New Labs comments welcome

Newcomer introductions, personal anecdotes, caregiver issues, lab results, and n=1 experimentation.
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roxanne
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New Labs comments welcome

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I just received my latest labs and would like some feedback
NMR
ldl-p 1249 Moderate 1000-1299
ldl-c 140 Borderline 130-159
hdl-c 136 > 39 (mg/dl)
trigs 44 0 -149 (mg/dl)
Total Chol 285 100-199
hdl-p 40.0 >=30.4 (umol/L)
small ldl-p <90 <=527 (nmol/L)
ldl size 21.20 >20.5 (nm)
lpIR <25

Homocysteine 8.3 YAY this is huge for me, from 12.7 (thanks to Susan for her advise, it worked!!!)

Hgb AIC 5.6 (for the life of me I don't know what to do with this, I've been taking my blood glucose daily at least 10 times each day and my 90 day average is 93, if someone has some advise on this, I will greatly appreciate it.

BMI is 18, 114 lbs 5'6
Long distance runner 4 times a week, hiit 3 times a week, waitlifting 3 times a week, yoga 3 timess a week.

After starting progesterone and estrogen sleep greatly improved, I am more emotionally balanced, more adaptive than reactive to stress in the past 6 months.

My diet is mostly plant based with non starchy vegetables, some white rice for resistant starch and started to add a little bit of beans to my diet as I don't want to be too thin.

Thank you in advance for your responses.
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MarcR
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Re: New Labs comments welcome

Post by MarcR »

The HbA1c test is far from authoritative. We have discussed its limitations here previously; I recommend these topics to you:

Odd A1C/Insulin results
More about HbA1c limitations
mike
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Re: New Labs comments welcome

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roxanne wrote:Hgb AIC 5.6 (for the life of me I don't know what to do with this, I've been taking my blood glucose daily at least 10 times each day and my 90 day average is 93, if someone has some advise on this, I will greatly appreciate it.
Roxanne, are you seeing much variability in you glucose during the day? If not, I’m wondering why you are taking so often... with everything that you are doing, I wouldn’t think you would need to measure at all. Are you trying to see how you respond to individual foods?
Sonoma Mike
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roxanne
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Re: New Labs comments welcome

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MarcR wrote:The HbA1c test is far from authoritative. We have discussed its limitations here previously; I recommend these topics to you:

Odd A1C/Insulin results
More about HbA1c limitations
Thank you Marc I will start reading. By the way my Iatest fasting insulin is 4 and I do IF 16 to 18 hrs. a day.
roxanne
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Re: New Labs comments welcome

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Roxanne, are you seeing much variability in you glucose during the day? If not, I’m wondering why you are taking so often... with everything that you are doing, I wouldn’t think you would need to measure at all. Are you trying to see how you respond to individual foods?[/quote]


Hi Mike. Yes, I was thinking that maybe I am missing spikes and that's why my AIC doesn't move in the right direction, but that's not the case. There's actually not much variability, although my fbg can be higher that what I would expect, close to 100, especially when my carb intake is very low.
PeterM
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Hi Roxanne. My experience with A1c is identical to yours and I use two meters, both calibrated to lab results (meaning I test in my car before I walk in and get a blood draw) so I’m confident I do not have an A1c of 5.4-5.6. I seldom go over 105 and even that is for an hour or less. I haven’t read what Marc linked but I’m guessing it addresses A1c variability based on red blood cell life. More than once I have read reliable information that explains how many of us who chronically keep blood sugar low will have higher A1cs than expected simply because red blood cells tend to live longer in that milieu. As long as you know your meter is accurate I think you have nothing to worry about.
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MarcR
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PeterM wrote:I haven’t read what Marc linked but I’m guessing it addresses A1c variability based on red blood cell life.
The first of the two links discusses that topic. Don't miss the link to a BJJ Caveman post that explains how to adjust the HbA1c value for RBC lifespan with a couple of inexpensive blood tests (CBC & reticulocyte).

The second link discusses a completely different factor - deglycation of HbA1c by fructosamine 3-kinase - along with some related interesting implications.
As long as you know your meter is accurate I think you have nothing to worry about.
I agree.
PeterM
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MarcR wrote:
PeterM wrote:I haven’t read what Marc linked but I’m guessing it addresses A1c variability based on red blood cell life.
The first of the two links discusses that topic. Don't miss the link to a BJJ Caveman post that explains how to adjust the HbA1c value for RBC lifespan with a couple of inexpensive blood tests (CBC & reticulocyte).

The second link discusses a completely different factor - deglycation of HbA1c by fructosamine 3-kinase - along with some related interesting implications.
As long as you know your meter is accurate I think you have nothing to worry about.
I agree.
Thanks, Marc, I’ll check those links for sure. For ‘really knowing’ where you stand A1c-wise there is perhaps nothing like having an accurate meter and using it to thoroughly test over several days. You can do one better using one of the new (and affordable) continuous glucose monitoring systems now available—comparing those results against your trusty meter. That’s as good a picture of where you stand as you can reasonably get. At least for those of us who are committed to optimal blood sugars it seems there is just too much guess work relying on a lab value for A1c as anything definitive IF there is any question in your mind. I’m sure you know this, I’m just throwing it out as general information. Btw, I’ve learned a lot from your posts and appreciate your quality thinking.
roxanne
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Re: New Labs comments welcome

Post by roxanne »

PeterM wrote:Hi Roxanne. My experience with A1c is identical to yours and I use two meters, both calibrated to lab results (meaning I test in my car before I walk in and get a blood draw) so I’m confident I do not have an A1c of 5.4-5.6. I seldom go over 105 and even that is for an hour or less. I haven’t read what Marc linked but I’m guessing it addresses A1c variability based on red blood cell life. More than once I have read reliable information that explains how many of us who chronically keep blood sugar low will have higher A1cs than expected simply because red blood cells tend to live longer in that milieu. As long as you know your meter is accurate I think you have nothing to worry about.
PeterM I have never gone lower than 5.4 and I've been testing for years, I had gone up to 5.7 though. I have tested with many meters. The one I have now is a keto-mojo and it's not 100% accurate, but none is. I will get this one calibrated to the lab next time I go for a blood draw. Thanks for the idea. I did have a 3 hr. glucose tolerance with insulin assay starting at 30 min and every 30 min after (not pleasant at all) and at the one hr. mark my glucose was at 97, insulin peak at 30min. This was a couple of years ago. So I will follow your advise and stop worrying. In any case I'm doing all I can to keep the insulin and blood sugar low.

Roxane
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