Of the cholesterol numbers, LDL cholesterol is the best predictor of a heart attack. Generally, one would like LDL cholesterol at or under 100.

I generally don’t like total cholesterol being under 140 since it is difficult to produce one’s cholesterol-based hormones when cholesterol is so low.

Also, half of the dry weight of the brain is cholesterol. Thus, knocking down cholesterol too low may seriously impair brain function, causing confusioh, forgetfulness, impaired attention, depressed mood, etc.

Here is the equation to calculate LDL Cholesterol: LDL = Total Cholesterol – HDL – (triglycerides/5)

Interestingly, one can lower the LDL cholesterol also by lowering triglycerides rather than by lowering cholesterol, based on the calculation.

If one’s LDL cholesterol is about 120, then it doesn’t take much maneuvering to lower it below 100. Thus a high dose of a cholesterol medication won’t be needed to reach the target.

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It is not just cholesterol, however, that determines if a person is going to have clogged arteries. To get atherosclerotic plaques, one needs inflammation. Inflammation is probably the strongest factor. One may not need high cholesterol to get plaques if one has a lot of inflammation. Actually, even if one has high cholesterol, if there is no inflammation, there will be no plaque production.

The statins (such as Zocor and Lipitor) not only reduce cholesterol, they are good antiinflammatory agents. It can be argued that their major usefulness is as antiinflammatory agents.

However, there is a price to pay for using them when cholesterol is lowered too low. This is why I would argue against excessively low cholesterol.

This would argue for trying to improve one’s health through other means which would also reduce inflammation and inflammatory signaling – e.g. improving diet, improving neuro-endocrine functioning, etc.

For example, when someone is obese, their fat cells release Leptin (which is pro-inflammatory) and pro-inflammatory cytokines (signals of the immune system to cause inflammation). These signals may lead to clogged arteries even if there is normal cholesterol levels. Thus, losing weight would be an important task to help prevent a heart attack, in order to reduce pro-inflammatory signaling.

@pmgamer18 1249 wrote:

Thanks for the reply your the only one to get back to me on this at 3 sites. I think my being over weight is part of the problem having bad fatigue for so many yrs and not getting exercise I put on weight even following Weight Watchers program. I weighted about 310 lbs when I went in for bypass sugary then I was told I put on 30 more lbs in water after 5 surgeries and being out cold 17 weeks. From the top weight of 340 lbs by the time I got out of the Hosp. I lost 100 lbs most of it muscle. Now I put some weight about 20 lbs. I went back to Weight Watchers Program and last week lost 5.5 lbs and it looks like this week I am down 6 more lbs. most of it water.

One weight loss diet I like, that I referred to on my old website, http://www.definitivepsychiatry.com, is the Medi-Fast diet. What I like about it is that:

1. It is designed to preserve as much muscle mass as possible while dieting to lose weight. This is particularly important since the heart is also a muscle that can get hurt by mass loss while dieting. Metabolism also slows when muscle mass is lost – making it easier to yo-yo in weight. Thus muscle mass preservation is a very important goal.

2. It is a no-exercise diet. If already exercising, one is told to reduce the exercise during the weight loss phase of the diet.

3. It is an idiot’s diet. Like many other diet programs, it has its own packaged meals. One has to only plan their own dinner (e.g. steak and vegetables), otherwise the other meals are covered.

Google it to find out more.

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Being overweight traps a person in a biological positive feedback loop circuit: Increased fat cell mass leads to increased pro-inflammatory signaling, which leads to impaired thyroid and adrenal function, which leads to impaired energy-related metabolism and behavior (including impaired fatty acid metaboism, fatigue, impaired motivation, hypoglycemia, increased appetite for sweets), which leads to more weight gain. There are many other positive feedback loops that can arise from this like a cascade, trapping a person further in dysfunctional metabolism and behavior.

@pmgamer18 1262 wrote:

Thanks Dr. M I will look at this diet I don’t need to lose anymore muscle. Thanks for giving your time to us. I tell everyone about your new forum and see it’s getting bigger by the day. I can’t believe Hardasnails did not say something about it at MESO I see Pat come over this is great.

I have just about every ones email over there BTW
I sent out a huge email about 2 month ago. Some people came over already. I already posted on realthyroidhelper.com eventually they may come around. I posted it on 20 different boards so I did my part.

Very true that is what makes me progressing as well. One can call me thirst hungry vampire seeking knowledge. The more knowledge I have the better it will help me with clients as well as better understand my life as well. I may look into being a counselor with teens or people with drug addictions because I have a way of getting through to people with compassion but also getting my point across. Its boards like this that are no BS and straight fact that make it worth while coming here.

@pmgamer18 1335 wrote:

After seeing my Heart Dr. last Fri. he gave me a clean bill of health and told me I can go back to the gym and start working out. I did this to day I started with less weight on some of the chest exercises but found out I am still dam strong I had a dam good workout lasted 90 min.s working my whole body doing 3 sets of each. Dam that felt Great.

Things for once are looking up and I am dropping weight in the last 2 weeks I am down 7.5 lbs.

Keep up the good work, Phil. And please keep us informed about your progress.