Coronary Artery Calcium Score Test Results | Calcium Score Test

[@kathystclair9485]

I am a 67 yr old female. Starting at 50 with yearly required physicals, my LDL has always had a tendency to be on the high end no matter how I ate. My triglycerides and HDL have always been good. At 55 my doctor tried to talk me into going on a statin and I refused. He at least offered me the option of getting the CAC scoring done. Turned out to be 0 calcificationat 55 years of age. At 60 , 0 score also. Then at 65 I was hoping for 0 again, but it was still on the low range of 2.4. It stated that the calcified plaque however, was in the left decending artery. I was " okay" with that low number until you said that was the widow maker 😢. I intermit fast and eat low carb for the past 4 years. I'm not carnivore, maybe more keto. I will have another done at 70. If there has not been a change I still will not go on a statin. If you have the time maybe you can respond and let me know what you think. Thanks for this video!

[@GiGi-fd6om]

Are you on HRT? If not, it estradiol will have protective benefits to your heart, bones and brain.

[@kathystclair9485]

@@GiGi-fd6om yes, I am on the estradiol patches. Have been for 9 years. Best thing I ever did after menopause. Thank you.

[@kathystclair9485]

Steve, I left you a comment above this one. I have an afterthought also, my husband is 67 also and he has always had perfect cholesterol numbers. He is extremely active. I am wondering can you have a perfect cholesterol number for years and still have calcification of the arteries? He's never had the test done. Thanks. BTW, is there a genetic component. He does not eat as healthy as I do and I'm the one who has higher LDL.

[@crh251]

@@kathystclair9485, I’m thinking if your triglycerides are low and your HDL is high, you’re doing pretty well. Dr. Robert Lustig, the sugar doctor, has an excellent video on KZbin explaining cholesterol levels.

[@DanButterfield8]

CAC is a marker that may or may not be an indication of future heart problems. Your score is still quite low. I wouldn’t worry about it if you’re metabolically healthy and getting regular exercise

[@elisabethcrisci7121]

Hi Steve, fantastic video. I’ve just started ordering CAC score in my patients, I think it can be a powerful motivator to work towards bringing down CAD risk factors

[@alpenglow1235]

You should not order this test for clients who are professional aviators. See my post in the comments.

[@DanButterfield8]

Excellent videos Steve. I also saw your ApoB vid. I am relatively new to hormone/nutrition study, but doing my best to catch up. Lots to digest. I have high LDL but I’m a former and still wanna-be athlete, otherwise metabolically healthy and hence ignored my ex MDs advice to go on a statin. I have a Triglycerides/HDL ratio around 1 which I’ve been told is excellent. From what I’ve learned, that T/HDL ratio is a key ‘heart health’ metric. Key things to check when getting bloodwork (may have your MD to have it included): 1) Fasting insulin levels 2) Triglycerides to HDL ratio. 1.5 is good above 2 is cause for concern. The lower number the better. In other words - you want low triglycerides and high HDL. 3) Percentage of small dense LDL (sdLDL) in your total LDL. Like ApoB, you have to ask your MD to get this specific breakdown when doing bloodwork. The sdLDL is cause for concern as it can cause plaque build up. The sdLDL is apparently a sub-set of ApoB. As I understand it, typically the majority of your LDL is large buoyant and totally benign. Think beachball vs golf ball. It’s the ‘small dense’ (sdLDL) golf balls you want to avoid. 4) Some MDs think ApoB is key to causing atherosclerosis and should be scrutinized. As you noted in your video, there’s a raging debate among MDs as to whether that’s an important factor as high ApoB is often present w those who have blocked arteries. But the MDs I respect say that direct ‘causality’ is not proven. Sort of like saying ApoB is always at the scene of a fire 🔥 but you don’t know if it was the arsonist or firefighter. I have not done a CAC test yet, but that will be on my ‘must do’ list during my next MD visit. Thanks again for your videos

[@EEEBA1]

Do I divide Triglycerides with HDL to get my ratio or the other way around? Thank you.

