Jump to content

Blood work results


Jay
 Share

Recommended Posts

So after 27 months as a vegan at the age of 33 my cholesterol is 111. The "normal" range is 127 to 200. 111 is considered low but from what I've seen it's pretty normal for a vegan and not something to be worried about.

 

I moved 3 months ago though and haven't taken my B12 liquid supplement during that time. The only B12 I've gotten the last 3 months is what's in rice milk. I'd estimate I'm getting maybe 40% the RDA the last three months. So I suspected my B12 level might be low and sure enough it was. 152 where the normal is 180 to 900. So I made sure to go get some liquid B12 supplement. I'll check again in a few months. I'm pretty sure I'll be fine then with taking some B12 liquid supplement like once or twice a week.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the report Jay. It sounds like you're fine to me I've never checked my levels of B-12 or anything else in my blood. I may have had blood tests a few years ago before I could work on a cruise ship, but I don't recall the results.

 

Anyway, yeah, get that B-12 going again and you're all set. Nice to see cholesterol so low. 1/3 of first-time heart attacks occur between the range of 150-200. The rest are over 200 I believe.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I got the bloodwork done for I think 40 dollars on a Saturday morning at the local hospital. Just walked in and signed a paper and wait in line. Then come back the next day for the results. It might be worth it for other vegans to see if any of their local hospitals do this sort of thing.

 

Every vegan I've heard has a cholesterol below 120. But I've only heard a very few vegans bothering to get their B12 levels checked. Probably a good thing to do. Enriched rice milk wasn't enough to keep mine up and some people here say they don't take any B12 at all....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cool, good suggestion. I don't mind shots at all, I could take needles in my shoulder or other muscle all day long, but as soon as it gets to my veins it starts to bother me I'm not sure why.

 

And you guys have seen my veins, I'm afraid of losing too much blood!!

 

I'll think about it sometime because I'd be interested to see the results of my own blood.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just about 100% of all nutritional experts agree that as a safety net it's best to have a B12 supplement that you absorb under the tongue (as the modified lymphatic areas in the region of the back of the mouth & under the tongue are the main areas you absorb B12 very little B12 is absorbed along the rest of the alimentary canal).

It costs peanuts as you only need to suck a pill or open a capsule twice a week (why risk your long term health for a few pennies!?!)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think you have to worry about "too low" cholesterol. Colin Campbell addresses this in "The China Study" (unless it's John Robbins in "The Diet Revolution"---I've been reading a lot lately), and says that most people worldwide following a plant-based diet have cholesterol levels that are sometimes considered "too low" by American standards.

 

As for B12: I'm often worried when I see other members of the forum poo-pooing the need for B12 supplementation. Glad you had it checked. I prefer the spray B12 you can get from www.veganessentials.com . Not only is it easy to take, but it's methylcobalamin, which is more effective than cyanacobalamin (which is what most B12 suppelments are made of). I've used methylcobalamin to reverse neuropathy (nerve damage) in my diabetic cat, and it's proven its effectiveness to me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think daywalker once said that there is no such thing as good cholesteral, and so there is no such thing as "too low cholesteral." You dont need any cholesteral. Cholsteral is bad. Zero cholesteral is ideal.

 

Somebody correct me if I am wrong here. Alex, did I misunderstand you?

 

As far as poopooing B12 supplementation, I am by no means poopooing anything.

 

I wanted to know if taking nutrtional yeast daily (which has loadsa B12) and drinking soy milk fortified with B12 is sufficient supplementation. Can somebody address this question? I mean, if carnivores get enough B12 from eating animals, then cant we vegans get enough from nutritional yeast and fortified soy milk? Or do you need, IN ADDITION to that, further B12 supplementation in the forms suggested by some of you above?

 

For the record, I have had my B12 levels checked and I have never been short. And I have never supplemented B12, other than the yeast and soymilk, and whatever B12 is in a multivitamin. (only exception is a b12 shot I had like 3 years ago, which was before I was vegan).

 

Thanks in advanced for sharing your thoughts on this.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think daywalker once said that there is no such thing as good cholesteral, and so there is no such thing as "too low cholesteral." You dont need any cholesteral. Cholsteral is bad. Zero cholesteral is ideal.

I'm not sure but actually eating cholesterol might be totally unnecessary. If you had 0 cholesterol in a blood test that'd probably be really bad as your body is supposed to produce some cholesterol on it's own.

 

Or do you need, IN ADDITION to that, further B12 supplementation in the forms suggested by some of you above?

If your levels are OK then obviously your multivitamin, yeast, and fortified soy milk are enough.

 

For the record, I have had my B12 levels checked and I have never been short. And I have never supplemented B12,

But that is supplementing... (Fortified foods and a multivitamin)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think daywalker once said that there is no such thing as good cholesteral, and so there is no such thing as "too low cholesteral." You dont need any cholesteral. Cholsteral is bad. Zero cholesteral is ideal.

 

Somebody correct me if I am wrong here. Alex, did I misunderstand you?

Yes, you misunderstood me

As Jay said, you body produces cholesterol. Therefore, i didn't mean zero blodd level cholesterol, but zero in your diet.

 

 

I wanted to know if taking nutrtional yeast daily (which has loadsa B12) and drinking soy milk fortified with B12 is sufficient supplementation. Can somebody address this question? I mean, if carnivores get enough B12 from eating animals, then cant we vegans get enough from nutritional yeast and fortified soy milk? Or do you need, IN ADDITION to that, further B12 supplementation in the forms suggested by some of you above?

It's individual. If your blood levels are ok, then obviously it's sufficient. Some don't need supplements at all, for others only fortified foods are not enough.

