Treatment for Reducing Arterial Plaque and Imflammatory Cells:

Peter H. Howe  Peter, You just do not understand basic science. It doesn't matter that YOU feel that tracking LDL-C is beneficial. SCIENCE says it is not. It does not matter what your LDL-C level is. If you have high LDL-P, you are a walking heart attacks. BTW, What was your LDL-P when you last checked it?

Fred Cloud .Checked quickly on google. There is a genetic component to anemia and transcription factor protein was identified.

I have never had an ulcer or blood in my stool. Had several colonoscopies over  the  years--not since I turned 75--too dangerous. Just stopped daily LD aspirin. The anemia was always with me before my bypass and aspirin.

LEF's book has several references to testosterone treatment resolving anemia issues.  Also  higher levels of testosterone decrease chance of heart attack and increases life expectancy in men.

https://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1677-55382012000400011

Above article documents treatment with chlomiphene increases testosterone and lowers cholesterol in hypogonadal men. This is a fertility drug used to stimulate  pituitary to produce FSH to stimulate ovulation in females. It is just beginning to gain  acceptance as means of increasing  testosterone in males  

Randy B Sorry, Randy,Ii have not checked in 20+ years. Do not need to. I have full grasp of basic science:  Fish oil and statin with lipid monitoring every 6 months. It has worked for 20 plus years and Insilco's models suggests I may have another 20.

I do not have to repeat VAP and LDL-P  unless a serious problem erupts.

Randy B + Randy (and Paul B as well ),  we have been through this before. For the last time, please follow my logic. I had an emergency bypass 26 years ago. This was based on an angiogram the previous day. I have not had another, and I am still here as you give me a hard time. Something is working. The probability of me going longer than 26 years after a bypass without another surgery or just being alive is less than 5 % . 

I explained before that a Dr Davis over 20 years ago sat down with me and integrated a statin and fish oil to prevent future problems. This was based in part on LDL-P tests and how it was affected by fish oil.  I agree that  that if you are starting from scratch , an LDL-P test is better than just LDL-C. I suggested a VAP test (Includes LDL-P) to BobM as one of the first steps he should undertake to evaluate his progress.

I currently include the Triglycerides/HDL ratio as one of the best indicators of how I am doing. A value of one says that that is where I need to be. If you have  long term trend of ~1 the possibility of an  ischemic cardiaic event is zero.  The Total C/HDL ratio also has value. I am not going to take a chance and I get both from a simple lipid profile.The LDL-C plays a role in how I proceed along with the ratios.

Finally, I use the ratios and lipid panel with some emphasis on LDL-C to evaluate experimental conditions that I am pursuing. If the ratio is much higher than 1 and LDL-C is high,  for one or two consecutive times-- the experiment stops. An example follows.

Attached you will find a summary of my blood work since April, 2016 which I will use to illustrate my approach.  I became a vegetarian in mid 2015, and wanted to evaluate whether or not I needed my statin as my Total C was somewhat low ( ~140) for a number of years.  I stopped my lipitor in early 2016 and there was almost an immediate unacceptable increase in all elements of the lipid panel ( especially LDL-C)  and my ratios. Needless to say I resumed my lipitor and everything returned to normal. Conclusion: I need my lipitor even under the best of diets. I do not need the LDL-P to make this decision. 

It is not simply a cost considertion. This plays a role, but I spend ~$700 for lab work per year with LEF - maybe more. I get everything I need--for now--  with this effort.

A second example is for my intermittent fasting  results that stared in 2019.  I will leave my comments on this for Fred Cloud as it has bearing on previous comments on testosterone, cholesterol and anemia we have had. 

Peace-- hope this helps.

Peter H. Howe May be of interest. https://www.doctorsbeyondmedicine.com/listing/people-with-high-cholesterol-live-the-longest

Paul Beauchemin Thanks Paul. I am aware of the studies referenced in the review article.  I do not agree with the conclusions in my case and the conclusions are dangerous to many like me that are genetically prone to heart disease.  I have been on a statin plus fish oil for almost 25 years after a emergency bypass over 26 years ago.  As I have indicated to BobM, it is the interaction of both taken together that prevents heart attacks in those of us who are genetically  prone to heart attacks-- the number one cause of mortality in U.S, at about 600,000/year. Without the statin plus fish oil, I would have been having this discussion with multiple relatives who passed in 40' 50'sand 60s due to cardiac arrest and who who did not have a statin.  

I went on a vegetarian diet and fish oil without a statin for two years  and my cholesterol went into the danger range. This effort on my part was due to studies that indicate if you drop below 160 Total C, mortality rates increase due to factors other than the cardiac issue.

We previously had the discussion on the relevance of Triglyceride/HDL ratio to predicting a heart attack. Mine is one due to the statin plus fish oil which indicates that my chance of a cardiac event is non existent. We can go one step further and conclude that the fish oil changed my LDL to the fluffy type based on LDL-P test. I provided BobM references to both of these. 

In terms of genetics, one predictor of cardiac events is your IGF-1. Below 80 ng/ml cardiac events increase. Above 150 ng/ml  cancer rates increase.  Mine is typically about 70. This can be a topic for another day.

For any of us to make it o a healthy 100, there are multiple factors for each of us to overcome, and they will not be the same for all of us. The exception may be the multiple benefits of fish oil. In this regard, I see that LEF has a fish oil article in the August , 2020 magazine.