[@DanButterfield8]

@@EEEBA1 T/HDL is the way to do it. Triglycerides divided by HDL

[@EEEBA1]

@@DanButterfield8 In that case I'm at 1.9. Thank you.

[@DanButterfield8]

As a follow up… I very recently did a CAC (coronary artery calcium) score test. That’s basically an MRI of your heart to detect calcium deposits that have accumulated over many years. CAC is reputed to be a good risk marker for future cardiac events (heart attack or stroke) due to blockages. But a CAC can only detect hard (calcified) plaque and completely misses the potentially more dangerous and unstable soft plaque. But it’s nonetheless good to get a base line CAC, and at age 67 with very high LDL, I thought it would be a good test to get. The shocker for me was getting a 354 score! That’s considered “high risk” and on some scales “severe risk.” The cardiologist was concerned and scheduled me for an immediate (next day) cardio echo-gram and stress test. I was confident I would do well on the stress test as I can still run stairs and do HIIT cardio workouts with relative ease. I ran 800 meters as a 40+ masters athlete and still like to do regular runs albeit nothing close to the intensity level I did as a young man. Long story short. I did well as I expected on the stress test and once they maxed me out on on the treadmill (speed and elevation increasing until you reach the target rate rate or blood pressure reading) they immediately pushed me onto a bed where they ultrasounded my fast pumping heart to determine blood flow efficiency and recovery rate. Cardiologist said everything looked very good on both the echo-cardio-gram and stress test. He backed away from his initial recommendation that I go on a statin. The more I learn about CAC score, the less informing I think it is. Why? Because soft plaque is apparently more dangerous, and it is NOT captured at all on a CAC. Moreover, calcium deposits, while reflecting some “healed” (calcified) damage to artery walls, are stabilized. It is really inflammation and “unstable” soft plaque build up + diet and over all metabolic health, that are keys to heart health. And as previously noted, Triglycerides to HDL ratio is something to pay attention to. Target of 1.5 of lower is best and below 1 is excellent.

[@SimpleHormones]

Bad news about your high CAC. Better about the deeper dive tests. I agree that CAC definitely has limitations, which I mentioned in the video. It is one test that’s simple, inexpensive, easy (unlike a stress test), and readily accessible for most people.

[@paulaMB409]

My lipoproteins 12 My calcium score 10 My triglycerides and glucose very low LDL borderline I was offered low strength statin. I ate 2 meals a day No alcohol Resistance train , incorporate legs 4 times per wk and skipping .Lost 4 inches off waist in 6/7 weeks. LDL down 30 % and I weigh the same as I was 30 yrs ago . Cardiologist shocked I had not taken the stains and reversed my results .

[@KenRaineri]

I'm 61 years old. Exercise and walk at least 3 times a week. Heart disease runs in my family. Parents and oldest brother died of heart attack's in mid 60's. I had a CAC score of 595 in November of 2023. I was keto for that whole year. After the test I went carnivore. I had the CAC test done in November 2024. The test score was 674. That's a 11.7% increase. I also had a NMR test done in November of 2024 and my LDL-P was 2459. Its literally so high its off the chart. Other numbers on my NMR are as follows: small ldl-p 154, ldl size 22.8, hdl-p 34.5, large hdl-p 16.3,hdl size 10.2, large vldl-p 1.5 and vldl size 42.5. My triglycerides are around 115. My LDL is usually around 223. Cant seem to lower these two anymore on carnivore. I only eat 1 meal a day. In 2024 I was and still am taking the following Vitamins. 6 grams vitamin c, 6 grams l-lysine, 1500mg proline, 1800mg chondroitin sulfate, mk-7 400mcg, 10,000iu D, 800 mg magnesium different varieties, b-complex, boron 3mg, 800mg quercetin, zinc picolinte 50mg, nattokinase 12,000 fu, 2 drops iodine 450mcg, fish oil 3600mg, 1 baby aspirin and 800mg berberine. It seems like whatever I do nothing seems to help with the CAC score. I had a nuclear stress test done in 2024 and passed. Had a CT angiogram with contrast done in April of 2024 and it said 50% to 69% maximal coronary stenosis. My cardiologist wanted me to take 80mg of statin. I refused. Does anybody have any suggestions on my situation?

