-B-6

-Garlic

-Omega 3's (EFA's)

-ALA (yeah it's a liver detoxifier but it WILL aid in lowering Cholesterol indirectly)

-Lots of water!!!

-Lowered Carb intake!!!! (Syndrome "X": hypercholesterolemia, Hypertriglyceridemia, Hyperinsulineamia [this is where ALA also aids indirectly in lowering the CHOL profile)

-More Fiber

-Lowered SATURATED fats (the bad ones)

-Lecithin and Inositol (emulsifiers)

-L-Carnitine (Trigylceride shuttler)

Flush Free Niacin.........that's what my doctor has me taking to get my profile back in order.

Thanks for the reply's. Do you think it can get better while still cycling? otherwise maybe I should pass the competition and stay clean until I normalize it as I have a feeling it has been this way for atleast a year?


DROID

Depends on what kind of cycle you are planning on running!

By the way......your profile isn't HORRIBLE! it needs some working on but you'll be all right with some health-conscience decisions!

deca 600mg,drol75mg/ed ,test-1gram.

What is the recommended dosages for the products you listed and for the flush free niacin if they are other than the label recommendations.


DROID

Looks like cholesterol doesn't have as much impact on CV disease as it was thought previously.
Here are two good articles:

From John Berardi's article in T-MAG

Noteworthy Presentation #1:
Fats, the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

This year, nutriceutical researcher Dr. Bruce Holub from the Department of Human Biology and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Guelph gave an outstanding presentation on dietary fats with particular attention to the effects of fat on cardiovascular (CV) health. To be completely honest, I believe it to be one of the best presentations I've ever seen. Here are the key points:

#1 — Quit with the focus on blood cholesterol!

• While the current North American cardiovascular disease paradigm is centered on blood cholesterol management, cholesterol can't account for the declining CV health of the people. In fact, there is no difference in blood cholesterol levels between North Americans and the Japanese, but North Americans have a 626% higher CV disease mortality rate!

• While high levels of blood triglycerides as well as measures of platelet aggregation are better indicators of CV disease risk, cholesterol remains in the spotlight. For you X-Filers, some believe that this is the case for two reasons. First, as usual, the medical community is sluggish in accepting new research findings. Second, pharmaceutical companies have a stranglehold on the medical establishment, thereby imposing their interests in the success of cholesterol lowering drugs.

• Lowering cholesterol in your diet does not appreciably lower blood cholesterol or CV disease risk. In fact, decreasing dietary cholesterol by 35% only translates to a 2-3% drop in blood cholesterol.

#2 — Get rid of trans-fatty acids in the diet! They aren't just bad, they're eeevil!

• In a study published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine, the exercise and nutritional habits of 80,000 women were recorded for 14 years. The researchers found that the most important correlate of heart disease was the amount of trans-fatty acids in the diet.

• Higher amounts of trans-fatty acids in the diet lead to a lowering of "good cholesterol" (HDL) and an increase in bad cholesterol (LDL), total cholesterol, and lipoprotein (a).

• The typical North American consumes 10-15 g of trans-fatty acids per day. Ideally we should consume none (or at least less than a gram).

• The following diet provides 20 g of trans-fatty acids per day (scary, huh?):

2 microwave waffles (4.5 g)
1 small (1 serving) bag of chips (8 g)
1 order of french fries (4.5 g)
1 tablespoon margarine (3.5 g)

• Products that claim to be "Cholesterol Free" and "Low in Saturated Fat" often have the most trans-fatty acids. Unfortunately these are the products that most of the public thinks are "healthy."

• Breast-feeding women who eat a diet containing these relatively common amounts of trans-fatty acids are feeding their child milk that contains 35% of its fat as trans fatty acids. Yikes! Talk about child abuse!

#3 — Fish Oil (or EPA/DHA) is King!

