I had some {*filter*} work the other day. My chloresterol was high. I am
31, male and weight 216 lbs. I cant loose weight despite diet and
exercise. My father has had diabetes and heart problems at 50. My
uncle had bypass surgery at 42 and also has diabetes as does everyne
on my fathers side. All tests were after fasting overnight.

glucose 103

C-Peptide 2.8     (1.1 - 5.0)

total testosterone 310  (260-1000)
free testosterone 11.7   (9.5-29.7)
free testosteron % .4    (.2-.7 %)
TSH 3.35                 (.35-5.5)
T3 up 29.15              (24.4-39.1)
T4 8.5                   (8.5-10.5)

Insulin 10.0             (5.0-35.0)

Triglyercides 231        (<150)

Chloresterol 207         (<200)

There wer others but I will not bore you.

Also I had this test taken at 6:45 a.m. in the morning. Willt his make
a difference especially in the testoserone as I hear it is the highest
in the morning. WOuld that mean I may be low if taken in the
afternoon?

It is nearly impossible to "lose weight" on a proper diet and exercise
program.
If you are not already seeing a dietician or exercise physiologist, see one.

I'm not a doctor, but the looks of your tests..
focus on the TSH/T4 ... 3.35 is a bit on the
high side, imho, in though it's in lab range.
many find to feel best their TSH has to be
below 2, sometimes 1.

rest of the labs look ok to me.

good luck

Maybe you should. In the meantime given your family history is the
following:
"High triglyceride (TG) and low HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) is the
characteristic dyslipidemia seen in insulin-resistant subjects. ... In
conclusion, the present results showed that high TGlow HDL-C, the
characteristic dyslipidemia seen in insulin-resistant subjects, was at
least as powerful a predictor of IHD as isolated high LDL-C. The results
suggest that efforts to prevent IHD should include intervention against
high TGlow HDL-C, and not just against hypercholesterolemia." Source:
Relation of High TGLow HDL Cholesterol and LDL Cholesterol to the
Incidence of Ischemic Heart Disease
http://www.***.com/

"... there is the ratio of fasting triglycerides (TG) to HDL
cholesterol. The TG/HDL, a less precise but very inexpensive test, is a
surrogate marker for both fasting insulin levels and the level of
metabolic syndrome, a precursor condition to diabetes and heart disease.
... the TG/HDL ratio indicates the relative size of the LDL particles
and thus their resulting atherogenic potential (8-10). A low TG/HDL
ratio is indicative
of primarily large, non-atherogenic LDL particles, whereas a high TG/HDL
ratio indicates a greater population of small, dense pro-atherogenic LDL
particles. Prospective studies indicate that a low TG/HDL is highly
correlated with a reduction in the development of cardiovascular
disease." Source: Clinical Tests That
Define Wellness - http://www.***.com/

The dense LDL phenotype: associations with plasma lipoprotein levels,
visceral obesity, and hyperinsulinemia." Diabetes Care 19: 629-637
(1996) - http://www.***.com/

"Obesity and insulin resistance are both associated with an atherogenic
lipoprotein profile. We examined the effect of insulin sensitivity and
central adiposity on lipoproteins in 196 individuals (75 men and 121
women) with an average age of 52.7 years. Subjects were subdivided into
three groups based on BMI and their insulin sensitivity index (SI): lean
insulin sensitive (n = 65), lean insulin resistant (n = 73), and obese
insulin resistant (n = 58). This categorization revealed that both
obesity and insulin resistance determined the lipoprotein profile. In
addition, the insulin-resistant groups had increased central adiposity."
Source: The Atherogenic Lipoprotein Profile Associated With Obesity and
Insulin Resistance Is Largely Attributable to Intra-Abdominal Fat -
http://www.***.com/

"Recent evidence derived from four independent methods indicates that an
excess triglyceride storage within skeletal muscle is linked to insulin
resistance. Potential mechanisms for this association include apparent
defects in fatty acid metabolism that are centered at the mitochondria
in obesity and in type 2 diabetes. Specifically, defects in the pathways
for fatty acid oxidation during postabsorptive conditions are prominent,
leading to diminished use of fatty acids and increased esterification
and storage of lipid within skeletal muscle. These impairments in fatty
acid metabolism during fasting conditions may be related to a metabolic
inflexibility in insulin resistance that is not limited to defects in
glucose metabolism during insulin-stimulated conditions. Thus, there is
substantial evidence implicating perturbations in fatty acid metabolism
during accumulation of skeletal muscle triglyceride and in the
pathogenesis of insulin resistance. Weight loss by caloric restriction
improves insulin sensitivity, but the effects on fatty acid metabolism
are less conspicuous. Nevertheless, weight loss decreases the content of
triglyceride within skeletal muscle,
perhaps contributing to the improvement in insulin action with weight
loss. Alterations in skeletal muscle substrate metabolism provide
insight into the link between skeletal muscle triglyceride accumulation
and insulin resistance, and they may lead to more appropriate therapies
to improve glucose and fatty acid metabolism in obesity and in type 2
diabetes." Source: Skeletal Muscle Triglyceride
http://www.***.com/

