I have not done a lipids panel in a long time. Last two tests:

156 >133 Tri's
Total both about 200 and I can't remember the HDl but last time it might have been 42.

This one:

Tri's 91
TC 242
HDL 50
LDL 174

What am I targeting for here for further improvement? What is optimal tri's? How bad is my HDL? I was hoping it would be at least 60. I looked and could not find the ratio information.

My husband is using Niacin and it has upped his HDL a lot. Lots of evidence that it helps lower small LDL also. Do you know what your fasting blood sugar is? We are doing the testing Dr. Davis recommends (using a blood glucose meter to determine exactly how much he reacts to meals.) It seem that, in people like him, he has large spikes with too much protein, so he is striving to keep his consumption at no more than 5 ounces at a time. Here's a link about Niacin. I am sure lots of people here have even better info on Niacin. You DO have to get the kind that makes you flush or it does no good. DH is up to 750 daily. Might want to start with 500 or less if you have major flushing symptoms. You can take an aspirin 30 minutes before the Niacin to reduce this side effect.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/ni...NSECTIONGROUP=2

I know there is low-carb related info about optimal cholesterol, but I can't find it. GCBC does not list any target numbers as far as I can tell. Can anyone recommend values to aim for?

My fasting BG has never been anything but 80 or 81 but it has not been tested recently. My most recent was nonfasting and it was 109. I'll have a fasting number in a couple of days (had coffee before, just coffee no cream - don't know if that will affect it). How does BG relate to the HDL? I tried looking at the stickies, esp. NancyLC's info and could not figure out how bad an HDL of 50 is. I thought my tri's were good (not as good as I would like them) but the HDL seemed very low.

If you are actively losing weight, this will lower HDL but from what I understand, it is only temporary. I only asked about the BG because if you have undiagnosed diabetes, it can mess with your numbers. Has your HDL been higher in the past?

Nancy will know more about your numbers. I know that if you divide you HDL into your trigs you get 1.82 and you want this number to be 1 or under ideally. Read what Awriter wrote to Toofat about his numbers last month. While your number isn't that bad, I would surely want to get it under 1 by supplementing. I'll go look for that thread for you.

Here it is: http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=405792

My HDL has never been higher. I think last time (long time ago) it was 42. I wish I was actively losing weight and that was the reason! I have expected to be losing right now but I'm stuck very high. Is it seriously normal to weigh more when eating no sugar than when you were eating ice cream every night?? (I had injuries and kind of went crazy in the fall).

If you are hypothyroid, this can cause problems with your blood lipids as well as with weight loss.

HDL isn't bad, but not the highest either. Tri's could be better. Under 60 would be optimal. Tri's usually get lowered from not eating carbs. Although I think some folks with blood sugar problems (diabetics) can have problems with them even when they're low carb. I think fish oil and possibly D3 might help. Have you had a D3 test?

Over all, I don't see anything to worry about but the standard cholesterol test doesn't really show you anything terribly meaningful anyway.

I'm waiting for my D3 test and by a fluke I just got another lipids panel done on Monday so I can compare that one. The first one was not completely fasting (coffee with a lot of half and half) - the second was with just black coffee. Thyroid is being checked, too.