What is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a lipid. It is a waxy, fatty-like substance that is naturally produced by your liver. It is essential for the formation of cell membranes, certain hormones and vitamin D.
Cholesterol is not soluble in water, so it cannot pass through your bloodstream on its own. To help transport cholesterol, your liver produces lipoproteins.
Lipoproteins are particles made of fat and protein. They carry cholesterol and triglycerides (another type of lipid) through your blood. The two main forms of lipoproteins are low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL).
If your blood has too much LDL cholesterol (cholesterol carried by low-density lipoproteins), it's called high cholesterol. If left untreated, high cholesterol can lead to many health problems, including heart attack or stroke.
High cholesterol usually causes no symptoms. That's why it's important to check your cholesterol levels regularly. Learn about cholesterol levels for your age.
LDL cholesterol, or "bad cholesterol"
The buildup is also called cholesterol plaque. This plaque can narrow your arteries, restrict your blood flow, and increase your risk of blood clots. If a blood clot blocks an artery in the heart or brain, it can cause a heart attack or stroke.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one-third of U.S. adults have elevated levels of LDL cholesterol.
High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is sometimes called "good cholesterol." It helps return LDL cholesterol to your liver for removal from your body. This helps prevent cholesterol plaque from building up in your arteries.
When your HDL cholesterol is at healthy levels, it can help reduce your risk of blood clots, heart disease, and stroke.
Triglycerides, a different type of lipid
When you eat more calories than your body can immediately burn, it converts those calories into triglycerides. It stores triglycerides in your fat cells. It also uses lipoproteins to circulate triglycerides in your blood.
If you regularly eat more calories than your body uses, your triglyceride levels will rise. This may increase your risk of several health problems, including heart disease and stroke. Your doctor can use simple blood tests to measure your triglyceride levels and cholesterol levels.
Check your cholesterol levels
Your doctor can use a lipid panel to measure your total cholesterol levels, as well as your LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. Your total cholesterol level is the total amount of cholesterol in your blood. It includes LDL and HDL cholesterol.
Your doctor will diagnose you with high cholesterol if your total or LDL cholesterol levels are too high. High cholesterol is especially dangerous when your LDL levels are too high and your HDL levels are too low.
The latest guide to normal cholesterol levels
In 2013, the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) developed the American Heart Association
Before this change, doctors would manage cholesterol based on numbers on a cholesterol level chart. Your doctor will measure your total, HDL, and LDL cholesterol levels. They will then decide whether to prescribe cholesterol-lowering medication based on comparing your numbers to those on the chart.
In addition to your cholesterol levels, treatment recommendations take into account other risk factors for heart disease, according to the new guidelines. These risk factors include diabetes and the estimated 10-year risk of cardiac events such as heart attack or stroke. Therefore, your "normal" cholesterol level depends on whether you have other risk factors for heart disease.
These new guidelines recommend that if you have no risk factors for heart disease and your LDL is above 189 mg/dL, your doctor should prescribe treatment. To find out what your personal cholesterol recommendations are, talk to your doctor.
cholesterol level chart
However, for the average child and adolescent, the American Heart Association classifies cholesterol levels (mg/dL) as follows:
| total cholesterol | HDL cholesterol | LDL cholesterol | |
| acceptable | below 170 | above 45 | Below 110 |
| edge | 170–199 | 40–45 | 110–129 |
| High | 200 or higher | not applicable | above 130 |
| low | not applicable | below 40 | not applicable |
high cholesterol symptoms
This is why routine cholesterol screening is important. If you are 20 years or older, ask your doctor whether you should have routine cholesterol screenings.
Causes of high cholesterol
Your genes can also affect your chances of developing high cholesterol. Genes are passed from parents to children. Certain genes instruct your body to process cholesterol and fat. If your parents have high cholesterol, you are also at higher risk.
In rare cases, high cholesterol is caused by familial hypercholesterolemia. This genetic disorder prevents your body from clearing LDL. According to the National Human Genome Research Institute, most adults with the disease have total cholesterol levels above 300 mg/dL and low-density lipoprotein levels above 200 mg/dL.
Other health conditions, such as diabetes and hypothyroidism, may also increase your risk of high cholesterol and related complications.
Risk factors for high cholesterol
- overweight or obese
- eating an unhealthy diet
- Don't exercise often
- smoking tobacco products
- Have a family history of high cholesterol
- Have diabetes, kidney disease, or hypothyroidism
People of all ages, genders and races can have high cholesterol.
