How to get Triglycerides down

Alzheimer's, cardiovascular, and other chronic diseases; biomarkers, lifestyle, supplements, drugs, and health care.
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cwicker
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How to get Triglycerides down

Post by cwicker »

I am frustrated with my high Triglycerides. I am statin intolerant but I managed to bring my LDL down from 154 to 103 with Zetia. My HDL is fine at 57. But my Triglycerides were 157 yesterday morning after fasting 14 hours and swimming 3000 meters. I am small (5'5" 120 pounds), athletic, and have an excellent diet. I eat little sugar and rare alcohol. I have brought it down in the past with Niacin, but I don't really want to start again as it requires aspirin. Has anyone been able to get theirs down with fish oil? I'm also thinking of Berberine. Any suggestions? Just a note about me. Both parents have Alzheimer's dementia plus my only aunt and uncle. I do not carry the APOE4 gene, though my father and brother do. I don't know about mom.
donbob
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Re: How to get Triglycerides down

Post by donbob »

Perhaps a keto way of eating experiment would give some useful data. We are all different, but keto or low carb helps many.
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bladedmind
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Re: How to get Triglycerides down

Post by bladedmind »

I am not an authority of any kind and am trying to figure out how to solve blood lipid problems myself, especially triglycerides, which have been high much of my life.

TGs were 257 in June 2018, typical. Cardiologist wanted me to take statins, although I’ve tried twice before and suffered acute memory damage. So I took a benchmark test on March 26, 2019 - TG 213.

I did a 5-day fasting mimicking diet and then commenced a tightly measured regime of 5-10% calorie restriction with 50% fat, 30% carb, 20% protein (cronometer.com). I can't tolerate keto. Also, I strictly lowered fructose and more consistently exercised. Two weeks later, on Mar 31 - TG 173.

Next, I bought the examine.com A to Z of supplements doc so I could find the best-rated herbs and supplements for HDL, LDL, and Triglycerides. For triglycerides, the most supported with the most effect are fish oil and spirulina (read examine.com entries, and be aware of side effects - spirulina seems to be anticholinergic? and I had to limit my dose because of prostate effects). The best for HDL and LDL are garlic and krill/astaxanthin. I upped fish oil from one gram to two grams, and added garlic and spirulina. Two weeks later, TG - 130. I'm a 5' 10" male and have dropped from 173 lbs. to 168 over this period as well, and my goal is 161, losing one pound a week.

I wish you good health.
cwicker
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Re: How to get Triglycerides down

Post by cwicker »

Thanks. I am trying to have more of a plant based diet, and find keto difficult with such. I have done keto diets before but I've determined my body feels best with higher complex carbs. Thanks for the suggestion of Spirulina. I will try that and see what happens. Possibly add fish oil later. I try to start just one supplement at a time.
bladedmind
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Re: How to get Triglycerides down

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I too can't tolerate statins or keto. I am guessing that fructose reduction helped me lower TG. I was eating 2-3 pieces of fruit a day - e.g. two apples and an orange. Now I avoid, except for low quantities of low-fructose fruit, e.g., one cup of mixed berries.

Plenty of evidence for the link, here's the first that popped up: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2682989/
In short-term controlled feeding studies, dietary fructose significantly increases postprandial triglyceride (TG) levels and has little effect on serum glucose concentrations, whereas dietary glucose has the opposite effects
Also, my impression is that fish oil is more effective, although you have to head up to 2 or 3 grams. Don't get spirulina powder, get compressed tablets - most people hate the taste (although I like it and seem to like or tolerate many tastes that others find bitter or foul).
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slacker
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Re: How to get Triglycerides down

Post by slacker »

elevated triglycerides can be another indication of insulin resistance. Here is Stavia's take in the Primer.
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lindaelane
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Re: How to get Triglycerides down

Post by lindaelane »

I solved this by finding a nurse practitioner who would prescribe a low dose of metformin. I am only pre-diabetic with fasting glucose 105 and a stubborn A1C that will not budge from 6.1 no matter how I cut carbs. Metformin, if appropriate for you, should do the trick. You may have to talk to several people before finding someone who will give it to you if you are not diabetic. I find nurse practitioners are sometimes open to the new research on metformin. There are so, so many benifits to metformin - it reduces insulin resistance, and so much more. (Yes, high triglycerides are related to insulin).
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