August/September Test Results
Lets talk data. I saw my new primary care doc towards the end of August. I requested a lipoprotein NMR test for cholesterol. It provides more details than the basic cholesterol panel. When I had this test done back in NC, I would also get the "regular" numbers, HDL/LDL/Triglycerides. Unfortunately, I didn't get those results here. I don't think triglycerides are measured at all in the results I got. The NMR test breaks down "number of particles" and "particle size". Risks are assessed based on those numbers.
Large HDL: 4049 (HIGH RISK: A reference range of 4334-10815 is given, but optimal is 9386+, high risk is less than 6996)
LDL Particle Number: 1498 (MODERATE RISK. Optimal is less than 1260, high risk >1538)
Small LDL: 389 (HIGH RISK: optimal 162, high risk > 217)
Medium LDL: 408 (HIGH RISK: optimal <201, high risk > 271)
The only reference I have to when I was on keto in the past was that my LDL Particle Number was around 1900. So that's neat. But yeah, even without "regular" cholesterol numbers my cholesterol is shit and hopefully these things all improve with weight loss and activity.
The shitty thing is that I *am* comfortable with the HDL and Triglyceride results on the normal test. It's LDL that I have a problem with the basic number, and value this additional data. Oh well.
CAC Scan - Coronary Artery Calcium Scan
Quote:
The result of the test is usually given as a number called an Agatston score. The score represents a combination of information that reflects the total area of calcium deposits and the density of the calcium.
A score of zero means no calcium is present in the heart and suggests a low likelihood to develop a heart attack in the future. When calcium is present, the higher the score, the higher the risk of attacks in the long term. A score of 100 to 300 — moderate plaque deposition — is associated with a relatively high risk of heart attack or other heart disease over the next three to five years. A score greater than 300 indicates very high to severe disease and heart attack risk.
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My CAC Score: 0
YAY! I'm at the youngest age where the test is even potentially useful, and for your average even semi-healthy adult its probably not useful til 50+, but I've been obese most of my adult life, I've lived on fast food for most of my adult life, and been sedentary most of my adult life. One parent and two grandparents diabetic, one grandparent with heart disease. So while an average 40 year old SHOULD have a score of 0 easily, I really needed to let go of the nagging wonder about whether or not I have already catapulted myself to my doom.
DEXA Scan
You already know I'm fucking fat, so no need to be too embarrassed here, but still. Its fucking embarrassing.
My weight on the scanner was 304.4 pounds.
Fat Mass: 146.9 pounds
Lean Mass: 149.9 pounds
BMC (bone mineral content): 8.5 pounds
Body Fat %: 49.7%
WOO BOY. That means that I have likely very recently... within the past week maybe, dipped below 50% bodyfat.
DEXA scans will log a higher bodyfat % than most any other measure. Hell, my stupid scale this morning said my bodyfat % was 39%.
I've got a followup in exactly 3 months, December 12th, for another test. Proponents of Keto say that a ketogenic diet does an extremely good job of sparing lean body mass during weight loss. Proponents of fasting say that fasting naturally spares as much protein as possibly to save lean body mass. As I'm currently losing weight at a pretty darn rapid rate, I'm extremely curious to see how my body fat % changes over time, but for now, most importantly, what happens to my lean mass over time.
One other interesting note. I have a mirror, and I can look down, so I already knew that I carried most of my weight in my gut, and that's really bad for lots of measures showing belly fat is the worst kind of fat. But whatever, the numbers are hilarious:
Upper Body: 59% fat (~100 pounds of fat/69 lean)
Lower Body: 36% fat (~31 pounds of fat/54 lean)
fat guy legs! super strong to carry all the weight higher up.
WHEW. That's all for now. The CAC scan if I were to eat healthy and lose weight I probably wouldn't need again until I'm 50, though I'll ask my primary care doc about that next time I see him. There is not insignificant radiation involved after all.
Cholesterol should get tested again in November, primary care followup is then. Dexa scan in 3 months. We'll refer back to this post to see how each progresses.