Generally, individuals with diabetes, particularly type 2 diabetes, are at risk of high cholesterol. This is mostly due to a poor diet in conjunction with an inactive lifestyle, according to Anna Arnoldi in her book "Functional Foods, Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes." Although these two health conditions can occur irrespective of each other, high cholesterol is a common associated risk of diabetes, Arnoldi says. Understanding these diseases can help eliminate further risk or complication.
Diabetes
Diabetes is a lifelong health condition characterized by high levels of blood glucose. It develops due to poor use of or insufficient production of the hormone insulin, which is made by the pancreas. Type 1 diabetes is generally first diagnosed in childhood. Even when a person with diabetes keeps her glucose levels under control, she still has an increased risk of heart disease and stroke, which makes keeping cholesterol levels low imperative, the American Heart Association warns. Type 2 diabetics usually develop the disease later in life. Risk factors for type 2 diabetes include obesity, a sedentary lifestyle with little to no physical activity, and a family history of diabetes. The diagnosis often accompanies high cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Low-Density Lipoprotein
Cholesterol is a type of fat that naturally occurs in the body and is transported throughout your body by low-density lipoprotein, known as bad cholesterol, or high-density lipoprotein, or good cholesterol. Cholesterol testing measures the presence of these compounds in the blood to ascertain if you have too much bad cholesterol circulating in the blood. Type 2 diabetics will generally exhibit high LDL levels prior to and/or during diagnosis, Arnoldi says. Blood LDL levels between 160 and 189 mg/dL are considered high, while levels between 100 and 159 mg/dL are above the optimal level, the American Heart Association says.
Associated Health Risks
If you have diabetes and high LDL cholesterol, your associated health risks are compounded. Diabetics have a markedly increased risk of high blood triglycerides, which increase the likelihood of arterial plaque development that can lead to stroke, heart attack and coronary heart disease, according to Mason Freeman and Christine Junge in the book "The Harvard Medical School Guide to Lowering Cholesterol."
Foods Beneficial for Diabetes and High Cholesterol
The most beneficial food for controlling diabetes and reducing high cholesterol is soluble fiber, according to Freeman and Junge. Soluble fiber naturally lowers cholesterol levels and slows the the absorption of glucose in the blood. MayoClinic.com recommends eating at least 5 to 10 g of soluble fiber each day to reduce bad cholesterol and regulate blood sugar. Oatmeal, for example, provides about 6 g of fiber. Soluble-fiber-rich foods include barley, bran flakes, split peas, lentils, artichokes and other whole grain and legume varieties.
Medical Treatments
In many cases, you cannot control high cholesterol and diabetes by diet alone. Diabetic medication includes injectable insulin, six classes of diabetes pills -- sulfonylureas, meglitinides, biguanides, thiazolidinediones, alpha-glucosidase inhibitors and DPP-4 inhibitors -- that work to lower blood glucose levels, and the injectable medications pramlintide and exenatide, which are insulin alternatives, according to the American Diabetes Association.
If you are diabetic and also have high cholesterol, you will also be given cholesterol-reducing medication if diet and exercise are not enough to reduce your levels. Common cholesterol medications include statins, cholesterol absorption inhibitors and antihyperlipidemic agents, which are usually a combination drug that includes a statin, according to Drugs.com.
Only you and your doctor can choose what medication combination is suitable for you.
References
- "Functional Foods, Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes"; Anna Arnoldi; 2004
- MedlinePlus: Diabetes
- American Diabetes Association: All About Cholesterol
- American Heart Association: Diabetes Mellitus
- American Heart Association: Cholesterol Levels
- "The Harvard Medical School Guide to Lowering Your Cholesterol"; Mason Freeman and Christine Junge; 2005