• Omega 3 fatty acids (like fresh water fish oils) haven't gotten the medical attention they deserve because they don't lower blood cholesterol. However, they do lower blood triglycerides and platelet aggregation. Platelet aggregation is an indicator of how likely the platelets are to stick to the walls of your arteries, which causes plaque build-up, leading to eventual artery blockade (arteriosclerosis).

• Taking three grams of fish oil per day for only 30 days will decrease blood triglycerides by 35%.

• Taking nine grams of fish oil per day will decrease the severity of mental disorders such as mania and depression.

• Inuit (an Eskimo people) eat diets low in fruits and vegetables and also high in saturated fats and animal protein. Although this diet doesn't seem "heart healthy," these people have a very low risk of CV disease. Why? Well, the average Inuit eats 130 g of marine foods per day (1000 mg of fish oil) while the average North American eats only 13 g of marine foods per day (100 mg of fish oil).

• When fish oil is taken regularly after a myocardial infarction, there's a 40% reduction in subsequent death rate.

• Fish oil is rapidly burned in the mitochondrion (the cellular "power houses"); therefore it's not likely to be stored as body fat.

• Flavorless fish oil is now being added to foods like eggs (Omega Pro) and in the future you'll see flavorless fish oil added to many foods, including ice cream.

#4 — Recommendations and Review:

In order to keep your CV risk factors in check:

A. Your carbohydrate sources should be foods like rolled oats, oat bran, beans, grapefruit, prunes, etc. as they are all high in fiber. A high fiber diet reduces CV disease risk.

B. Eliminate as much of the trans-fatty acids (hydrogenated fats) from your diet as possible. Trans-fatty acids are the silent killers of our parents and will eventually do our children in as well! These fats are found in most processed and pre-packaged foods as well as foods that contain fat but claim that they're "Low in Saturated Fats and Cholesterol."

C. Avoid fats high in Omega 6 fatty acids as they inflame the blood vessel walls and can lead to arteriosclerosis. Foods high in Omega 6's include vegetable oils (canola oil, etc.). Read your food labels to avoid these bad guys.

D. Your dietary fat sources should be monounsaturated fats (olive oil) and Omega 3 fatty acids (flax seeds, flax seed oil, fresh water fish, fish oil, concentrated EPA/DHA).

E. Even if you're too lazy to reevaluate your eating habits and eliminate all the evil fats, at least supplement your diet with a bunch of healthy fats like fish oil and Omega 3's.

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C-Reactive Protein (www.lef.org)

A better diagnostic tool than cholesterol for predicting cardiovascular disease risk

Mainstream medicine has adopted cholesterol-lowering therapies as its first-line defense against heart attack. Millions of people swallow drugs each day to keep their cholesterol low, and drug companies continue to campaign aggressively to get more people to take these medications. A review of the scientific evidence, however, shows that measurements of an inflammatory marker in the blood called C-reactive protein can yield better diagnostic information than measurements of cholesterol. The C-reactive protein test is inexpensive and simple, but most physicians don’t yet perform it. When doctors for George W. Bush measured his C-reactive protein levels, they had to consult with a research team to find out how to analyze his results![1]

A chronic inflammatory state, as evidenced by elevated C-reactive protein, results in significant damage to the arterial system.

A series of landmark studies by Paul Ridker, M.D. and colleagues indicates that 25 to 35 million Americans have total cholesterol within normal range but above-average levels of inflammation within their cardiovascular systems, and that this inflammation has significant impact on heart disease risk.[2-5] The Women’s Health Study, which involved 39,876 healthy postmenopausal women, supports the C-reactive protein link to cardiovascular disease.[6] Those with the highest levels of C-reactive protein had five times the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and seven times the risk of having a heart attack or stroke compared to subjects with the lowest levels. C-reactive protein levels predicted risk of these events even in women who appeared to have no other pertinent risk factors.

