High cholesterol, should I avoid foods with cholesterol (liver, eggs etc.) page

[Kilian]

I've been primal for a couple years now and found out that I have high cholesterol, likely due to a depressed thyroid from too much fasting and low carbing. I always see people touting the benefits of eating liver, but I'm unsure if I should be avoiding it in my situation.

[sbhikes]

Have a sweet potato on the side with your liver and onions. Dietary cholesterol doesn't cause high blood cholesterol.

[Kilian]

Have a sweet potato on the side with your liver and onions. Dietary cholesterol doesn't cause high blood cholesterol.

Yes, but that's not my question. I'm asking if dietary cholesterol may cause further damage to somebody who already has high blood cholesterol...

[Drumroll]

You don't absorb the majority of dietary cholesterol you eat, so don't be too worried.

Now, if you ate a diet of PURE cholesterol, you might get enough to effect levels...

[jammies]

What do your numbers looks like?

[Kilian]

What do your numbers looks like?

Link is in my sig

[jammies]

-There is a gene that can cause dietary intake of cholesterol to impact circulating cholesterol levels - it is a subset of the ApoE gene. You can be tested to see if that is the case for you. If you have that, I would move towards a lower fat cordain style paleo diet.

-I would request a coronary calcium scan to see if you have any deposits in your arteries so you can get a sense of what you may need to do.

-Do you drink unfiltered coffee? If so, maybe get rid of that as it can raise LDL for some people.

[sbhikes]

Your TC is over 500? Have you been visiting Chris Kresser's or Chris Masterjohn's website? They probably have more info of use to you there.

[peril]

To answer the question, the liver will modulate cholesterol production to account for cholesterol ingestion. Note that bile from the liver, via the gall bladder, takes a big load of cholesterol to the intestine at every meal. Cholesterol is then reabsorbed, but only as much as the body thinks it needs. Thus reducing your cholesterol intake will have no effect on blood cholesterol. Your liver will just make up for any perceived deficit.

This means you need to understand why your cholesterol is high to know how to reduce it

[Ingvildr]

Speaking as someone with a thyoid disorder, low thyoid hormone can really mess up your cholesterol. In fact high cholesterol is one of the diagnosing symptoms. When I started taking Synthroid my cholesterol went back to a normal level.