Cholesterol Values after Covid-19

(Updated on January, 2023 - see update at the end of the entry)

Although I have read many articles online about how Covid-19 seems to reduce cholesterol levels, my family and I have found quite the opposite. 

Of course, like everything with Covid: where is the truth? Where is the evidence? There is still a long road till we know for sure what this disease does to our bodies. Once we’ve had it, we’re in the long haul of finding out how ultimately it will affect us. This, I firmly believe. 

Below are my numbers before and after Covid: I had Covid in August 2022. Notice that the values (particularly of the total and LDL cholesterols) jumped about 40 points from February to September - about a month after I tested negative. 

What is even more interesting is my sister’s story: she had Covid in April 2022. Her numbers (for the total and LDL cholesterols) between November 2021 and May 2022 also increased by about 40 points. However, what is even stranger is that her doctor doubled the dose of her statin in November. So, she took twice the amount of Lipitor (40mg instead of 20mg) that she ever took before, and yet, after Covid, her numbers went up, as shown in this table:

Both of us changed nothing else about our medication or lifestyle. Outside the fact that during Covid both of us were incredibly tired and we could not exercise as much as we wanted to, nothing else changed. And usually, for both us, diet or exercise don’t make much of a difference in the numbers as we both have FH. We’re both petite and with a normal BMI. 

I have not seen numbers as high as these for me for two years now, since before I added Nexletol (or Bempedoic Acid) to my drug regimen. 

I asked my cardiologist whether the increase in the cholesterol numbers could be from Covid, given no other changes or factors. He said “it might be, but if the change is as a result of having had Covid, the change should be temporary and the numbers should drop.” - there are so many “should”s and “might”s and “if”s in this sentence, aren’t there?! 

It’s all a guessing game for now. Time will tell - that is where we’re standing right now because like I mentioned in the beginning: there is little to no research on this (that I am aware). 

Now, it would be interesting to know whether those cases that the media is reporting where the cholesterol levels did go down were for people without FH. I have so many questions. For now, I can only report what I have seen in our family. Drop a line if you have more information, please! 

Much health! 

Update: Two months after my elevated levels, my cardiologist repeated the cholesterol test and the levels came down to 164 mg/dl for the total cholesterol and 101 mg/dl for the LDL. The LDL was even lower than before I had Covid.

Genetic Tests Are Not All Alike

I recently submitted a sample to 23andMe.com for genetic testing. My main reason was to find out if they find any genes present that might cause diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, breast cancer, and others, but I must admit the ancestry report is also fascinating to review. 

My sister also submitted a sample about two months before me. Although both of us have been genetically tested for FH with medical tests ordered by our specialists, and we have both been formally (genetically) diagnosed with FH (I am Homozygous version and she is Heterozygous), both of us received a “Variants not detected” result from 23andMe for FH. They do disclose on their site that there are over 1000 genes responsible for an FH mutation and they only test 24 of them, so it’s understandable that they would not always find the variant one might have. As a matter of fact, I guess they most likely will not find a mutation. 

I was tested by Ambry Genetics about 5 years ago, and if you want to review their testing principles and approach you can find more information here (https://www.ambrygen.com/providers/genetic-testing/13/cardiology/fhnext#:~:text=Test%20Description,genes%20associated%20with%20familial%20hypercholesterolemia). 

I am not giving them a plug, by no means: Ambry Genetics happened to be the provider of genetic testing that my cardiologist worked with at the time I requested the test. There are other providers out there and your doctor might guide you through the process. 

My sister was tested in Canada, and I don’t know the name of the company they used because apparently doctors there are not as transparent as those here, in the US. Her cardiologist just informed her that her genetic test came back as confirming the FH diagnosis. 

The cost for Ambry genetics was $500 and it came out of my pocket, although requested by my doctor. The cost for 23andMe was $200. I know a lot of folks who order a 23andMe test kit because it’s wildly popular and available and the cost is much lower than a specialized test. But just wanted to share that you need to look into the principles of testing and the scope of each one to understand the results and not take them as absolutes. 

Hope this is helpful.