[@SpiritQD]

I thought that a CAC score as a [reliable] indicator for heart disease was disproven.

[@SimpleHormones]

CAC is a tool that’s used to paint a picture of heart risk. As I explain in the video, it’s definitely not the final word but it is a very useful, inexpensive, and non-invasive way to see what’s happening in the heart.

[@vivianrose6805]

71 year old female, lifetime of fitness training, non-smoker, no alcohol and a very healthy carnivore diet. I am currently in hospital having narrowly missed death by LAD blockage. In July 2022 I paid for CAC ( expensive in UK). The result was zero You may imagine how confused I feel.

[@jonklein7130]

What was the cause? Your score was 0

[@leonardleonardlove20]

No matter how much I exercised or ate healthy including low carbs I was getting 2-3 blockages every 2-3 yrs and I am now at 12 stents,But 6 yrs ago I started taking 8000 fus on empty stomach twice a day and 200 mcg of MK7-K2 twice a day with 5000 IU D3 with food and have not had a blockage in 6 yrs and feel great at 61 yrs old.

[@giaica816]

What is fus?

[@joeybanes690]

@@giaica816 Nattokinase

[@Noworries555justdreams]

You need a CIMT. That tells you the dimension of the arteries and gives you the degree of inflammation which causes plaques.

[@SimpleHormones]

CIMT (carotid artery intima media thickness) is another way to test heart risk. Like CAC it has pluses and minuses but it’s very informative. It’s an ultrasound of the carotid arteries on both sides of your neck. Plaque builds up in those arteries about the same time and rate as it builds in your coronary arteries. So it’s a good test that hints about what could be going on in your heart.

[@Kimmer]

Aren't statins known for helping to stabilize plaques and reduce risks of calcium breakoffs? Also, how do you find a doctor that will check apo b and do more comprehensive testing to examine inflammation markers?

[@SimpleHormones]

@Kimmer Statins are known to stabilize plaques and possibly reduce the chance of a clot forming. One way to find a doctor who understands ApoB and hormone optimization is here . . . simplehormones.com/referral

[@marwaelsayed9451]

How can I make appointment with you for some recommendations? Please

[@dig1272]

I called my MD who called in a referral to Rolling Oaks Radiology near me! I think i am lucky my MD is somewhat, or maybe very, open-minded. 😊 My gyno gives me estradiol patch and progesterone pill. I am so fortunate!! I will know my Apob# soon. Now to really focus on consistent exercise with Hiit. I love Leslie Sansone's Miracle Miles workout dvd's with the substantial band with hoops in it for less or more resistance. The workouts have warm up/cool down, lots of muscle work, running here and there (HIIT) and it is a blast! We do kickbacks, sidesteps, knee lifts, kicks, all kinds of moves and never ever boring AND you get 5 dvd's: 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 mile choices.

[@reginamay2767]

your test was 10 mins here in oklahoma they do this test takes 30 mins and the cost is 99.00

[@bobmason1499]

Thanks for sharing great information on the CT scan !!!

[@SimpleHormones]

@bobmason1499 You're welcome. Happy to share my experience. As I say in the video - a CAC isn't the whole picture but it is a helpful, relatively inexpensive, and painless way to learn more about your heart risk.