Total Cholesterol/HDL Cholesterol Ratio vs LDL Cholesterol/HDL
Cholesterol Ratio as Indices of Ischemic Heart Disease Risk in Men -
http://www.***.com/

The distribution of the body fat is significant when it comes to insulin
resistance as noted in some of the above links. BMI is a good indicator,
but percentage body fat is a better one. You don't mention much about
your diet. Exercise and meds might be your other options. Actos and
Advandia are known to redistribute body fat. Metformin does help some
people to lose weight. Since your fasting {*filter*} glucose was not high
enough to be diagnosed as diabetic, you may not find a doctor willing to
prescribe {*filter*}. You have near the midrange of insulin and C-peptide
which indicates that your panceras beta cells are still producing
sufficient insulin. The Diabetes Prevention Program had one group of
glucose intolerant people to whom 1000 mg of metformin was given and it
was effective. That is twice the amount of metformin I take as a
diagnosed type 2 diabetic although the typical dosage is more like 1500
to 2000 mg.

Frank

Frank

All ok except triglyercides, chol slightly high.  You didn't mention
HDL - if below 40, not good. If your HDL is below 40 you may have
metabolic syndrome which may lead to diabetes and heart disease.
How's your {*filter*} pressure, HDL, and waist size? How much exercise do
you do a week?

If you exercise and diet you WILL lose weight. period.

You can start now - or wait and see if you survive your
1st heart attack (like I did) then you will try and take
control of your life.

You have too many risk factors now ..... see a doctor
(cardiologist) and have a stress test ASAP!

My uncle died when he took a stress test.  It caused a fatal heart attack.
I wouldn't recommend it.

SD

    Your insulin is about twice as high as it should be.   That means you
are Insulin Resistant, i.e. it looks like you are in the Standard Type 2
Diabetic Progression leading towards full-bore Type 2 diabetes.

Your very high triglycerides number confirms the Insulin Resistance.

With that kind of Insulin Resistance and total cholesterol, I would be very
suprised if your HDL was over 45.   That means your Triglycerides to HDL
ratio is over 5.0.     Your target is "below 3.0".

***  Any ratio higher than 3.0 is indicative of high heart attack risk.  ***

You might ask the doctor for a Glucose Tolerance Test.   If you "flunk" the
test,  he might be talked into letting you take the drug "metformin" which
reduces Insulin Resistance,  reduces the risk of premature heart attack, and
helps some folks lose weight.

In any case,  numbers like yours mean you should be taking up the standard
weapons of attack on Type 2 diabetes,  i.e.

    a.  Lose fat lb
    b.  Gain muscle lb
    c.  Exercise vigorously every day
    d.  Ration your carbohydrate,  spread your daily carb over several
smaller meals,  eat slowly-digesting carb

and finally,

    e.  Consider anti-Insulin Resistance meds such as metformin.

Type 2 diabetes "runs in the family" and it looks like you are developing
it.   You don't want to "join our Club",  take my word for it.

Regards
  Old Al

I say you need to get on a diet, exercise and stop eating so much
refined foods, sugar and/or {*filter*}.

I am, SYSYPHUS' SISTER

On Fri, 17 Oct 2003 11:05:34 -0400, "Beachhouse"

I presume you either left out a "not" before "lose" or accidentally
included "proper".

Or would the specialists you recommend advise improper diet and
exercise?

Cheers Alan, T2, Oz
--
Everything in Moderation - Except Laughter.

(...)

See a nutritionist. You are going to eat less. Whether it is because you die
of a early heart attack or because you go on a more effective and healthier
diet is your choice. And get more exercise.

Jeff

Most of those answering told Don to diet.

hypothyroidism.
Many have found out that normalizing TSH and the actual thyroid hormones
bring the cholesterol down to better numbers.

nora

So T4 number is at the low end of the normal range, and TSH is well over 3, which per the NEW American COllege of Endocrinology guidelines is to be considered as possibly hypo-thyroid.  The symptoms described are consistent with hypo-thyroidism.  And elevated cholesterol is common in UNtreate and UNDERtreated hypo-thyroid.

Sounds like your doctor(s) should be seriously considering a trial of thyroid hormone replacement, target TSH no higher than 1.0 and free-T4 and total-T3 in range, on the high side of middle -- to see if your problems go away.  With UNtreated or UNDERtreated hypo-thyroidism it is impossible for almost all people to lose weight, even with strict dieting and exercise.

HTH
Kevin

dislaimer: I am not an MD