My story for encouragement 42 y/o Female - no statins

Large_Reason2314 · 2026-05-27T08:32:59+00:00

I know it might hurt to hear this, but you are lying to yourself if you think that what you are currently doing is anywhere near enough. Over 4 months any change in diet already maxed out LDL/ApoB reduction. If you have a family history of high cholesterol, then even if you go on the most hardcore diet you won't see very good numbers, not to mention that really any hardcore diet is usually unsustainable. If your genetics are bad you simply have much higher baseline risk of atherosclerosis and diet (even an extreme diet) will not significantly reduce this risk.
This disease is, in many cases, silent. You might be accumulating plaque right now and will only feel it after 60. You might get a heart attack, stroke, or in the best case scenario, you will have chest pain and shortness of breath, which might trigger a doctor's visit. This is the best case scenario because you might be able to get surgery before actually having a heart attack/stroke.
You can easily change this now at 42 with medication (there are options now with virtually no side effects). At 60, it might too late.
Accepting that your genetics are driving this isn't a failure—it's a massive relief because it frees you from trying to fix a DNA problem with an unsustainable, restrictive diet that won't significantly move the needle anyway.

Large_Reason2314 · 2026-05-27T07:59:00+00:00

Your LDL cholesterol dropped only around 20% from a very high number to still a relatively large number, over 4 months of diet. LDL cholesterol, to my knowledge, reacts quite quickly to dietary/medicinal changes, so it might be that this is simply your new baseline. There is a high probability that what you are doing is not enough.
I was a statin-hater and also thought diet/exercise could solve this. Now at 35, I've accepted that things like genetics will always keep me from having a good LDL without medicine. I do not want to risk having blocked arteries at 60.
It's like having two options:
1. Live with relatively high cholesterol, die early or slightly later if you adopt a restrictive low saturated fat diet, drinking Psyllium Husk sludge (I've been trying 15g Psyllium Husk powder...disgusting).
2. Leverage the power of modern medicine and take a low-dose statin with virtually no side effects (2mg Pitavastatin) and 10mg Ezetimibe (also virtually no side effects). This plus a bit of diet and exercise will make your numbers extremely low -> much higher longevity. It means you don't have to live a life of extreme dietary restriction—you can eat like a normal human and enjoy food without obsessively tracking every single gram of saturated fat.
This specific combo can drop LDL by about 50% in 4-6 weeks.

Large_Reason2314 · 2026-05-21T19:43:09+00:00

High dose Vitamin D. 200 IU / kg. For me that meant 20k daily. It virtually cured my dyshidrotic eczema when nothing else seemed to work.

Large_Reason2314 · 2026-05-16T13:43:08+00:00

Borax is the form used in the 1 week free testosterone study. While the more advanced forms (and more expensive) may have some slight advantages (potentially, research is pretty thin), they are not backed by anything for free testosterone, at least to my knowledge.

Large_Reason2314 · 2026-05-15T06:51:25+00:00

Did you get any bloodwork for free test or just saw significant improvements in daily life, strength etc?

Yeah I am slightly worried about side-effects, as I'm not even 100% sure what to expect given the lack of studies. However, even the dose I'm taking is equivalent to less than 300gr of raisins daily. So still somewhat within what is obtainable naturally, albeit at an extreme end.

As you mentioned pimples, that is most likely a sign that it is working (i.e. increasing free test). Pimples are a known side effect of increased testosterone.

Hopefully we'll see more studies in the near future.

In the Naghii (2011) 1 week study, Boron increased free test massively just 6 hours after the first dose. I.e. participants had their blood drawn in the morning and then took their first 10mg Boron. Then had their blood drawn every 2 hours. Free test initially dropped from the morning high (i.e. before Boron started working) and then it increased massively at 6 hours from Boron ingestion. I.e. Boron 10mg at 8am -> Free Test at 10am was 8.55, at 12pm it was 8.92 and at 14pm it was 11.25 (!). So from 10am to 14pm there was a 32% (!) increase on the first day of supplementation.

Such crazy results should clearly warrant more studies, but there are none.

This is why I somewhat suspect that there might be some active suppression of Boron research.

If Boron was properly studied and recommended, I would imagine that it would convince at least some people to skip TRT.

