Low carb -> high Triglycerides?

[Hike4WD]

At the moment I'm confused.
I started eating low carb on May 1 of this year.
Before I started my lipid panel was:
TC: 173
HDL: 47
LDL: 90
TRG: 217

Two months of eating low carb (~100gms/day), my lipid panel was:
TC:163
HDL: 60
LDL: 82
TRG: 127

Everything improved. A couple weeks ago I decided to go ketogenic to lose the last nagging 10 pounds. I happened to have another blood test 2 weeks after starting. The results:

TC: 101
HDL: 54
LDL: not measureable
TRG: 361!!

What is going on?? My daily carb intake was < 20gm/day. My diet is ~70% fat and half of that is saturated fat. The ketostix were dark purple every day.

I'm really bummed. After doing some web research, I've found some indication that a ketogenic diet can possibly cause pancreatitis ... which can also be caused by high triglyceride levels. A connection? In any event, I'm back to ~100gms/day again of carbs.

Has anyone else experienced something like this? Comments?

Thanks.

[ravenrose]

that is very odd. triglycerides are three fatty acids "glued" together by alpha glycerol phosphate. alpha glycerol phosphate is a biproduct of carb metabolism. it surprises me that your level could be that high on such low carbs.

all the numbers are so strange in that last test. if your total cholesterol is 101, that's serious. it shouldn't get below something like 135 for good health.

I think you should ask to be retested. I don't think this was caused by your diet, I think the test just got fouled up somehow. Of course, I don't know a lot of stuff, and there might be some explanation.

[Leo41]

I second the suggestion to get retested. My doctors all tell me that lab error is rampant, so I'd want to be sure that this is a problem before taking action.

If the number is accurate, then you need to talk to a doctor about the cause.
If it's true, then a big increase like that while you're on a ketogenic diet is very worrisome and should be investigated.

I have had pancreatitis, and it's extremely painful, so you can't have it and not know!

In addition, I've never heard of a connection between pancreatitis and high trigs. My own trigs are always low, but when the doctors were looking for a cause for my attack, they discussed every possible trigger, and no one ever mentioned trigs--nor did I see it when I looked for a possible cause.

[NutinHonie]

I agree to retest. Be sure you are fasting.

[Loretta V]

Are you taking cholestertol lowering drugs??

I have not had a problem with my triglycerides on a low carb diet. They usually are below 50. I am not on any drugs for cholesterol.

[LoveMontana]

It looks like the lab screwed up the test. Have it done over again.
We have been low carbing for many, many years and our triglycerides are always in the mid to lower 40's.

[Hike4WD]

Thanks everyone for your comments. I plan on being retested.

[LuckyKitty]

Not sure how accurate the info is, but I have read that being in active weight loss, especially at a rapid rate, can give falsely elevated Trig levels. I would agree with a re-test

[CindyCRNA]

Originally Posted by Hike4WD

Thanks everyone for your comments. I plan on being retested.

But you went on a ketogenic diet. Isn't that about 80% fat? Your triglycerides SHOULD go up. Not necessarily a good thing but expectable.

[LoveMontana]

Originally Posted by CindyCRNA

But you went on a ketogenic diet. Isn't that about 80% fat? Your triglycerides SHOULD go up. Not necessarily a good thing but expectable.

No they won't go up. We have been on Atkins since 1997 and our triglycerides are in the low 40's.

[CindyCRNA]

Originally Posted by LoveMontana

No they won't go up. We have been on Atkins since 1997 and our triglycerides are in the low 40's.

Then they weren't on a true ketogenic diet. When I did it, it literally was 80% fat but maybe the OP meant a diet that induces ketosis. Possibly semantics here. Atkins probably isn't 80% fat. I thought closer to 60%.

[LoveMontana]

Originally Posted by CindyCRNA

Then they weren't on a true ketogenic diet. When I did it, it literally was 80% fat but maybe the OP meant a diet that induces ketosis. Possibly semantics here. Atkins probably isn't 80% fat. I thought closer to 60%.

Don't know the % of fat on Atkins but we were in ketosis for over two years and then gradually added a few things like berries and more vegetables. We still eat a lot of natural saturated fats and still the blood work is stellar.

[Auntie Em]

Hike4WD, Peter Dobromylskyj, at his blog, Hyperlipid, writes of triglyceride levels and what changes on ketogenic diets. There is much information in the comments, as well as in his blog posts.

[girondet]

I have read that at first triglycerides will go up on a low carb diet and the reason why is that the fat, including triglycerides is being broken down and flushed out, so hence is in the blood at first, giving a higher reading. However, after the first few months the tri's will go down.....for many of us, very dramatically....this is what I have read, altho' I have put it in my own words, lol!

[LoveMontana]

When glucose is consumed, triglycerides go up. When glucose intake is reduced, triglycerides go down dramatically.

