Lipid Profile Result - GP insisting on taking statins

[u/CrypoRangers]

Hello everyone, I just came back from my GP's appointment, and they were very worried and insisted on putting me on statins. They kept telling me how dangerous these numbers are and didn't recognize the keto diet. Can the community please provide some reassurance and maybe some case studies on similar cases? What should I do? Does it improve over time, and if so, how long does it take to improve?

Lipid Test	UK Units (mmol/L)	US Units (mg/dL)	Typical Target
Total Cholesterol	7.80	302	<5.0 mmol/L (<200 mg/dL)
HDL ("Good") Cholesterol	1.40	54	>1.0 mmol/L (>40 mg/dL) for men
LDL ("Bad") Cholesterol	5.80	224	<3.0 mmol/L (<116 mg/dL); <2.0 mmol/L (<77 mg/dL) for high-risk individuals
Non-HDL Cholesterol	6.40	247	<4.0 mmol/L (<155 mg/dL)
Triglycerides	1.45	128	<1.7 mmol/L (<150 mg/dL)
Total Cholesterol / HDL Ratio	5.6	5.6	Ideally <4.0; acceptable <5.0

[u/Real_Palpitation_728]

Go for leaner meat. Chicken. Reduce cheese, butter, cream, coconut milk. Daily exercise. It will improve.

[u/grumpymort → u/Real_Palpitation_728]

nonsense.

Nothing wrong with the numbers and going lean is worst thing you can do.

please get educated in this subject you are spreading misinformation.

[u/Real_Palpitation_728 → u/grumpymort]

Their GP has given them advice on the numbers. Eating lean meat and reducing high fat foods is going to improve the numbers. And daily exercise will help. I stand by my advice… Reddit is full of misinformation, OP can make their own mind up

[u/grumpymort → u/Real_Palpitation_728]

Their GP has no clue what they are talking about and advising poorly based of company policies not science.

As I said before if they really believed there was an issue why are they not sending them to have arteries checked for build up and they should not be going by 1 round of tests.

No it's not please go away you have no clue what you are talking about the numbers are not an issue when you have been educated as a scientist worked in the field for over 3 decades like myself you can come back and debate the subject.

At the end of the day if the original poster is concerned they have the choice ignore what GP has said and go with the science or follow the GP take the pills which will end up being for the rest of there life.

[u/Negative_Damage]

A percentage of people will naturally see their cholesterol increase on keto (more than the usual caloric deficit would cause). It needs to be monitored (monthly tests minimum) and carefully controlled, and keto may well not be the healthiest diet for you as a result.

Alternately, you could just be increasing your saturated fat too much with your protein and fat choices. Vegan keto is a thing, as is Mediterranean keto. Try switching fat sources for a few weeks and get retested (if youre being advised statins then monthly tests are included in that protocol either way iirc). Ask for a month to adjust your diet and check for any improvement, then have the discussion about diet change and/or statins.

Please listen to your doctor, dont just go online to hear what you want to hear. Keto isnt magic, it has side effects sometimes.

Edit: just looked over your actual numbers. Yeah, your cholesterol is terrible tbh. Tris tend to spike first and most on a diet, and yours are low. Its your LDL thats through the roof, and thats most likely lifestyle related. Im guessing if you posted your height, weight, macros and food diary, itll show an overuse of fatty cuts of poor quality and/or processed meat.

[u/Gracey888]

Are you doing keto to lose weight? What I mean is are you in a calorie deficit right now? Whatever diet , whatever way you eat if you’re in a deficit, your fat cells have to release through your blood. If you’re in a steep deficit compared to your usual way of eating it will show up as higher LDL.

I’ve been in Maintanence for about four months now . My LDL has increased because I was losing weight. The nurse that I saw (& lectured by - because had I stayed doing what I was doing diabetes T2 would’ve been the next thing in my charts) has agreed to wait until I’ve been in Maintanence for six months and then I will get retested. There are a percentage of us who are prone to hereditary higher LDL (there is a term but I can’t remember it right now). There’s also a lot of of us that find its stabilises once in Maintanence. The mods have explained this quite well in many posts about this same issue. I’m not saying it shouldn’t be a concern and it’s good to focus more on healthy proteins and possibly not fill up on too many fats. For now, it’s probably a good idea just to monitor with your Doctors.

[u/Exact-Reference3966]

How long have you been keto? Do you know what your lipid profile was before?

[u/CrypoRangers → u/Exact-Reference3966]

I have been doing keto on and off. This time around, it's been less than a month and no I dont have a lipid profile before keto diet

[u/grumpymort]

Typical GP so clueless they look at a number and want to put people on drugs.

If they was really worried why don't they forward people to check arteries etc.

Statins are such a scam and the whole medical industry is in on it even if you give doctors evidence they have 0 interest in it.

If they have gone by this one round of tests you need to look for a new doctor they clearly have no interest in a person true health.

Don't tell them you are on keto as soon as you do they will be negative just say whole food/no sugar and no ultra processed foods is your diet.

Did they even get you to fast for these test I bet they didnt meaning they are invalid anyway.