It also strongly depends on the diet. I believe that in a truly natural vegan diet, you wouldn't need to supplement (living in a jungle and getting wild, fresh, raw food). But in civilization, i'd recommend the safe way to supplement.

Meat eaters supple medicaments to lower their blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would imaginge most people would have low B12.

Why would you think that? Most people eat meat.

 

Our bodies do not absorb B12 well (might have to do with our lower intestines not absorbing food well - for comparison gorillas with close to same digestive system, absorb 5 to 10 times more food in the lower intestines than humans but captive one fed similar diet to us, lose that ability.) Even less absorption of B12, as we age: many meat eating seniors have very low B12 levels.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm really curious to see what my cholesterol is because it was always under 120 before I went vegan and I haven't had it checked for 5 years...I'll get it done eventually

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think daywalker once said that there is no such thing as good cholesteral, and so there is no such thing as "too low cholesteral." You dont need any cholesteral. Cholsteral is bad. Zero cholesteral is ideal.

We need some cholesterol in our bodies (which cholesterol tests measure), but our liver makes all that we need, so there is no 'dietary' need for cholesterol. So we don't need to take in cholesterol, but if our bodies didn't make it, we'd be in trouble.

 

I

As far as poopooing B12 supplementation, I am by no means poopooing anything.

.

Did you think my post was refereing to you? It wasn't , but rather to posters in previsous threads who don't seem to feel it's necessary to get B12 or to be concerned about it as a vegan.

 

And I would consider taking red star nutritional yeast as 'supplementing with B12' (some nutritional yeasts DON'T add B12, but this one does) as would be drinking fortified soy or rice milk (since these foods don't naturally contain B12, but have it added as a 'supplement').

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think its more important that you don't need cholesterol in your food. Everyone has cholesterol...its a hormone our body makes...you just don't need to provoke it to go higher

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

I have heard a level too low can be bad. I don't think we have to eat any foods containing cholesterol. It does h ave functions beside causing a heart attack. As I understand a certain amount is needed. I am no expert.

 

This is from www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/fats.html

 

The Cholesterol--Heart Disease Connection

 

Cholesterol is a wax-like substance. The liver makes it and links it to carrier proteins called lipoproteins that let it dissolve in blood and be transported to all parts of the body. Why? Cholesterol plays essential roles in the formation of cell membranes, some hormones, and vitamin D.

 

Too much cholesterol in the blood, though, can lead to problems. In the 1960s and 70s, scientists established a link between high blood cholesterol levels and heart disease. Deposits of cholesterol can build up inside arteries. These deposits, called plaque, can narrow an artery enough to slow or block blood flow. This narrowing process, called atherosclerosis, commonly occurs in arteries that nourish the heart (the coronary arteries). When one or more sections of heart muscle fail to get enough blood, and thus the oxygen and nutrients they need, the result may be the chest pain known as angina. In addition, plaque can rupture, causing blood clots that may lead to heart attack, stroke, or sudden death. Fortunately, the buildup of cholesterol can be slowed, stopped, and even reversed.

 

Cholesterol-carrying lipoproteins play central roles in the development of atherosclerotic plaque and cardiovascular disease. The two main types of lipoproteins basically work in opposite directions.

 

Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) carry cholesterol from the liver to the rest of the body. When there is too much LDL cholesterol in the blood, it can be deposited on the walls of the coronary arteries. Because of this, LDL cholesterol is often referred to as the "bad" cholesterol.

 

High-density lipoproteins (HDL) carry cholesterol from the blood back to the liver, which processes the cholesterol for elimination from the body. HDL makes it less likely that excess cholesterol in the blood will be deposited in the coronary arteries, which is why HDL cholesterol is often referred to as the "good" cholesterol.

 

In general, the higher your LDL and the lower your HDL, the greater your risk for atherosclerosis and heart disease.

 

For adults age 20 years or over, the latest guidelines from the National Cholesterol Education Program recommend the following optimal levels:

 

Total cholesterol less than 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl)

HDL cholesterol levels greater than 40 mg/dl

LDL cholesterol levels less than 100 mg/dl

Dietary Fat, Dietary

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cholesterol is a steriod just like testosterone or estrogen...your body makes enough of it as is...I don't think anyway has ever died of low cholesterol

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, there is no doubt that cholesterol has many important functions in the body. For instance it is a precursor in steroid hormone synthesis and provides cell membranes with mechanical flexibility http://web.mit.edu/esgbio/www/cb/membranes/structure.html .

 

However, the (healthy) human body syntehesises cholesterol and it is therefore not required from the diet -- but of course there are some jackasses out there trying to spread that word. For instance visit http://www.cholesterol-and-health.com and answer the pop quiz:

Is Mr. Masterjohn is in the pocket of the meat/dairy industry or not ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

""High-density lipoproteins (HDL) carry cholesterol from the blood back to the liver, which processes the cholesterol for elimination from the body. HDL makes it less likely that excess cholesterol in the blood will be deposited in the coronary arteries, which is why HDL cholesterol is often referred to as the "good" cholesterol.

 

In general, the higher your LDL and the lower your HDL, the greater your risk for atherosclerosis and heart disease. ""

 

I am glad to read this as it is so rare that cholesterol articles mention what HDL really is - the product of the metabolized low density cholesterol, being neither "good" nor "bad, in itself, just the end of the process of cholesterol working through our systems. If you lower your LDL, your HDL is going to go down also, since it is the ending result of the former (the ratio is what is important because a high ratio means some of the LDL is staying around as plaque), but I have read articles actually stating that just a lower HDL reading, even when your LDL is going down more, is a bad situation.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...