the Apoe4 gene and lifestyle strategies lessening it's effects. You'll find Wiki has more in-depth discussions on topics of interest, cholesterol, lipids and treatments such as diets for example. For tips on how to get the most out of our website, check out our How-To-Guide. And to search topics of interest to you, just click on the magnifying glass along the upper right of this page.

Again, welcome, so glad you decided to say "hi" and I hope you find the information you're looking for.

All the best, Davida
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Phil
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Re: New 3/4 Guy Here

Post by Phil »

aphorist wrote:lp-pla2 has only been around for about 4 or 5 years. Most general doctors don't understand advanced lipid testing. You might have to go to a clinical lipidologist (https://www.lipidspecialist.org/findlipid/) to really dig into this stuff with granularity.

That being said, you will probably also spend more and may just get the same treatment recommendation/results of lowering your saturated fat intake, eat a mediterranean diet, etc.

I'm just throwing out ideas here, so do not take them as a hard recommendation. The particle count is worrisome in the context of inflammation. You want to see it lower, but whether or not you should be concerned (high particle count, no inflammation) or very, very concerned (high particle count, inflammatory environment) is an open question.
I appreciate the additional info. My doctor is very open to my input as far as any lab work goes. It’s one of the reasons I’m happy to send him my business. We can see what the dietary changes do and then determine if more advanced testing is needed.

My gut tells me it’s a combination of saturated fat and my running volume. Hopefully I can get the bulk of the changes I need through diet alone. I can still cut some fat, which should help lower inflammation as well.
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Sara
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Re: New 3/4 Guy Here

Post by Sara »

[quote="Phil"]
Fast forward to this year when I got a new dr and ran a full NMR lipid panel for the first time. LDL-C at 167, LDL-P 1968, small LDL-P 342, HDL-C 47, trig of 60, and total cholesterol at 226. The LDL-P is concerning to me. LP-IR score is 27. A1c is 5.3 and fasting glucose is 87.

Hi Phil and welcome again to the apoe4.info site and thank you for sharing your story with us! I have a couple of suggestions for you to consider in addition to all of the fine recommendations already mentioned. You might want to consider reading the book Cholesterol Clarity which I found personally very helpful as I too am dealing with high cholesterol. I opted to have the Coronary Calcium Scan done and found that I had '0' level of calcification which I found reassuring. Dr. Gundry recommends a fairly new test called The Corus Score which claims to reveal your current risk without the exposure to radiation that accompanies the Coronary Calcium Scan. If you go to the advanced search option and search on +Corus you will find many references to this test. Wishing you the very best!
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