While I’m in the process of refilling the coffers and am pretty limited on time, I am starting to lay some groundwork for my first study. It is my hope I can conduct it in the fall of this year, but that’s still to be determined.
The study will need 12-20 volunteers who will be eating to a meal plan throughout 14 days while likewise taking many blood draws for cholesterol testing throughout. Moreover, they will be sequestered to a large house in Las Vegas that will serve as the staging area, where we will record all key activities associated with the experiment. (The large house has been volunteered by a friend for the use of this experiment)
One-half of the participants must be already on a ketogenic diet and will eat to a ketogenic meal plan. The other half must have already been on a carb-centric diet and will be eating to a carb-centric meal plan.
The participants can make phone calls, work from computers, watch TV, play video games, etc. as they wish during this period. But food intake and blood draws will be taken on a prescribed schedule. While not scheduled, proper sleep patterns will likewise be expected. Unfortunately, working out or other forms of intensive exercise will be prohibited during the experiment period as they will likely impact the lipid data.
There is also a likelihood this will be captured by a camera crew for a documentary (more on that later).
If you’ve followed the work I do with myself and others, you know I’m extremely motivated to be as precise and transparent as possible. I expect the data from this experiment to by highly scrutinized given what it will be showing and thus, I’m very serious about keeping it well controlled.
My plan is to first secure a group of motivated volunteers before preparing a Kickstarter campaign to raise money for the experiment. Requirements for volunteers:
- As stated above, must be comfortable with 14-day sequestration, eating to meal plan times/quantities, and having several blood draws over the course of the experiment
- Cannot be on any medications
- No recent significant illness or injury
- For Keto diet volunteers, you must have been on diet for 12 months or more
If you’re interested, feel free to comment as such below and I’ll add your name to the Interest List.
Hi Dave,
I might be able to help, although I don’t quite fit the criteria. I’m 47/M/5’5″/135, zerocarb beef/eggs/fish only for four months. That’s the hang up, not 12 months of keto. I’m a hyperresponder who had my first lipid panel a month ago, and you and I had an exchange on Reddit regarding my numbers. 471C had me scared, and you helped a lot.
You are welcome to keep me as an open alternative should you find I can be of use. Thank you for all that you are doing.
Warmly,
Matt Remine
Thanks, Matt.
To be sure, this is still very much in the early planning stages, so there’s plenty that can change potentially. But for now, I’m just gauging interest and availability as well.
Wow — lots of interest — I’ll repost twitter volunteers/interesteds here for posterity (and so I know where to find them later)…
As a medical student, I can’t realistically spend 14 days in Las Vegas, but I would be happy to help in other ways if possible.
Hi Dave, I am a writer now working with Diet Doctor, in Victoria BC Canada. Female 59 years old. My post today June 19 on Diet Doctor tells about my journey. The fact I could work and write for the site makes me interested, if you are taking women. I think your work is exceptional. I have been LCHF since November 2015, usually in ketosis by ketostix but I am not measuring it much these days. I just stick to LCHF and feel great all the time.
Hi Anne–
Definitely! I’ll add you to the list.
Congrats on working with Diet Doctor as I consider them a fantastic site.
Hi Dave,
I am fascinated by your studies and experiments. I start a diet back in Feb/18 lost around 7 kilos, exercising 3 times a week on high protein intake, low carb, and low fat. Did a checkup on April 30th. My cholesterol 311 (BAAAAAD). The doctor prescribes Lipitor 40MG right way. I didn’t even bother buying. Just because didn’t make any sense that of all people (especially after losing 7+kilos) I need prescription drug control. So I ignore the doctor. It didn’t feel right. But I was pist the F off! I stop the diet, exercising, start drinking and so on. Then I start looking for answers as I find Keto diet, and eventually you. I want to do another blood test. But not sure how to calculate the fat intake. What should I eat in quantities to reach the high fat intake?
Hi Dave,
How are you? I did a second blood test. April 30/18 Total cholesterol 311, HDL 75, Triglycerides 64. After I did three days high fat intake (heavy cream, avocado, macadamia nuts, eggs, salad with Oliver oil, pork meat, and butter on my tea) the result as follow cholesterol 270, HDL 78, Triglycerides 60. Which I am happy. But, I would like to learn how is the right procedure to calculate the intake fat before doing taking the test. Can you help
Hi Laila — Looks like I missed your first comment from earlier. Sorry about that.
So if you’re talking about general LCHF lifestyle, I recommend sites like DietDoctor.com which have plenty of in-depth resources to get you started. If you’re talking about my protocol for cholesterol tests, you can read about it here: http://cholesterolcode.com/extreme-cholesterol-drop-experiment/
Hi Dave.
Thanks for your response. I am talking about your cholesterol code, which I kind did as I lower my cholesterol 15%.
However, I am not totally sure how to calculate the fats from food. I did see some calculation with package food nutritional information. I will try to be more precisely when I do my blood tests next time. Thanks
Sounds good. 🙂
Hi Dave
I’m a 63 year old women, just lost 43lbs in the last 8 months eating 50carbs or less a day, my cholesterol went from 198 to 304, Hal 87, triglycerides 61, ldl 205, chol/hdl ratio 3.5, non-hdl-c 217, fasting bg 84, starting wt 183 today 140. If I can help in the study let me know