Diet and NMR results - Revisited.

[giftsplash]

I think most of us here are in agreement that LDL-P seems to be the best predictor of cardiovascular events. However the optimum diet for minimizing LDL-P for Apoe4's has been up for debate.
On one hand you have Berkeley Lab which stated that low fat diet (20% or less) seems to be ideal for Apoe4's. I was a believer in this, since I have not seen any studies which refuted it for Apoe4's. On the other hand you have people like Juliegee who have great LDL-P numbers and who support low carb diet. I spent the last year, testing different diets to draw my conclusion.

The framework for my study was simple. I will meticulously record everything that I eat and get an NMR test every 6 weeks. I removed any lab result where I have been supplementing with something special, such as my Resistant starch experiment earlier in the year. Then I will record my food profiles (fat, carb, protein, cholesterol, etc) and get an NMR test.

After 4 tests this year I put together a spreadsheet for everyone to see my results.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... sp=sharing



So what do the correlation look like? What has the most effect on Lipid profiles for Apoe4's (at least in my case) well here is what the correlations look like:

Remember correlation is a number between 1 and -1. 1 = absolute correlation, 0=randomness no correlation and -1 = negative correlation.

LDL-P Correlates with:

Carbs → .85 = More carbs higher LDL-P
Protein → .90 = More Protein higher LDL-P
Fat → -.94 = More fat LOWER LDL-P


LDL Correlates with:

Carbs → .08 = Almost no correlation
Protein → -.27 = Almost no correlation
Fat → 0 = Absolutely no correlation

HDL Correlates with:

Carbs → -.03 = No Correlation
Protein → -.3 = Almost no Correlation
Fat → .1 = No Correlation


Triglycerides Correlate with:

Carbs → .76 = More Carbs higher Trigs
Protein → -.02 = No Correlation
Fat → -.63 = Higher Fat slightly higher Trigs

Cholesterol Correlates with:

Carbs → .17 = No Correlation
Protein → -.44 = Slight Correlation, More protein lower Cholesterol
Fat → -.03 = No Correlation

Small LDL-P Correlates with:

Carbs → .67 = More carbs slightly higher Small LDL-P number
Protein → .67 – More Protein slightly higher Small LDL-P number
Fat → -.74 = More fat smaller small LDL-P


LDL Size Correlates with:

Carbs → -.43 = Slight Correlation
Protein → -.54 = Slight Negative Correlation
Fat → .5 = Slight positive correlation

LP-IR Correlates with:

Carbs → .79 = Higher carbs higher LP-IR (bad)
Protein → .74 = higher Protein higher LP-IR (bad)
Fat → -.85 = higher fat lower LP-IR (good).

But also let's see how Cholesterol intake correlates with NMR results:

LDL-P → .94 = More cholesterol intake higher LDL-P
LDL → 0 = No Correlation
HDL → -.11 = No Correlation
Trigs → .63 = Slight Correlation, more Cholesterol Intake higher trigs
Cholesterol → .03 = THE INTAKE OF CHOLESTEROL HAS NO EFFECT ON YOUR CHOLESTEROL NUMBERS.
Small LDL-P → .74 = More cholesterol intake higher Small LDL-P
LDL Size → .-.5 = Slight negative correlation
LP-IR → .85 = More Cholesterol intake higher LP-IR (bad).

So what does this all mean? At least for me, my fat, protein, carb intake effects my regular lipid results only so far as increase in fat or carbs bumps up my trigs. But the effect on LDL-P is huge. More fat the better, less protein the better less carbs the better. What is interesting is that it's not the low carbs that effect LDL-P but rather the amount of fat.
Also Cholesterol effects LDL-P in a negative way.

So what is the ideal diet at least for me. High fat with low cholesterol and low protein.
On this experiment I got as far as around 40% fat, 40% carbs and 20% protein. I was able to reduce my LDL-P by 400 points to around 2000. Not great but better than I have ever been without supplementation. My goal over the next few months is to jack up my fat intake to 50% and keep protein at around 15% and carbs to around 35%, while keeping my cholesterol to around 150mg a day.

I will keep you posted on my results.

