Vegan w high triglycerides and tc

[bmo87]

Hi Everyone, new here. Wanted to get your all opinion and see if you've had similar results. I've been vegan for almost a year now - strictly eating plant based. I exercise in the gym about 2 hours a night, 3-5 days a week. 30 min of that 2 hours are cardiovascular (like running/jogging, biking, walking briskly) each workout. I've been diagnosed with high blood pressure in the past 5 years and have been on medication for this. Since being vegan, my blood pressure is more consistently low/controlled naturally and have had my meds cut in half as a result (that's GOOD!). HOWEVER, I've recently had some blood work done to see how I'm progressing and have received somewhat disturbing results. My cholesterol levels are fairly high including a triglyceride level of about 373. In the past (before vegan), they've NEVER been this high. Has anybody had a similar experience?

I have elminated all cooking oils within the last month; I strive to limit my salt intake to under 1000mg/day; sugar is natural sugars from fruits. My doctor advised me to add fish oil and more flax-seed and avocados in my protein shakes (vega brand). I'd rather not do the fish oil, but have added more flax seed. If I have to add the fish oil by doctor orders, then I'll have to - but I'd rather not. The nurses and doctors I've spoken to have been somewhat baffled by what could be causing this. The only thing I can think of is it's hereditary.

It's frustrating because the main reason (sorry animal lovers -- I love them too, but that wasn't my main reason for turning vegan) for me being vegan/plant based lifestyle is to be as healthy as possible and give myself the best chance to beat whatever negative family health history I'm 'blessed' with. I've worked very hard to reach my goals but seem to have hit a pretty big road block. We only get one life and one body, I intend on taking care of it the best I can. Could use some feedback and if nothing else, a little encouragement. Thanks in advance! -Brian

 

[Amanda Margaret]

I have only been vegan for a couple of months now and my doctor told me I have high triglycerides as well (which was not a problem when I was simply vegetarian.) One thing I noticed in reading your post was that you said you drink vega protein. I also drink vega protein and am wondering if it is the processed ingredients in the vega protein that is giving us both a problem? They say protein powders are supposed to lower your triglycerides, but I wonder if it has different impact on different bodies. Another thing you have to consider is, are you prone to triglycerides? High triglycerides run in my moms side of the family, so it's easy for it to go high and I have to pay attention to it. It may be in your biological makeup that you are more prone to getting it high.

 

[veganteen1]

I finally asked my dad who's a doctor about this and he said maybe lots of nuts and/or processed grains and/or alcohol? He said those could drive triglycerides up. His triglycerides and cholesterol levels fell very dramatically after we went whole food plant based vegan, so you are a bit of a mystery. He has hereditary hypercholesterolemia too--his whole family does--but his total cholesterol is under 140 now. He says he does get a rare patient once in a while with hereditary hypercholesterolemia for whom diet and exercise really just aren't enough. But just because a healthy whole food vegan diet and exercise aren't enough for you doesn't mean going back to being nonvegan would help your health outlook. There's nothing in meat, eggs and dairy that'd help your numbers. As for fish, algae-derived omega-3 pills are bioequivalent to fish oil and don't have all the ocean pollutants found in fish now. We take Ovega, if you want to try that. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18589030

Let us know an update someday, if you don't mind!

 

[Nekodaiden]

Routine and moderate to excessive alcohol use will raise your triglyceride levels and affect cholesterol levels even if you are not eating any cholesterol and little fat. This was news to me after getting a recent blood test. Something for you to research if it applies.

 

[ssapyb]

Though it’s a 4 years old thread… I also have high triglycerides at 260, from analyze my diet, which is 90% vegetables and 10% lean meat, the potential reasons are: refined carb such as rice and noodles, over consuming high fructose fruit such as watermelon and grapes- I used to eat them by quantity of lBs