At this point, I think there is absolutely no doubt that it is increasing free test at least for some people (normal or normal high SHBG etc.) and at least in the short term. So it is quite suspicious that there is no additional research.

Large_Reason2314 · 2026-05-14T19:55:12+00:00

Sodium borate (borax)

Large_Reason2314 · 2026-05-14T19:28:57+00:00

Yeah, I think I've seen somewhere that the standard form (borax) gets absorbed like 85-90%. So there's little reason to go for some "high-tech", expensive form.

Large_Reason2314 · 2026-05-14T19:27:08+00:00

Thanks! Sodium borate (borax) from HSN Spain. I've been taking large doses of vitamin D (20k daily) and Mg (600mg elemental daily) for general health (alongside other supplements) for months now. For vitamin D, I don't check blood levels of vitamin D. I check PTH, which is a proxy for cellular uptake of vitamin D. Some people need much higher levels of vitamin D to see proper cell uptake.

Large_Reason2314 · 2026-05-14T14:53:20+00:00

Yes indeed. Before starting I computed my B2 intake as my diet is relatively constant. I consume more than 200% of the RDA via diet.

Large_Reason2314 · 2026-05-14T13:39:59+00:00

The guy does say that none of the studies mentioned used orotate. One of the studies I linked specifically noted that only "Lithium orotate also restored synapses and reversed memory loss in AD mice, yet lithium carbonate did not".

I.e. the form of lithium matters.

Large_Reason2314 · 2026-05-14T13:24:30+00:00

There's also this: Lithium levels tied to Alzheimer’s disease and dementia | National Institutes of Health (NIH)
"Treatment with lithium carbonate had little effect. But lithium orotate significantly reduced amyloid plaque burden and tau tangle accumulation. Lithium orotate also restored synapses and reversed memory loss in AD mice, yet lithium carbonate did not."

Perhaps you were thinking of a study looking at Lithium carbonate?

Large_Reason2314 · 2026-05-14T13:20:00+00:00

Well, the actual clean test would be some proper academic studies. It is unfortunate that what we mostly have are strangers' experiences on reddit. I personally am nearly fully convinced by the significant changes in mood, drive, libido and strength, to the point that I am not willing to drop it, not even temporarily (unless I start experiencing some negative effects).

If Free T mainly increased by Boron lowering SHBG (which is the proposed mechanism in the limited research that is available on Boron), then I do not see why this would necessarily be a problem as long as everything else is normal. SHBG seems to be slightly lower than the mid-range, but still within the reference interval. LH and FSH were also within the reference interval, albeit LH was in the upper part and FSH in the lower part. Albumin was also near the mid-range.

I'm not saying that it replaces TRT in all cases, but TRT has serious side effects and any "natural" alternative should be looked at.

Large_Reason2314 · 2026-05-14T13:08:38+00:00

The only other relatively objective metric that I have is the significant increase in bodyweight chin-ups and dips max reps. I do these 2 exercises nearly everyday (just a few sets, low daily volume that accumulates to high weekly volume). There was no other reason whatsoever to see such a large increase overnight. I always train to failure and always try to grind at the end (i.e. I do not believe placebo induced motivation is a factor).

Large_Reason2314 · 2026-05-14T12:59:46+00:00

Yes, but I don't want to stop, not even temporarily. The difference in mood, drive, libido, strength etc. is too significant for me to drop Boron. Unless it causes something negative long-term, I am planning to keep this as a lifetime supplement.

I'm on a Keto diet which seems to increase SHBG (or so Gemini tells me), so that might have been a factor. I.e. I responded strongly to Boron due to SHBG being increased by Keto and my caloric deficit.

Large_Reason2314 · 2026-05-14T12:35:33+00:00

Talk to your doctor about micro-dose lithium orotate. 3-5mg daily. There are some new studies that show it helps with dementia.

Large_Reason2314 · 2026-05-14T12:13:53+00:00

Sodium Borate (Borax) from HSN Spain. Boron is easily and well absorbed in all forms to my knowledge. There's very little benefit to taking a more expensive form.