I recommend that everyone follow my model and record their results in the same fashion. Then we will finally settle on the ideal diet for APOE4's and stop waiting for Pubmed studies on this topic which never seem to materialize.

[Ski]

Great study Gift....do you have an idea of your typical meal plan then?

[Julie G]

Kudos, Giftsplash on a great n=1 experiment. Remind us, are you 4/4 or 3/4? Your data is extremely complicated and I've just given it a cursory glance; but I'm struck by how closely your conclusions match Dr. Gundry's. I suspect that as you implement your next set of changes, your numbers will continue to improve. It's stunning to me to see how badly Berkley Labs got it wrong.

Coincidentally, I heard from our friend Russ today, who FINALLY teleconferenced with Dr. Gundry. He has lots of great E4 information that I hope he'll be sharing soon with the group...

Finally, on a person note; I'm pissed. I've been strictly following Dr. Gundry's protocol for the past 3-4 months (high plant fat/low animal fat.) I've been eating pristinely. I just re-did my NMR- expecting amazing results... and I got a call from the lab today. My test was messed up and I have to repeat Dang it. I did what I always do following a cholesterol test- I ate badly. I eased up on my caloric restriction AND I ate some grass-fed pork. Sigh. Now, I have to de-tox and repeat. I wonder how long I have to wait to erase my indiscretion?

Thanks for sharing your work, Giftsplash- amazing results.

[Ski]

Julie - If it was one or two days I cannot see that being a big player unless you are a hyper absorbed which based on past results, I don't think you are.

[Welcomeaboard]

Plus is you eat for the test and then go to a different diet? Julie

Wonderful self discipline to determine your n=1 lipids. So now that 2000 is your low number, what is the plan? Do you stay on that diet longer to see if you gradually or continually reduce from there

[giftsplash]

Ski,

To increase my fat I eat macadamia nuts, almond butter, coconut flakes and started adding MCT oil to my tea.

Julie,

¾.

Julie, if you want to forward me the last few NMR results and give me your diet profile (fat%, %protein, %carbs and cholesterol, plus total calories for the month before each test. I will be glad to crunch the numbers for you and email you back to see your correlation as well.
This offer goes for anyone else as well.

Welcomeaboard,

My goal is to increase my fat intake to around 50% and get retested at the end of the year.

[Julie G]

That's very generous of you, Giftsplash. Coming from a social science background, math isn't my strong suit I may take you up on your generous offer. Once I've sufficiently recovered from my (1/4 lbs) pork splurge, I'll re-test. I'm still keeping fat around 60-65%, just transitioning from some animal fats to primarily plant fats.

Your experiment is VERY telling. Interesting how it dovetails with Russ's info.

[Stavia]

On this experiment I got as far as around 40% fat, 40% carbs and 20% protein

Giftsplash, Thank you SO much for sharing this. It is so useful for all of us. This above is similar to my macronutrient ratio atm when I've checked it on cronometer, but I have at least 5% lower carbs and at least 5% higher protein. Looking at Russ's Dr Gundry advice and your results that higher protein leads to worse markers (almost to the extent of carbs), I think I'm having too much protein and its getting gluconeogenesis-ed
I now think that's why my glucose levels rose when I slashed carbs, I was partially replacing them with protein and going above my daily requirements, not only replacing them with fat. And obviously gluconeogenesis. I'm an idiot.

Going to shoot for max 1 gram per kilo body weight of protein a day. That's 66 grams max (now lost 14 kgs since I joined the forum yay)

[Tincup]

Gift,

Very interesting.

Triglycerides Correlate with:

Carbs → .76 = More Carbs higher Trigs
Protein → -.02 = No Correlation
Fat → -.63 = Higher Fat slightly higher Trigs

I know, that for me that More Carbs much lower Trigs
for fat it depends upon the kind of Fat. EVOO is uncorrelated, I think coconut oil is uncorrelated, but need more tests, animal saturated fat = greatly higher Trigs. I have more testing to do. Also, I don't need to wait 6 weeks between tests. These values are a flux and in constant flux according to my sampling.

[Stavia]

Gift,
I know, that for me that More Carbs much lower Trigs

George, but only post a single carb night right? What would happen if you had sustained higher carbs for two weeks? I'd bet a bottle of EVOO your TGs would rise.