Lowering Triglycerides - How to Lower Triglycerides

[CindyCRNA]

Originally Posted by LoveMontana

When glucose is consumed, triglycerides go up. When glucose intake is reduced, triglycerides go down dramatically.

Lowering Triglycerides - How to Lower Triglycerides

Yes, so very true!! A low fat, high sugar diet will raise triglycerides.

[DimSumKitty]

I recently had some blood work done, after going on a very low carb diet and my triglycerides went up as well (like, @hike4wd, to nearly 400). The doctor and I talked about fat in the diet and exercise and such, because if they are still high in three months he wants to give me medication. It does seem possible that, when flushing fat in ketosis, at the beginning of weight loss, there could be increased blood levels of triglycerides.

[CalRon]

I had the same situation after VLC for 6 months and I thought the tests were wrong, but what grondilet says is true. When you get into ketosis, you are using fat for energy. The fat must get into your blood to be utilized. Thus the high numbers.

When I tested a year later, my numbers were outstanding. LDL 137, HDL 147,
Tris 52. Just ride it out. Stay in ketosis and all will be well. My doctor had not seen a profile like that and he quized me for half an hour on my diet so that he could tell some of his other patients. I am also an unmedicated diabetic and my fasting blood sugar was 73 and my A1C was 5.1. Also, my noticable weight loss impressed him.

[DimSumKitty]

Originally Posted by CalRon

Just ride it out. Stay in ketosis and all will be well.

Thnks for the feedback, CalRon. That is what I was thinking.

[chessguy]

Originally Posted by CalRon

I had the same situation after VLC for 6 months and I thought the tests were wrong, but what grondilet says is true. When you get into ketosis, you are using fat for energy. The fat must get into your blood to be utilized. Thus the high numbers.

When I tested a year later, my numbers were outstanding. LDL 137, HDL 147,
Tris 52. Just ride it out. Stay in ketosis and all will be well. My doctor had not seen a profile like that and he quized me for half an hour on my diet so that he could tell some of his other patients. I am also an unmedicated diabetic and my fasting blood sugar was 73 and my A1C was 5.1. Also, my noticable weight loss impressed him.

Hi, CalRon did you experience such issues,

I posted here chessguy

Cholesterol and Heart Health - Low Carb Friends

goodluck

[CalRon]

chess guy,

Yes. When I tested during my weight loss period about 18 months ago, my
LDL was in the high 300's. Even my tri's were about 140 and I thought the test was wrong. Since that test I read up on this situation and what I learned was to stick with it and all will be well. It worked for me.

[chessguy]

Originally Posted by CalRon

chess guy,

Yes. When I tested during my weight loss period about 18 months ago, my
LDL was in the high 300's. Even my tri's were about 140 and I thought the test was wrong. Since that test I read up on this situation and what I learned was to stick with it and all will be well. It worked for me.

CalRon, thanks , if I may

you are on VLC diet, but is that high fat VLC, ?
Or medium fat.
|Or very low fat.



and did you need to take anything to lower the cholesterol , (till you got to the desired level or perhaps still on it Statin) or

GTF form of chromium polynictionate

coconut oil
or MCT oil.

On side note how do I follow a thread or get a mail I must be over looking something obvious ?

best of luck
chessguy

[CalRon]

My diet is high fat. About 75%-80%.

As far as following a thread, when you get to this site, click the user control panel. Upper left. It will display the threads on which you have posted that have new comments.

[chessguy]

CalRon, thanks

Meanwhile I will look into T3,


best of luck
chessguy

[CalRon]

Actually, I forgot to mention that after my poor blood test, I began taking 500mg. of Niacin twice a day. I had read thag Niacin will lower ldl and increase hdl. It certainly did for me.

[Shah]

Originally Posted by Hike4WD

At the moment I'm confused.
I started eating low carb on May 1 of this year.
Before I started my lipid panel was:
TC: 173
HDL: 47
LDL: 90
TRG: 217

Two months of eating low carb (~100gms/day), my lipid panel was:
TC:163
HDL: 60
LDL: 82
TRG: 127

Everything improved. A couple weeks ago I decided to go ketogenic to lose the last nagging 10 pounds. I happened to have another blood test 2 weeks after starting. The results:

TC: 101
HDL: 54
LDL: not measureable
TRG: 361!!

What is going on?? My daily carb intake was < 20gm/day. My diet is ~70% fat and half of that is saturated fat. The ketostix were dark purple every day.

I'm really bummed. After doing some web research, I've found some indication that a ketogenic diet can possibly cause pancreatitis ... which can also be caused by high triglyceride levels. A connection? In any event, I'm back to ~100gms/day again of carbs.

Has anyone else experienced something like this? Comments?

Thanks.

Hi,

Just read your thread as I am also encountering the same issue of elevated triglycerides on LCHF. As suggested by many and agreed by you, have you taken the retest and what were the numbers? Kindly help me on this I you had taken the retest.