[@mikeb2611]

my calcium score was 2 last month..had a positive stress test the month before...Now I have to have a heart cath angiogram....the calcium scans are very misleading because it makes you think you are good to go if you have a low score and the doctors dont tell you that may not be the case

[@Rose-hw3dm]

What is the root cause of calcium calcification Steve? Imbalance of Magnesium to Calcium in the blood? Morley Robbins from the Root Cause Protocol would be able to comment

[@836dmar]

The root cause is damage that is already done. No simple answers - No magic “Dr Pinkus” supplements. CAC is not a “monitoring” biometric you can manipulate like overall cholesterol, HDL, LDL, etc. Hopefully it is used it to inspire you to change lifestyle. Unfortunately, it is often fuel for the ordering of statins which might change your lipid profile but will not reduce your CAC score and, according to many long term studies, statistically, might not reduce all cause mortality.

[@cookingwithcuyandotherfuns6238]

Believe it or not it's excessive glucose in your body.

[@836dmar]

@@cookingwithcuyandotherfuns6238 try to find anything without sugar added any more. It’s out of control! Yet my MD doesn’t seem to care about anything but my LDLs

[@cookingwithcuyandotherfuns6238]

CAC's do NOT tell the entire story. The plaque shown is on the OUTSIDE of the arteries in a CAC test.....not necessarily what's on the inside diameters where the blood flows. My score was a whopping 2000 yet my heart cath showed that I only have 20-30% narrowing in certain places. No stents or other action was needed. (65 years old) A heart cath is the only way you really know what's going on with your heart arteries, period. By the way, my cholesterol numbers have been completely normal forever.

[@AZSilverbug]

Wow, interesting! Did you have a LP-PLA2 test done? Apo-B?

[@donnamcfarland162]

you need to tag @cookingwithcarr for him to see your comment. Let’s hope this works- I’d like to know too!

[@ashokdubey2843]

My age 73and havingr calsium score is 1114.9what I will do

[@watchervision4391]

Ditto here. 65yrs old, w/a 1400 on LAD. Blew up their nuclear stress and left them scratching their heads, declaring I'm asymptomatic w/less tha 30% blockage. Told them to shove the statin, and I'll cont. improving my metabolic efficiency instead.

[@tracygarnet6392]

Just had a CAC score of 540, started getting out of breath very quickly playing pickleball. Also have a heart murmur I didn't have before, should I be worried? Haven't seen my Dr. since the test. Just did it on Friday, but surprised at how high the number was.

[@SimpleHormones]

@tracygarnet6392 That's a high score. I wouldn't say you should be "worried" but I would say you should be "motivated." I have a good friend with a moderately high CAC score (less than 100) who was experiencing some chest pain during a workout. He went to his doctor, who recommended a stress test. He had symptoms during the test. He was escalated to the cath lab, where doctors found he had significant blockages in his LAD, the artery in the heart that's most problematic. Your situation definitely warrants talking with your doctor, who will probably refer you to a cardiologist to see if there are significant blockages. It's not a situation to "wait and see" or try to handle on your own.

[@jonklein7130]

Out breath quickly and CAC of 540 yes see your dr

[@pairtrader]

What's the justification for no statins with ApoB over 100 and CAC score of 31 (you have heart disease!)? 5mg Rosuvastatin could get your ApoB close to 60 and it also reduces inflammation. Get A1C tested quarterly for the first year if you're worried about insulin resistance.

[@SimpleHormones]

@Chris N Reasonable question. I would say that 1) everyone over 60, at least every man, has some degree of heart disease 2) I’m not 100% convinced that statins are all that effective for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease - in people who are metabolically healthy and have never had a heart attack or other event 3) I am deeply concerned about the tendency of statins to increase insulin resistance, which is a very real risk 4) my top priority is avoiding cognitive decline, which I have an absolutely astronomical risk for and which is driven primarily by insulin resistance and inflammation 5) I’m also concerned about the risks of cognitive decline with statins, although that’s not as clear. I’m not completely opposed to statins but I’m not gung ho about them for my own health.

[@lawrencewong5924]

Great video. I have been wanting to do this test. Do you need a doctor referral to get the test? And is that $89 with or without insurance? Thanks.

