I've been diagnosed with high cholesterol for the first time. If I attempt to reduce it with proper diet and exercise, how soon might I expect results? Is it a matter of weeks or months? I'm trying to decide whether to take the Lipitor my doc prescribed for me. I am eating the recommended amount of oatmeal each day. Thanks!

I've been diagnosed with high cholesterol for the first time. If I attempt to reduce it with proper diet and exercise, how soon might I expect results? Is it a matter of weeks or months? I'm trying to decide whether to take the Lipitor my doc prescribed for me. I am eating the recommended amount of oatmeal each day. Thanks!

pasdetrois,

I just received results today that my cholesterol is also high. Mine is 285 and I'm only 32 years old. My doctor said to go on a low fat diet and exercise. I have three months to get it down before I am to see her again.

AIM

I've been diagnosed with high cholesterol for the first time. If I attempt to reduce it with proper diet and exercise, how soon might I expect results? Is it a matter of weeks or months? I'm trying to decide whether to take the Lipitor my doc prescribed for me. I am eating the recommended amount of oatmeal each day. Thanks!

Best that I can tell pasdetrois, from my own experience with changes in diet and lifestyle:

Lowering LDL and total cholesterol, some improvement will be seen within weeks, perhaps days once you start the changes in your diet (particularly reducing all portions, especially fats and carbs). The effect on glucose will be seen within days once you put yourself in a diet that has a calorie deficit. Triglycerides will drop quickly if you reduce the amount of carbs that you take in, and they will slowly continue to decrease as you continue to exercise, maintain the same diet and reduce your body fat composition. My triglycerides stabilized after about 3 months. The HDL takes a little bit longer to build up, with the full effect sometimes taken 8 months to a year to observe. Much of this benefit, in my case, came from maintained exercise over the entire period of time.

I have found that my lipid profiles always have better ratios when I am going through periods of weight reduction (calorie deficits) compared to periods where I am in a slow weight gain.

I also have high cholesterol and hbp. I have changed my eating habits and exercise also. My total cholesterol was 335 ldl 225 and tri 53. In 3 months my total has dropped 250. However, I each high fiber low fat diet and exercise 45 minutes a day on my treadmill. Summer and spring I walk five miles seven days a week.

pasdetrois,

The goals of a low LDL and high HDL often requires a good bit of time to acheive and for some it remains elusive no matter WHAT is done.
Each person must make a hard push with low saturated fats, no trans fats, 2 drinks a day, fish oil supplements, hard and steady excercising, proper weight contol (usually meaning weight loss), lowered fast hit carbs (like sugar), folic acid supplementation, perhaps lecithin, Vitamins E, C and all recommended vitamins.

Then after perhaps 3 months on this regimen a complete lipid panel should tell the tale. If excellent results, continue. If still awful, think hard about drug intervention (statin or high dose niacin.)

zip2play,


Speaking of fish oil supplements, are you still using the Berkley & Jensen brand? If you are, have you noticed that they changed the label somewhat? Not only that, but the two capsule serving size used to contain a total of 360mg EPA and 240mg DHA. Not anymore. A two capsule serving now contains only 300mg EPA and 200mg DHA. Oh well, so much for progress. But I guess it's still a good buy, even if you do pop an extra capsule or two.

ARIZONA,

No I only use the BJ's CoQ10 (best price around).
For my Fish oils, I use the cheaper 12 ounce bottles of Twin Lab Norwegian Cod Liver Oil for $6.27 for 72 doses (900 mg N-3 oils) at Vitamin Shoppe. It's the cheapest I've found.

I've seen Puritan Pride offering a good deal on the Capsules which I might opt for since I've got a $5 coupon and free shipping...I really LIKE the taste of the liquid oil though (I guess that puts me in a TINY minority:D)

Yes, Puritans Pride carries very good quality supplements. I've been purchasing most of my supplements from them for years. A few others I either get at the Vitamin Shoppe or Epic4health (Q-Gel coenzyme Q-10).

zip and arizona, So you think puritans pride is good? I have wanted to try them. I see them advetised in the Sunday coupons. I was scared because I thought the quality was bad because of the price, which are great! I might give them a go if you guys have had success.

