HDL Cholesterol

Lipids marker

HDL

HDL Cholesterol

Category: Lipids
Unit: mmol/L

High-density lipoprotein - 'good' cholesterol that protects against heart disease.

PED Notes

CRITICAL: AAS (especially oral compounds) dramatically suppress HDL, often to dangerously low levels (<0.5 mmol/L). This is one of the most significant cardiovascular risks of AAS use. HDL should be monitored closely and given time to recover between cycles. HDL typically takes 4-8 weeks to recover after dropping oral compounds.

When low

Supplements:

  • Omega-3 (EPA/DHA) -- 2-3g/day (Krill Oil or Fish Oil)
  • Niacin (immediate release) -- 1-2g/day in divided doses; raises HDL by 15-35% at 1.5-2g; flushing is the main tolerability issue (take 325mg aspirin 30 min before, gradual titration, avoid hot drinks/alcohol with dose); sustained-release forms carry higher hepatotoxicity risk; monitor glucose as niacin can worsen insulin resistance in GH/MK-677 users

Lifestyle:

  • Regular aerobic exercise 30-45min 3-5x/week (most effective intervention)
  • Increase healthy fats (olive oil, avocado, fatty fish)
  • Avoid oral AAS if HDL is persistently below 0.8 mmol/L

Pharmacological / compound-choice options (the highest-leverage interventions):

  • Discontinue all oral AAS -- single most effective HDL intervention; Stanozolol/Anavar/Oxymetholone/Dianabol suppress HDL by 30-70%; injectable-only cycles preserve HDL substantially better
  • Switch from oral to injectable equivalents -- injectable Winstrol and injectable Primobolan still suppress HDL but less aggressively than the oral versions
  • Rosuvastatin -- 5-10mg/day; primarily lowers LDL/ApoB but reduces overall atherogenic risk even when HDL stays low; JUPITER evidence supports use despite minimal direct HDL impact; physician-supervised
  • Ezetimibe -- 10mg/day; minimal direct effect on HDL but still cardioprotective via LDL/ApoB reduction; useful adjunct when the clinical goal is overall lipid risk reduction rather than HDL number alone
  • Pemafibrate -- 0.2mg 2x/day where available; selective PPAR-alpha modulator; raises HDL modestly with minimal LDL impact and a cleaner safety profile than fenofibrate
  • Cabergoline -- 0.25mg 2x/week has shown modest HDL elevation in some studies (mechanism: lowering prolactin reduces atherogenic profile); not first-line but worth considering when prolactin is also elevated
  • All prescription items require physician oversight and baseline liver/CK panel

History Chart

Reading History

Frequently Asked Questions

Reference Ranges

Standard Range

≥ 1 mmol/L

VitalMetrics Range

≥ 0.6 mmol/L

Statistics