[@SimpleHormones]

I just made an appointment at the radiology department of my local hospital. Insurance won’t cover CAC in most cases. I did not need a doctor’s referral.

[@mjrep7562]

​@@SimpleHormonesmedicare covers it.

[@teresabasson3809]

@@mjrep7562 No. Medicare does not cover CAC score test according to the place where I had mine done.

[@heartofthesouth1]

Can you touch on the benefit of Pantethine? I'm on my third month of taking 900mg a day divided into two doses. LDL went frrom 186 to 137. Had my first APOb test: 107. Not on statins, trying to eat healthy; minimal carbs and no fried foods.

[@mjrep7562]

Ldl is not bad. That was just another lie by the medical/pharma systems. There is actually a negative relationship between ldl and mortality.

[@JJ-yh9kf]

What about getting a CT angiogram,after getting a high CT calcium scan?

[@cookingwithcuyandotherfuns6238]

See my comment---exactly what happened to me.

[@irock4u222]

my cac was 95 all in the widow maker 2 yrs ago

[@SimpleHormones]

@irock4u222 Definitely good to know so you can take action.

[@Staygoldponyboy44]

Thank you for your videos! Would I just call my local radiology department and ask for a CAC test? Will I need a doc order? Also, does a CIMT test show the same. Thank you! 🙏🏼

[@reginamay2767]

I just had a Heart test for calcium my score is 22.

[@SimpleHormones]

@reginamay2767 That's good news. Zero would be better but 22 is still relatively low. All of us will, eventually, develop calcified plaque in our heart. The key is to keep that process as slow as possible. As I mention in the video CAC is just one way to evaluate heart risk and it's clearly not foolproof. But a good piece of information nonetheless. Thanks for watching! Here's another video that explains the Danish Study - 40% reduction in heart risk with HRT. kzbin.info/www/bejne/faKqk4qvg7-Ia5o

[@Walter37165]

All my arteries were zero but the "widow maker" one. 26.

[@teresabasson3809]

@regina I had mine on 06/2024 and score was 12. Female, 71 yrs, LMHR. Try/Hdl is 0.56.

[@reginamay2767]

@@teresabasson3809 great to hear for your scores👍♥️

[@sw6118]

After 3 years - two years of low fat vegan my score went from 43 to 51. In the third year I ate nuts and avocados dumb idea. Good luck.

[@raoulberret3024]

$89 for an MRI scan? Thank you for the information…

[@kathystclair9485]

The last time I had done was in a facility in Columbus ,OH. The cost was only 100. Well worth it to have Pease of mind!

[@raoulberret3024]

@@kathystclair9485 One can safely assume that most of the cost of the procedure was covered by your Insurance… I was wondering how costly would it be for those not insured.

[@cocoavideos]

It is a CT scan and yes the cash price is typically around $100. Most insurances do not cover it but some do (mine did).

[@lynniebabes5697]

I paid $69. That includes the interpretation/score. Insurance BCBS/Anthem didn't cover it. I live in N.IN

[@georgeyoung5720]

Eating a low carbohydrate diet is not good if you mean eating fewer COMPLEX carbohydrates. Eliminate, to the extent possible, all SIMPLE carbohydrates. Consume COMPLEX carbohydrates (these usually contain a lot of fiber).

[@Spurgeon687]

That’s a CT machine that shoots radiation into your body. Not something you want to do regulary.

[@cookingwithcuyandotherfuns6238]

It's less radiation than you get from the sun in any given year.

[@Spurgeon687]

@@cookingwithcuyandotherfuns6238 A CIMT Ultrasound is zero radiation and measures current soft plaque. The CAC just shows Calcium that accumulated and is hardened from the past could be 20 years old. What advantage do you think the CAC over the CIMT Ultrasound

[@giaica816]

@@Spurgeon687 I read that a CIMT ultrasound is only for the carotid artery.

