Although cholesterol is a vital component in your body, having too much of it can be dangerous to your health. To understand how to reduce your cholesterol levels, you need to know about the contributing factors. If you're concerned about your cholesterol levels, talk to your doctor about the course of action that's right for you.
Description
A certain amount of cholesterol is vital to your body for cell formation and other important functions, according to the University of Michigan Health System. Cholesterol is a lipid, a kind of fat that you metabolize from the foods you eat and that your liver creates. An excess of cholesterol can build up in your blood and collect in your arteries, forming plaques that clog your blood vessels. Different types of cholesterol exist in your body and blood, and your doctor will likely test for each type. High-density lipoproteins (HDL) are commonly called "good cholesterol" that actually protects your cardiovascular system, while low-density lipoproteins (LDL) are called "bad cholesterol," explains the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. LDL is the kind of cholesterol that builds up in your arteries.
Risk Factors
If you're a man, a postmenopausal woman, obese or overweight, you're at a high risk of having high cholesterol levels, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Although high cholesterol typically occurs in older adults, a family history of lipid disorder can make you predisposed to high cholesterol levels beginning at a young age. In fact, several genetic lipid disorders exist, including familial hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia, dysbetalipoproteinemia and combined hyperlipidemia, notes the University of Maryland Medical Center. Other risk factors for high cholesterol include having certain health conditions like hypothyroidism, kidney disease and polycystic ovary disease. Taking certain medications like oral contraceptives, corticosteroids and estrogens, as well as some antidepressants, antihypertensives and diuretics can also raise your cholesterol.
Lifestyle
Your lifestyle plays a crucial role in your risk of high cholesterol. A sedentary lifestyle or lack of exercise, smoking cigarettes and consuming a high-fat diet can all contribute greatly to elevated cholesterol levels. Eating foods that contain saturated fats and trans fats like red meats, dairy, fried foods and processed baked goods can increase your LDL and total cholesterol levels, according to the Mayo Clinic. Smoking can actually lower your HDL cholesterol levels, notes the University of Maryland Medical Center. Also, limiting the amount of cholesterol in the foods you eat to less than 200 to 300 mg daily can help keep your blood cholesterol levels in check. Excessive consumption of alcohol can also increase your cholesterol, notes the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
Complications
High LDL and total cholesterol levels can lead to serious and even life-threatening health problems, including atherosclerosis, heart attack and stroke, reports the University of Michigan Health System. Atherosclerosis occurs when your arteries become clogged with cholesterol-generated plaque deposits and can cut off your circulation to your heart or brain, explains the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. If you have a genetic lipid disorder, you may develop eye and tendon problems due to the buildup of cholesterol in these areas.
Considerations
Blood tests to check cholesterol levels are simple and common. A typical blood test will check your total cholesterol, LDL and HDL levels, as well as your triglycerides, reports the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Your LDL and triglycerides should be low, while your HDL should be high. The normal range for total cholesterol is 200 mg/dL or lower, while high cholesterol registers at 240 or higher, notes the University of Michigan Health System. Your LDL should register at or below 70 to 130 mg/dL, your triglycerides should be 10 to 150 mg/dL or lower, and your HDL should be 40 to 60 mg/dL or higher, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. If your total cholesterol, LDL or triglyceride level is too high, your doctor might recommend that you follow a healthier diet, exercise more, quit smoking, lose weight and reduce your alcohol intake. If these lifestyle changes don't work well enough, your doctor could prescribe a medication to lower your cholesterol, such as a statin, bile-acid sequestering resin, fibrate or cholesterol-absorption inhibitor medication.
