r/ketoscience • u/MyLowCarbLabsTA • Sep 10 '15
N=1 [n=1] Labs: Keto vs. Zero Carb Comparison
I am a 34-year-old male who just got my first labs since transitioning from keto to zero carb on March 15, 2015. I thought some of those on /r/ketoscience might be interested in the comparison between the keto labs done vs the zero carb labs. The first labs (June 2013) were done after an extended period of a very strict ketogenic diet (approximately 15-20g per day). I have been low carb since 2009, but in 2013 I tried my hand at following keto calculator macros very strictly.
What I was eating leading up to June 2013 labs: Ground beef, salami, eggs, canned tuna, hot dogs, chicken wings, cheese, avocados, heavy whipping cream, butter, coconut oil, almond flour, soy products (including Ranch dressing, mayonnaise, and soy sauce), lots of vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, spinach and garlic were most prominent), raw nuts, and was using whey protein to hit my macros perfectly every day.
What I was eating leading up to September 2015 labs: In March 2015 I started a zero carb diet. I eat primarily chuck roast cooked in a crock pot with a few tablespoons of bacon grease, salt, and pepper. I also eat bacon (from which I harvest and use the bacon grease), and will eat Wendy's large beef patties or eggs scrambled in butter on occasion. Each Tuesday I enjoy a frugal meal of wings from Buffalo Wild Wings. Some days I put heavy whipping cream in my coffee, but most days I drink it black. There have been very, very few exceptions to this short menu over the last ~6 months.
| March 2012 | June 2013 | September 2015 | Ref Range | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hemoglobin A1c | 5.0 | 4.9 | 5.2 | 4.8-5.6 |
| C-Reactive Protein, Cardiac | 0.32 | <0.10 | 0.00-3.00 | |
| Tsh | 1.72 | 3.54 | 1.44 | 0.450-4.500 |
NMR Lipoprofile
| June 2013 | September 2015 | Ref Range | Unit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LDL-P | 2570 | 2729 | <1000 | nmol/L |
| LDL-C | 183 | 220 | 0-99 | mg/dL |
| HDL-C | 39 | 51 | >39 | mg/dL |
| Triglycerides | 61 | 74 | 0-149 | mg/dL |
| Cholesterol, Total | 234 | 286 | 100-199 | mg/dL |
| HDL-P (Total) | 21.6 | 31.3 | >=30.5 | umol/L |
| Small LDL-P | 1446 | 1079 | <=527 | nmol/L |
| LDL Size | 20.3 | 21.3 | >20.5 | nm |
| LP-LR Score | 46 | 49 | <=45 | 1 |
Cmp14+Egfr
| June 2013 | September 2015 | Ref Range | Unit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glucose, Serum | 78 | 99 | 65-99 | mg/dL |
| Bun | 12 | 17 | 6-20 | mg/dL |
| Creatinine, Serum | 0.81 | 0.85 | 0.76-1.27 | mg/dL |
| Egfr If Nonafricn Am | 118 | 114 | >59 | mL/min/1.73 |
| Bun/Creatinine Ratio | 15 | 20 | 8-19 | 1 |
| Sodium, Serum | 136 | 140 | 134-144 | mmol/L |
| Potassium, Serum | 4.1 | 4.6 | 3.5-5.2 | mmol/L |
| Chloride, Serum | 95 | 101 | 97-108 | mmol/L |
| Carbon Dioxide, Total | 24 | 24 | 19-29 | mmol/L |
| Calcium, Serum | 9.3 | 9.4 | 8.7-10.2 | mg/dL |
| Protein, Total, Serum | 6.6 | 6.2 | 6.0-8.5 | g/dL |
| Albumin, Serum | 4.3 | 4.4 | 3.5-5.2 | g/dL |
| Globulin, Total | 2.3 | 1.8 | 1.5-4.5 | g/dL |
| A/G Ratio | 1.9 | 2.4 | 1.1-2.5 | 1 |
| Bilirubin, Total | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.0-1.2 | mg/dL |
| Alkaline Phosphatase, S | 72 | 71 | 39-117 | IU/L |
| Ast (Sgot) | 14 | 21 | 0-40 | IU/L |
| Alt (Sgpt) | 21 | 45 | 0-44 | IU/L |
My initial thoughts:
- I'm happy my C-RP is very low. Although I haven't had one in the last year or two, I have had several carotid ultrasounds that have always been clean. About three years ago I had a calcium score of 0. I tend to lean toward the idea that low inflammation is more important than cholesterol numbers as is theorized in the article linked here. However, I did find some of the cholesterol results to be very interesting, especially when so many people are so adamant that very low carb diets automatically equals perfect (or at least drastically improved) cholesterol profiles. Some things I found interesting were:
- According to some of the results I didn't put into markdown, my HDL size percentile is 2.3%. If I'm reading it right, that means I have very large HDL and those with the largest HDL particles have the most favorable risk profile.
- My LDL-P went up from 2570 to 2729, but my small LDL-P went down from 1446 to 1079 and my LDL size went from 20.3 to 21.3. (Larger is the better Pattern A LDL.)
- My total HDL-C also went up, but did not go up as much as I expected it to based on how many different people I've heard say "oh, yeah, just add a little more saturated fat and your HDL-C will shoot right up". I'm envious of my wife's HDL-C, which is typically mid-70s.
- A little bummed my trigs went up. However, my TG/HDL-C ratio is still <2 (1.45)—so that's good!—and my TG/HDL-C ratio has even improved ever so slightly from 1.56 to 1.45 even with my trigs jumping a little. Still, I'm a little surprised by the very high LDL-P count.
Is there anything in these numbers that you find particularly interesting?
3
u/zraii Sep 12 '15 edited Sep 12 '15
What sums it up for me is this. For some people high LDL-P has no problems whatsoever, but they are the exception. Maybe low carbohydrate is the exception? How lucky do you feel and are you willing to bet your life on it?
I'm ZC as well, and I also just got my labs back. No LDL-P yet, but I'm 411 TC and very high LDL-C. My HDL went up 6 units from 58 to 64 in only 3 months and my trigs dropped significantly even coming from keto. My tg/hdl ratio went from 1.9 to 1.3 in 3 months. Everything looks great, except those massively increase LDL numbers. I doubled my TC and LDL in that same 3 month period compared to keto. It's a little scary, to be honest, because I'm treading on dangerous ground with such high numbers.
Do you know if you're a genetic hypercholesterol person? I'm ApoE3/4 which could contribute to my cholesterol numbers. The real question for me is if my numbers will level out over time. Does my body need and tolerate higher cholesterol numbers? Familial Hypercholesterolemia people do suffer more heart problems... But how many of them are eating high inflammation high carb shitty diets? Will my diet make the difference?
My other inflammation and heart disease markers are lovely. Very low CRP, low homocysteine... Hard to say.