Complications of high cholesterol
Atherosclerosis is a serious disease. It can restrict the flow of blood through the arteries. It also increases your risk of developing dangerous blood clots.
Atherosclerosis can lead to many life-threatening complications, such as:
- Stroke
- heart attack
- Angina (chest pain)
- hypertension
- peripheral vascular disease
- chronic kidney disease
High cholesterol can also cause bile imbalance and increase the risk of gallstones.
How to Diagnose High Cholesterol
To perform this test, your doctor or other health care professional will take a sample of your blood. They will send this sample to a laboratory for analysis. When your test results are available, they will tell you if your cholesterol or triglyceride levels are too high.
To prepare for this test, your doctor may ask you to avoid eating or drinking for at least 12 hours beforehand
How to lower cholesterol
Your doctor may also prescribe medications or other treatments to help lower your cholesterol levels. In some cases, they may refer you to a specialist for more care.
Lower cholesterol through diet
For example, they may recommend that you:
- Limit foods high in cholesterol, saturated fat and trans fat
- Choose lean protein sources such as chicken, fish, and beans
- Eat a variety of high-fiber foods, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains
- Choose grilled, broiled, steamed, broiled and broiled foods over fried foods
- Avoid fast food and junk food
Foods high in cholesterol, saturated fat, or trans fat include:
- Red meat, organ meats, egg yolks, and high-fat dairy products
- Processed foods made with cocoa butter, palm oil, or coconut oil
- Fried foods such as potato chips, onion rings, and fried chicken
- certain baked goods, such as some cookies and muffins
Eating fish and other foods containing omega-3 fatty acids may also help lower your LDL levels. For example, salmon, mackerel, and herring are rich sources of omega-3s. Walnuts, almonds, ground flax seeds, and avocados also contain omega-3s.
What high-cholesterol foods to avoid
For example, the following products are high in cholesterol:
- Fatty red meat
- Liver and other organ meats
- Eggs, especially egg yolks
- High-fat dairy products, such as full-fat cheese, milk, ice cream, and butter
cholesterol medications
Statins are the most commonly prescribed drugs to treat high cholesterol. They prevent your liver from producing more cholesterol.
Examples of statins include:
- Atorvastatin (Lipitor)
- Fluvastatin (Lescol)
- Rosuvastatin (Crestor)
- Simvastatin (Zocor)
Your doctor may also prescribe other medications to treat high cholesterol, such as:
- niacin
- Bile acid resins or chelating agents, such as colesevalam (Welchol), colestipol (Colestid), or cholestyramine (Prevalite)
- Cholesterol absorption inhibitors, such as ezetimibe (Zetia)
Some products contain a combination of medications that help reduce the body's absorption of cholesterol from food and reduce the amount of cholesterol produced by the liver. One example is the combination of ezetimibe and simvastatin (Vytorin).
How to Lower Cholesterol Naturally
Some people also claim that certain herbs and nutritional supplements may help lower cholesterol levels. For example, claims have been made regarding:
- garlic
- hawthorn
- Astragalus
- red yeast rice
- Phytosterol and Stanol Supplements
- Oat bran, found in rolled oats and whole oats
- Golden psyllium, found in psyllium seed husks
- ground flax seeds
However, the level of evidence supporting these claims varies. Additionally, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved any of these products for treating high cholesterol. More research is needed to understand whether they can help treat this condition. Always consult your doctor before taking any herbal or nutritional supplements. In some cases, they may interact with other medications you are taking.
How to Prevent High Cholesterol
To reduce your risk of high cholesterol:
- Eat a nutritious diet that is low in cholesterol and animal fats and high in fiber.
- Avoid drinking too much alcohol.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Exercise regularly.
- do not smoke.
You should also get routine cholesterol screenings as recommended by your doctor. If you are at risk for high cholesterol or coronary heart disease, they may encourage you to test your cholesterol levels regularly.
High cholesterol overall summary
To find out if you have high cholesterol, ask your doctor to test your cholesterol levels. If they diagnose you with high cholesterol, ask them about your treatment options.
To reduce your risk of complications from high cholesterol, practice healthy lifestyle habits and follow your doctor's recommended treatment plan. Eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, and avoiding tobacco products may help you achieve and maintain healthy cholesterol levels. It can also help reduce the risk of complications from high cholesterol.