Psalm91,


I've been ordering supplements from Puritan's Pride for over 20 years, and I am confident that their products are of very good quality. As a matter of fact, an independent testing lab which routinely evaluates dietary supplements for their purity and quality, almost always lists Puritan's Pride as being among those brands which passed their quality control standards. So yes, I think you can rest assured that their product contains what they say it does.

Oh yes, in regards to their relatively low prices, don't forget that you are buying direct from the manufacturer. That in itself helps keep costs down.

My only problem with PP is that they tend to lean to capsule formulations, which perforce are ALWAYS higher priced than bulk formulations.
Thus it is impossible to buy psyllium in in useful "rounded tsp" doses or liquid cod liver oil. I take 5 grams a day (tsp) and taking 5 huge capsules at a premium price doesn't float my boat.

Picking and choosing for price and convenience has me running to several places but then I'm getting what I want at the best price. (I guess a BJ's in the back yard and a PATH train (to Manhattan) entrance next door helps a lot:D.

For example...you just can't beat BJ's CoQ10 price (check it out, ARIZONA), but PP virtually GIVES away their granular lecithin and Vitamin Shoppe is the only outlet for delicious cheap liquid cod liver oil and bulk protein powders.

GNC doesn't seem to be a player any more.

[Currently, I'm looking for "an offer I can't refuse" on pantethine because a good friend swears by it for cholesterol control...it's pricey stuff though and I might trial balloon some pantothenic acid instead (maybe equally good????- certainly a lot cheaper.)]

Thanks Arizona, I'll give puritans a try. I LOVE the price!

zip2play,


Since pantethine is a derivative of pantothenic acid, our bodies will convert a portion of it to pantethine, but probably not nearly enough to have any real measureable impact on lipids.

You are correct about pantethine being expensive, especially if you are already taking quite a few other supplements. But a good quality pantethine supplement is probably what you would need in order to experience any effects. Did your friend say which brand he was taking? I did a search on pantethine and found that a high quality, pharmaceutical grade of pantethine, known as Pantesin, is used in some of the better pantethine supplements. Endurance Products carries such a product, known as EP Pantethine. The cost for two hundred 300mg capsules is $56. Carlson Labs also uses this grade of pantethine in their product, but it is more expensive. There are a few other brands which use it as well. If you do a search for Pantesin, you will find which ones they are. Actually, I would be somewhat skeptical if I found a pantethine supplement which was a real bargain, unless the label stated that it contained Pantesin.

I've been diagnosed with high cholesterol for the first time. If I attempt to reduce it with proper diet and exercise, how soon might I expect results? Is it a matter of weeks or months? I'm trying to decide whether to take the Lipitor my doc prescribed for me. I am eating the recommended amount of oatmeal each day. Thanks!

Hi Pastetrois,
I was diagnosed with high cholesterol a little over a month ago. I'm 36 years old 5' 11" 150 lbs.Total was 247,hdl 41,ldl 201, tri 71.I was told that I needed statins.My Dr. immediately prescribed me Crestor 10 mg. I went back last week (month later) and my results are total 135,hdl 48,ldl 72.I was thrilled with the new results but not thrilled that I needed to be on the statin for the rest of my life.Although the Crestor did make a difference,I want to get off the statin and try the natural approach.I hope I can do it without the pill. Goodluck with what ever route you decide.

Hi again and thanks to all who posted. I learned alot. Since I am 52 years old, my total cholesterol was over 300, I am overweight, and my mother died at 59 of heart disease (gee, sounds like a country song), I have decided to go with Lipotor as my doctor wishes. Just for fun I bought the CholesTrak kits off eBay and will see what they way every month for the next three months. I hope to eventually transfer over to natrual control of cholesterol. I appreciate everyone's advice and will also buy some of the supplements you recommend. :)

pasdetrois,

With the lipitor I find that CoQ10 helps with the joints, and fish oils raise the HDL even more....and lecithin, because of pure gut instinct:D!