[@Spurgeon687]

@@giaica816 CIMT is effective in detecting early changes in arterial wall thickness, which can indicate subclinical atherosclerosis before the presence of calcified plaques. Cost-Effective: Generally, CIMT is less expensive compared to a CAC scan, making it more accessible for routine cardiovascular risk assessment. Widely Used for General Atherosclerosis: CIMT can assess the overall burden of atherosclerosis by looking at the carotid artery, which often reflects general cardiovascular risk. ChatGPT

[@Spurgeon687]

@@giaica816 kzbin.infofCvTzvl5sLY?si=8CDlt0HkSKgjGA_r

[@Utbmingo2018]

Is it the ego or personal experience that makes a person disparage pharmaceuticals out-of-hand? Something worth meditating on..If one is okay with the latest lab test biomarkers, why isn't it okay to trust the science when it comes to the diverse range of statin medications, not as the answer, but part of the toolkit needed for optimal CVD risk lowering?

[@SimpleHormones]

@Utbmingo2018 That’s an interesting perspective. I’ll try not to take personal offense. I prefer to think my personal experience informs my reactions to pharmaceuticals, rather than my ego. I’ve been a licensed, practicing pharmacist for over 3 decades. I worked for Big Pharma as an intern before my last year of pharmacy school. I recognize that statins have their place in reducing CVD risk. But they also have documented risks for increasing insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Trusting science is fine. But there can be a very blurred line between trusting science and blindly believing there’s a magic pill for every ill. In my 30+ years as a pharmacist, I’ve become much less enamored with the science promoted by Big Pharma. In today’s age of readily available information, we all have the opportunity to do our own research and reach our own conclusions. I’m encouraging patients to take charge of their healthcare in cooperation with a trusted healthcare practitioner.

[@MaryBethMcCoy]

@@SimpleHormones I am in complete agreement with you! As for statins, the risks far outweigh the benefits in most cases, and, the absolute risk reduction that they actually provide is insignificant. Why take them when you can accomplish better results without the horrible side effects, by simply modifying your diet?

[@howardstewart2549]

The cholesterol theory of causing heart disease or stroke is a fraud. This has been known since at least the early 1990s, by the public, when published info by a Dr. Curt Donsbach, exposed how the Framingham studies & other studies were corrupted to hide results that showed saturated fat & both dietary cholesterol & serum cholesterol are not the cause of arterial plaque, but only damaged or anaerobic LDL cholesterol, when coming into contact with calcium in the artery(cholesterol is the last substance to form plaque in the artery when it adheres to calcium & mixes with the other fatty pus-like substances that incudes enzymes & hormones)

[@howardstewart2549]

This is a continuation: The damaged cholesterol that is deposited to aid in forming soft plaque, is really the result of inflammation, which is a chronic immune response. Inflammation can result from a number of causes, but genetic predisposition by itself is rarely a cause. Insulin resistance due to poor lifestyle habits, mainly a regular SAD, consisting of processed foods & too much carbs. Hyperglycemia is really metabolic syndrome(leaky gut) that causes damage to beta cells in the pancreas, that is responsible for dysfunctional insulin production & insulin-resistant receptor cells, that cause high blood sugar( hyperglycemia & fatty liver can result over time. This is a vicious cycle of inflammation that leads to any number of serious chronic conditions, & even sudden death from heart attack or stroke, if the poor habit(s) are not discontinued. Eventually, tissue & organ & blood vessel damage becomes irreversible, if there is no intervention.:

[@jeneenharmon8938]

@@howardstewart2549what a great comment! You are right on! These videos tell the truth but yet I can’t happen to feel like big pharma and other financially benefiting associations don’t really want us to be healthy at all or this critical information would be on the morning and evening news telling us how to heal and treat ourselves…hmmm

[@JimAustin-x6v]

BS

[@SimpleHormones]

@user-dq3eb4yp9s Thanks for your valuable, thoughtful, and generous input. Have a wonderful day!