Cholesterol is a natural fatty substance that can be found in the blood. It is created in the liver and is also present in certain foods. Cholesterol is crucial to keeping the cells in our bodies active and healthy.
High cholesterol means excess cholesterol in the blood. Multiple conditions can lead to this. If a person does not take steps to reduce high cholesterol, it can escalate their risk of stroke and heart attack.
The Common medical terms for high blood cholesterol are hypercholesterolemia or hyperlipidemia, with the former being more accurate.
Types of cholesterol
Cholesterol is utilised by every cell in the body to keep them healthy. It is transported across the body to the cells that are required for the proteins in the blood. Proteins are substances in the body that do the majority of the work in the cells and assist in maintaining the organs and body's tissues working as they should.
When cholesterol and proteins unite, they are known as lipoproteins. There are two types of lipoproteins: one type is good for health, and the other is bad.
High-density lipoproteins are referred to as good cholesterol. They remove bad cholesterol from the blood by picking up cholesterol that is not needed and returning it to the liver, where it gets broken down and removed from the body.
Non-high-density lipoprotein (non-HDL) is also known as bad cholesterol. Surplus non-HDL leads to the buildup of fatty deposits inside the walls of the blood vessels. This builds up and narrows the blood vessels, elevating your risk of heart attack or stroke.
You may also have heard "bad" cholesterol, referred to as "LDL" cholesterol. This is used as a main yardstick of harmful types of cholesterol; however, there are other forms of mon-HDL cholesterol that can also impact your health.
Triglycerides
Our blood contains a type of fat known as triglycerides (present in fat cells), which can also contribute to artery narrowing. Excess weight, consuming a lot of sugary or fatty foods or drinking too much can lead to high triglyceride levels.
If you have had results from a lipid profile, you may get to know about your triglyceride level. Your healthcare provider will be able to tell you if it is too high.
You can have a normal level of HDL and non-HDL cholesterol; however, you still have a high triglyceride level.
Symptoms
High cholesterol doesn't show any symptoms for most people. You can even be a marathon runner and have high cholesterol. You won't begin to feel symptoms unless the high cholesterol causes other health conditions.
Causes
Genetic and lifestyle factors both play a crucial role in causing high cholesterol. Lifestyle factors include:
Stress: Stress activates hormonal imbalance that cause your body to generate cholesterol.
Smoking and tobacco use: Smoking reduces your "good cholesterol" (HDL) and increases your "bad cholesterol" (LDL)
Alcohol: Excess alcohol consumption can lead to increased levels of cholesterol
Diet: Certain foods can increase or decrease cholesterol. At times, healthcare providers will recommend dietary alterations or recommend that you visit a nutritionist to discuss your diet.
Not moving around enough: Physical activity, such as aerobic exercise, improves cholesterol levels. If you sit a lot, your body won't generate sufficient "good cholesterol."
Tests
A cholesterol test is primarily done to diagnose a lipid disorder. Different experts suggest different starting ages for adults.
Popularly suggested starting ages are between 20 to 45 for women & 20 to 35 for men.
Adults with normal cholesterol levels should have the test repeated every five years.
Repeat testing sooner if changes happen in lifestyle (including weight gain and diet).
Adults with a history of elevated cholesterol, kidney problems, diabetes, heart disease, and other conditions need more frequent testing.
If your cholesterol results are not normal, you may also have other tests such as:
- Kidney function tests
- Blood sugar (glucose) test to look for diabetes
- Thyroid function tests to look for an underactive thyroid gland
Cholesterol levels
The provided information only works as a guideline. The important aspect lies in assessing your risk. It is always recommended to consult with your doctor regarding your test results and the target levels you should work for.
Gain more insights into the interpretation of your results, how your doctor determines your risk, and the potential requirement for medication.
| Result | Healthy level (mmol/L) |
| Total cholesterol | 5 or below |
| HDL (good cholesterol) | 1 or above |
| Non-HDL (bad cholesterol) | 4 or below |
| Fasting triglycerides (when you're asked not to eat for several hours before the test) | 1.7 or below |
| Non-fasting triglycerides (when you eat as normal before the test) | 2.3 or below |
| Total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol ratio | 6 or below |
If you have a high cholesterol level, it means you have too much "bad" cholesterol in your blood, which escalates the risk of getting a stroke or heart attack. However, a high level of good "HDL" cholesterol can assist keep that "bad" (non-HDL) cholesterol in check.
If you are under secondary prevention treatment for your heart condition, you may have different LDL-cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol levels to work for.
- LDL cholesterol level of 2.0mmol/L or less.
- Non-HDL cholesterol level of 2.6mmol/L or less.
If you are not sure of what levels you should be aiming for, consult with your doctor.
Treatment
These steps will help you to reduce your cholesterol level and also, in turn, prevent heart disease and a heart attack:
- Quit smoking.
- Consume foods that are naturally low in fat. These include fruits, whole grains, and vegetables.
- Avoid foods that are high in saturated fat.
- Use low-fat toppings, sauces, and dressings.
- exercise exercise regularly.
- Lose weight if you are overweight.
Your doctor may advise you to take medicine for your cholesterol if lifestyle alterations do not work. This will depend on:
- Your age
- Whether you smoke or are overweight
- Whether you have high blood pressure or diabetes
- Whether or not you have heart disease, diabetes, or other blood flow problems
- You are more likely to need medicine to lower your cholesterol:
- If you have heart disease or diabetes
- If your LDL cholesterol is 190 mg/dL (4.92 mmol/L) or more
- If you are at high risk for heart disease (even if you do not yet have any heart problems)
Dietary fibre
If you are trying to reduce your cholesterol, aim to eat foods high in dietary fibre (particularly soluble fibre) because they can lower the amount of LDL (bad) cholesterol present in your blood.
You can increase your fibre intake by eating:
- fruit
- legumes (such as chickpeas, lentils, soybeans and bean mixes)
- vegetables
- whole grains (for example, oats and barley)
- nuts and seeds.
Summary
Cholesterol is a waxy substance present in your blood. The body needs cholesterol to build healthy cells; nevertheless, high levels of cholesterol can elevate your risk of heart disease.
When you have high cholesterol, your body develops fatty deposits in the blood vessels. These deposits make it complicated for sufficient blood to flow through your arteries. At times, these deposits can break suddenly and form a clot that causes a stroke or heart attack.
High cholesterol can be inherited; however, it is frequently the consequence of unhealthy lifestyle choices, which makes it preventable & treatable. Regular exercise, a healthy diet, and, at times, medication can help reduce high cholesterol.
FAQs
1. What foods cause high cholesterol?
- processed or deli-style meats (such as bacon, ham, and salami)
- deep-fried fast foods
- processed foods (like biscuits and pastries)
- coconut oil
- takeaway foods (like pizza and hamburgers)
- fat on meat and skin on chicken
- lard, ghee, and copha
- palm oil (often called vegetable oil in products)cream and ice cream
- butter.
Foods high in (unhealthy) trans fats are:
- deep fried foods
- baked goods (such as pies, pastries, cakes and biscuits)
foods which list 'hydrogenated oils' or 'partially hydrogenated vegetable oils' on the ingredients list.
- takeaway foods
- butter