The Physicians’ Health Study, which evaluated C-reactive protein levels and heart disease risk in 22,000 initially healthy men, also supports the relationship between inflammation and heart attack.[7] Inflammation may explain why women taking Premarin have slightly increased risk of heart attack; Premarin causes C-reactive protein levels to climb.[8] Data from the Framingham cohort correlated high C-reactive protein with calcification of the coronary arteries.[9]

Research on C-reactive protein indicates that cholesterol-filled plaques in blood vessels may not pose any real danger unless they are affected by inflammation. Inflammation weakens plaques, making them more vulnerable to bursting or pinching off a clot that can then block coronary vessels.[10-13]

AN INFLAMMATION PRIMER

Inflammation is an immune response that occurs after infection or injury. It involves a series of biological actions that leads to the development of redness, heat and swelling. All of these elements are created by the activity of immune cells working to break down injured and dying tissues so that new, healthy ones can replace them. When you suffer a painful bump after hitting your head, that’s inflammation at work. When you develop a fever in response to an infection, you’re experiencing a form of full-body inflammation that creates an inhospitable environment for multiplying pathogens. A boil is a highly localized inflammation, while a sunburn is an inflammation that can cover large areas of skin.

In any case, inflammation involves a delicate balance: if the body’s inflammatory response is too intense, harm can come to otherwise healthy tissues. The production of C-reactive protein is an essential part of the inflammatory process, and the measurement of this substance reflects the level of inflammatory activity deep within the body. It appears that certain conditions create a state of excessive inflammation within the circulatory system. High C-reactive protein levels are evidence of this type of inflammation.

Inflammation accelerates the production of free radicals. When inflammation is limited, free radicals can be controlled by antioxidant defenses; in fact, the free radicals help the body get rid of pathogens and make way for healing. But when inflammation is chronic or intense, free radicals can do more harm than good. They can do significant damage to tissues and set in motion harmful chain reactions.

Allergies, asthma, eczema, autoimmune disease and some types of arthritis are chronic forms of low-grade inflammation. The immune system mounts defenses that go beyond what is necessary, reaching an elevated plateau where inflammation becomes damaging to otherwise healthy tissues.

What is the source of this inflammation? Researchers have a few different theories. Some posit that plaques are actually an attempt on the part of the immune system to repair some sort of damage to vessel walls. According to this theory, the inflammation arises as the body sends immune factors to the damaged area. Other theories implicate pathogens, including Chlamydia pneumoniae and the ulcer-causing Helicobacter pylori. Some research has indicated that people who are seropositive for these pathogens are at significantly elevated risk of a cardiac event,[14,15] and that this may be due to a state of chronic, low-level inflammation spurred by the continued presence of the bacteria.

Well-established cardiac risk factors such as obesity, smoking, hypertension and chronic periodontal disease all increase inflammation and C-reactive protein levels in the body. Fat cells literally pump out C-reactive protein, which could explain why being overweight is so bad for the heart.[16]

The real diet-heart connection

The so-called low-fat, low-cholesterol “heart-healthy diet” may actually end up promoting inflammation. Although a diet of whole foods that includes plenty of vegetables and fruits will not have this effect, the average American’s low-fat diet rarely fits this description. Diets low in foods that supply omega-3 fatty acids and high in refined grains and other processed foods usually supply fat in the form of polyunsaturated vegetable oils and hydrogenated oils. This dietary profile creates an imbalance of essential fats in the body, with the intake of omega-6 oils and hydrogenated oils far exceeding the intake of omega-3 fats.

Alzheimer’s, Diabetes and C-Reactive Protein

Inflammatory processes have also been implicated in Alzheimer’s disease. Subjects enrolled in the Honolulu-Asia Aging Study were three times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s during a 25-year follow-up if they were in the highest quartile of C-reactive protein levels (compared with those in the bottom quartile). A correlation was evident: the more C-reactive protein subjects had at the start, the higher their risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.*

Diabetics have elevated markers of deep inflammation. Research by Dr. Ridker and colleagues have provided support for a common inflammatory basis of these two diseases — illnesses that often strike in the same individuals.**

* Schmidt R, Early inflammation and dementia: a 25-year follow-up of the Honolulu-Asia Aging Study, Ann Neurol 2002 Aug;52(2):168-74.

