How To Increase Low HDL Cholesterol Levels With Niacin, Krill Oil & Cardarine

Chronically Low HDL Cholesterol Levels From TRT

It's very common for men on TRT to have really low HDL cholesterol levels.

I have the same issue.

Anyone on exogenous androgens, regardless if it's SARMs, steroids, or prohormones, will likely have a suboptimal lipid profile.

Typically, the biggest thing that takes a hit is your HDL, and oftentimes it gets completely neglected.

The mentality, for some reason, is “I'm going to leave it low because I can't get it up.”

Or, “It's fine, as long as my LDL is low enough, then I'm good.”

It's not the case.

You always need your HDL high, or above 40 mg/dL at an absolute bare minimum.

There are a lot of guys walking around with single-digit HDL levels and not caring.

A reading of less than 40 mg/dL is considered a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

My Last Blood Test Result

As you can see above, my HDL Cholesterol was 31 mg/dL on my last blood test, which is below the reference range.

It's the one health marker that I've always struggled to get on point.

After doing a bit more research, I've created a protocol designed for boosting HDL specifically.

It's an extreme protocol, and I don't advise doing it.

I'll be logging exactly what I'm going to be doing though, and I'll keep you guys posted on how it goes for me.

How To Increase Low HDL Cholesterol Levels

You guys probably already know that I'm a proponent of EPA, DHA, high dose Omega-3s.

Krill Oil – 3 grams per day

I've talked about krill oil briefly before, but krill oil is far superior to fish oil for boosting HDL.

If you look at the clinical data, you will see that it is far more efficacious at boosting your HDL.

This is why I'm going to be having 3 grams of krill oil per day, and reducing my fish oil intake a bit to offset that extra EPA and DHA I'll be getting from the krill oil.

Niacin – 1.5 grams per day

Niacin (Nicotinic Acid) Immediate Release.

The immediate release version has better-supporting data than sustained release formulations.

You don't want Inositol, you want to get immediate release Nicotinic Acid.

Be aware that this kind of dosing protocol is not sustainable.

1.5 grams of Nicotinic Acid is about 100 times higher than the RDA.

That's not a sustainable practice that you can use long-term.

The goal of this protocol is to boost my HDL high enough and then sustain it long-term with just the krill oil, but we'll see how that goes.

Cardarine – 10 mg per day

If you haven't already read my Cardarine article then I strongly advise you go check it out before reading on.

It details every clinical trial conducted on humans, conducted on rats, goes over the cancer data, and covers everything you would want to know about Cardarine.

I'm confident in saying that it's the most comprehensive article on the entire internet about Cardarine.

You should note that Cardarine is not an approved supplement or compound for improving your HDL levels.

Nevertheless, that's one of the things that it was designed to do, and it does a very good job at it, which is why I will be incorporating it.

It was given to patients with chronically low HDL in human trials and the results were very impressive.

While many use Cardarine for its purported performance enhancing attributes, I would reserve it solely for HDL optimization.

I think it is an overrated fat burner, and I don't have a dire need for improving my endurance.

Cardarine use is also not a sustainable practice.

I plan on using it sporadically to boost my HDL up, and then coming off of it.

The long-term effects it may have on the human body are unknown, and living on unapproved compounds is something I prefer to avoid when possible.

Sustaining HDL Cholesterol Levels

I want to see how high I can get my HDL levels first.

Then, I want to see how high I can maintain it long-term with more sustainable practices.

In the short-term, my protocol will be 3 grams of krill oil, 1.5 grams of Niacin, and 10 mg of Cardarine per day.

I'm going to go get my blood drawn, and I'll keep you guys posted on the results.

Having chronically low HDL will greatly contribute to cardiovascular disease in the future, and getting it addressed sooner rather than later is the best thing you can do for yourself.

If you are on exogenous hormones, I strongly advise you get a lipid panel done and look into boosting your HDL as well.

Disclaimer: The information included in this article is intended for entertainment and informational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice.