Small, Dense LDL Cholesterol May Be the Real Killer

We know that low-carb diets improve so many health factors, but what about LDL ("bad") cholesterol? Can we expect our LDL to get better or worse? Answer: it depends on what aspect of LDL you are looking at. The LDL number that we usually see on our lab reports will probably stay the same or go up slightly on a low-carb diet (though some people see a decrease). However, you may be surprised to hear that this number doesn't really tell much about the "LDL story". What is turning out to be much more important for health is the size of the LDL particles. Small, dense LDL particles seem to be the ones that cause more artery and heart risks, while the larger LDL particles are much less of a problem. What factors produce the smaller, dangerous particles? You guessed it -- a diet that is high in carbohydrates will tend to promote this type of LDL. On the other hand, every study that I know of that has looked at LDL particle size with low-carb diets has shown that cutting carbs produces a much lower-risk LDL particle size profile.

How do we find out about our LDL particle size? Dr. William Davis, a cardiologist who writes for Health Central has a great article about how to get this test. I highly recommend that before panicking about your cholesterol you follow Dr. Davis's recommendations. Also, your triglyceride level is usually a loose indicator -- the lower your triglycerides, the better your particle size will look. And anyone who has tracked their triglyceride level on a low-carb diet knows that it's almost a guarantee that triglycerides will plummet when eating low-carb.

Photo © Leah-Anne Thompson

Related Resources:

• Low-Carb Diets and Cholesterol
  
  
• Study: Low-Carb Diets and Heart Disease
  
  
• 7 Myths About Low-Carb Diets