** Pradhan AD, Ridker PM, Do atherosclerosis and type 2 diabetes share a common inflammatory basis? Eur Heart J 2002 Jun;23(11):831-4.

Omega-3 and omega-6 fats are the raw materials from which eicosanoids, hormonelike substances with multiple effects on body systems, are made. One of the most important duties of eicosanoids is to regulate inflammation, and their manufacture depends upon the supply of fats in the diet. When the appropriate balance of omega-6 to omega-3 is consumed,[17] inflammation is kept in check, occurring when necessary to heal the body but rarely getting out of hand. With a diet high in omega-6 vegetable fats and low in omega-3 fats, eicosanoid production shifts accordingly. The end result is greater inflammation. An excess of saturated fats from meats and dairy products also encourages pro-inflammatory eicosanoid production.

C-reactive protein control

If you are forty years old or older, insist that your doctor prescribe a C-reactive protein test for you the next time you have your cholesterol measured.

Some members of the research community have suggested that statin drugs—the drugs of choice for cholesterol reduction—may prevent heart disease not because of their effects on cholesterol, but because they have anti-inflammatory activity. This helps to explain why statins have been found to protect the heart regardless of their effects on cholesterol levels.[18,19]

Aspirin, too, has consistently been found to lower the risk of heart attack. The inflammation-heart disease connection could explain this effect, rather than the blood-thinning (anti-platelet) effect to which this decrease in risk has been attributed. Some evidence indicates that ibuprofen may also provide protection against elevated C-reactive protein and the damage it can do.[20]

Vitamin E’s ability to protect against heart disease has also been attributed to its blood-thinning effects, but recent research has shown that it lowers C-reactive protein levels considerably.[21,22]

Low levels of the steroid hormone DHEA have been correlated with increased C-reactive protein levels in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. A ketogenic (low-glycemic) diet and fasting both lowered C-reactive protein levels, raised DHEA levels, and improved symptom states in people with RA.[23] Although more research is needed on this topic, the prudent use of DHEA replacement seems to be a promising avenue in heart disease prevention.

An anti-inflammatory diet includes abundant fresh vegetables and fruits, small servings of whole grains and protein from fish (especially salmon, mackerel, cod, sardines and other deep-sea-dwelling species). Pumpkin seeds, walnuts and flaxseeds are excellent sources of omega-3 fats. Ground flaxseeds can be added to whole grains or sprinkled onto salads to augment omega-3 intake. Avoid corn, soy and cottonseed oils, especially those that have been hydrogenated. Instead, use olive or canola oil when added fats are called for. You can also use butter, but do so moderately.

One of the best ways to control inflammation is to take fish oil supplements daily. Fish oil supplements should contain both DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid). A recent study[24] found that three grams of fish oil a day was heart-protective. Antioxidant supplements help to control free radicals produced by inflammation.

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References

1. “Researchers find a new enemy of the heart,” CNN.com news, August 4, 2002.

2. Rifai N, Ridker PM, Inflammatory markers and coronary heart disease. Curr Opin Lipidol 2002 Aug;13(4):383-9.

3. Albert CM, et al, Prospective study of C-reactive protein, homocysteine, and plasma lipid levels as predictors of sudden cardiac death. Circulation 2002 Jun 4;105 (22):2595-9.

4. Bermudez EA, Ridker PM, C-reactive protein, statins, and the primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Prev Cardiol 2002 Winter;5(1):42-6.

5. Blake GJ, Ridker PM, Inflammatory mechanisms in atherosclerosis: from laboratory evidence to clinical application. Ital Heart J 2001 Nov;2(11):796-800.

6. Pradhan AD, et al, Inflammatory biomarkers, hormone replacement therapy, and incident coronary heart disease: prospective analysis from the Women’s Health Initiative observational study. JAMA 2002 Aug 28;288(8):980-7.