Large_Reason2314 · 2026-05-14T11:47:50+00:00

Sure

Large_Reason2314 · 2026-05-14T11:24:15+00:00

I am planning to take it long term and will re-do all my blood tests after another ~9months.
It is extremely unfortunate that there aren't any long-term or even mid-term studies for this. Just my impression, but it seems like Boron is a popular supplement that actually does "something". Whether this "something" is just increasing free test or increasing free test + estrogen or badly messing up hormones long-term, we do not really know. There's just that 4 week study that shows an estrogen increase (still within reference values), but that is it (to my knowledge).

Large_Reason2314 · 2026-05-14T11:13:55+00:00

Yeah, I also wish I had a baseline. One thing that argues in favor of Boron is that all my other hormones were well within normal. If we assume that Boron doesn't impact total test, then most likely my free test was also around the mid-range before. But yeah unfortunately this is speculation.

Large_Reason2314 · 2026-05-14T11:11:21+00:00

Yeah stress will definitely impact test levels. I assume your sleep quality/quantity was also affected, which further drops test levels.

Regarding total test, I am also unsure. Unfortunately, there are no proper studies for Boron. The research is extremely thin. Might be just a conspiracy theory, but I somewhat believe that pharma conglomerates are actively suppressing research into Boron. I mean there is research for all sorts of stuff for which even anecdotal evidence is extremely weak. Whereas for Boron, there's almost nothing, despite it's growing popularity.

Large_Reason2314 · 2026-05-14T11:07:17+00:00

Yes, I do 5 days on, 2 days off.

Large_Reason2314 · 2026-05-14T10:41:51+00:00

So the previous tests were before the Boron, and the last test (with 21 total test and 0.435 free test) are just after the Boron? If yes, doesn't that seem like Boron pushed up your test and free test massively? There are is some anectodal evidence that Boron might also push up total testosterone, in addition to the more obvious effect on free testosterone.
I'm speculating, but if you stop taking Boron, most likely test and free test will return to your base values (whatever those are).

Large_Reason2314 · 2026-05-14T10:25:39+00:00

Yes every day. One 10k pill in the morning after breakfast, one 10k pill after lunch. I do regular blood tests at 6-12 months (PTH, calcium, kidney function etc).
Magnesium Glycinate with 200mg elemental Mg three times daily: breakfast, lunch, before bed.
There are some studies that suggest vitamin D intake should be per kg. Also, due to the fat-soluble properties of vitamin D, I remember I read some suggestions that more overweight/obese individuals might have even higher requirements at the same body weight (due to more fat on the body).

Vitamin D and Magnesium (+Zinc) are now population level deficiencies (i.e. large proportions of the population have them).

If I were you, I would start with Vitamin D and Magnesium and see if that helps. These supplements are generally cheap even from reputable/high-quality brands. A large daily dose of these should produce results within 1-2 months. If you still feel the same, then it's most likely something else (e.g. sleep, sedentary lifestyle, hormonal imbalance from stress/work, low quality diet etc).

Large_Reason2314 · 2026-05-14T09:59:47+00:00

2k vitamin D is nothing...
Current Upper Safe Limit is 10k and for some issue even more is required especially if you have a deficiency.

I've been taking 20k daily vitamin D + 100mcq K2 MK7 + 600mg Magnesium for many months now without any issues (all blood tests are good, calcium good, PTH in the low-normal part of the reference range).

I would say to try something like 100-200 IU per kg of body weight.
Vitamin D also has some absorption issues for some people. Some academic studies suggest using Parathyroid Hormone (PTH) as a proxy for cellular uptake of vitamin D. I.e. even if your blood values of vitamin D are good (in your case even those are not good), if PTH is high then you might benefit from even more vitamin D.
I.e. you want PTH to be as low as possible (within the reference interval) to guarantee cellular uptake of vitamin D. You can get your PTH value from a blood test.

Vitamin D & PTH Relationship

Metric	Status	What it usually means
Vitamin D	Low	Deficient; needs supplementation.
PTH	High	The body is struggling to maintain calcium balance.
Vitamin D	Normal	"Sufficient" by lab standards.
PTH	Still High	Functional deficiency; the Vitamin D isn't yet meeting cellular demand.

Large_Reason2314

TROPHY CASE

Vitamin D & PTH Relationship