7. Ridker PM, et al, Inflammation, aspirin, and the risk of cardiovascular disease in apparently healthy men. NEJM 1997 Apr 3;336(14):973-9.

8. Decensi A, et al, Effect of transdermal estradiol and oral conjugated estrogen on C-reactive protein in retinoid-placebo trial in healthy women. Circulation 2002 Sep ;106(10):1224-8.

9. Wang TJ, et al, C-reactive protein is associated with subclinical epicardial coronary calcification in men and women: the Framingham Heart Study. Circulation 2002 Sep 3;106(10):1189-91.

10. Rifai N, et al, C-reactive protein and coronary heart disease. Cardiovasc Toxicol 2001;1(2):153-7.

11. Jialal I, Devaraj S, Inflammation and atherosclerosis: the value of the high-sensitivity C-reactive protein assay as a risk marker. Am J Clin Pathol 2001 Dec;116 Suppl:S108-15.

12. Zairis M, et al, C-reactive protein and multiple complex coronary artery plaques in patients with primary unstable angina. Atherosclerosis 2002 Oct;164(2):355.

13. Lowe GD, The relationship between infection, inflammation, and cardiovascular disease: an overview. Ann Peridontol 2001 Dec;6(1):1-8.

14. Davydov L, Cheng JW, The association of infection and coronary artery disease: an update. Expert Opin Investig Drugs 2000 Nov;9(11):2505-17.

15. Stone AF, et al, Effect of treatment for Chlamydia pneumoniae and Helicobacter pylori on markers of inflammation and cardiac events in patients with acute coronary syndromes: South Thames Trial of Antibiotics in Myocardial Infarction and Unstable Angina (STAMINA). Circulation 2002 Sep 3;106(10):1219-23.

16. Ramsay JE, Maternal obesity is associated with dysregulation of metabolic, vascular, and inflammatory pathways. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2002 Sep;87(9):4231-7.

17. Schmidt MA, Smart Fats: How Dietary Fats and Oils Affect Mental, Physical, and Emotional Intelligence, Frog, Ltd., Berkeley, CA:1997.

18. Kaplan RC, Frishman WH, Systemic inflammation as a cardiovascular disease risk factor and as a potential target for drug therapy. Heart Dis 2001 Sep-Oct;3(5):326-32.

19. Blake GJ, Ridker PM, Kuntz KM, Projected life-expectancy gains with statin therapy for individuals with elevated C-reactive protein levels. J Am Coll Cardiol 2002 Jul 3;40(1):49-55.

20. Ibuprofen enhances antioxidants and suppresses C-reactive protein. Life Extension Magazine February 2001.

21. Devaraj S, Jialal I, Alpha tocopherol supplementation decreases serum C-reactive protein and monocyte interleukin-6 levels in normal volunteers and type 2 diabetic patients. Free Radic Biol Med 2000 Oct 15;29(8):790-2.

22. Patrick L, Uzick M, Cardiovascular disease: C-reactive protein and the inflammatory disease paradigm: HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, alpha-tocopherol, red yeast rice, and olive oil polyphenols. A review of the literature. Altern Med Rev 2001 Jun;6(3):248-71.

23. Fraser DA, et al, Serum levels of interleukin-6 and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate in response to either fasting or a ketogenic diet in rheumatoid arthritis patients. Clin Exp Rheumatol 2000 May-Jun;18(3):357-62.

24. Nestel P, et al, The n-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoid acid and docosahexaenoic acid increase systemic arterial compliance in humans. Am J Clin Nutr 2002 Aug;76(2):326-30.

Nice post SC

great supplement. regular niacin makez me sooooo flush

Droid: the niacin IS good for TOTAL cholesterol lowering....but you need more help than just over-all cholesterol lowering! in fact, of all the numbers you posted on your profile....the TOTAL cholesterol was the most favorable (least risk) albeit....it's still high!

yep niacin 500mg ed my doc put me on it to get my good chlos. back up never had a problem with bad buti eat a shit load of fiber and do cardio often also try mct oils