![\"Cholesterol\n\"](\"https:\/\/blog.medkart.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Cholesterol.jpg\")
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Introduction<\/p>\n
Cholesterol is the waxy substance found in your blood that can clog the blood vessels, leading to detrimental health effects. To determine your cholesterol levels, you can get a blood test. This article will shed more light on the types of cholesterol, their effects on the body, how to treat high cholesterol levels, and certain myths and facts about cholesterol. Read on to know more.<\/p>\n
Types of cholesterol<\/p>\n
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the various types of cholesterol are as follows.<\/span><\/p>\n \u2022 High-density lipoproteins (HDL cholesterol) – Also called \u201cgood cholesterol,\u201d it ensures that extra cholesterol in the body is flushed out via the liver.<\/p>\n \u2022 Low-density lipoproteins (LDL cholesterol) – also called \u201cbad cholesterol,\u201d it increases the chances of stroke and heart disease.<\/p>\n \u2022 Very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL cholesterol)- Another type of \u201cbad cholesterol,\u201d it leads to an increase in triglyceride levels and plaque buildup.<\/p>\n \u2022 Triglycerides- A type of fat that is required in your body. However, high levels can cause adverse effects on your body.<\/p>\n How to check cholesterol levels?<\/p>\n To check your cholesterol levels, a simple blood test that needs minimum fasting of 12 hours needs to be done. The following table provides further details on blood cholesterol levels measured in milligrams of cholesterol per deciliter of blood (mg\/dL).<\/p>\n CHOLESTEROL LEVELS<\/p>\n HEART HEALTHY AT-RISK DANGEROUS<\/p>\n HDL<\/p>\n Male<\/p>\n Female<\/p>\n 60 and higher<\/p>\n 40-59<\/p>\n 50-59<\/p>\n Under 40<\/p>\n Under 50<\/p>\n LDL Under 100 100-159 160 and higher<\/p>\n TOTAL CHOLESTEROL Under 200 200-239 240 and higher<\/p>\n What causes high cholesterol?<\/p>\n The condition with high blood cholesterol levels is known as hypercholesterolemia. Certain causes are within your control (modifiable) while others cannot be modified. The causes of high cholesterol levels are as follows.<\/p>\n Modifiable causes<\/p>\n \u2022 Inactivity or sedentary lifestyle<\/p>\n \u2022 Obesity<\/p>\n \u2022 Unhealthy diet<\/p>\n \u2022 Smoking<\/p>\n \u2022 Alcohol<\/p>\n Non-modifiable causes<\/p>\n \u2022 Family history<\/p>\n \u2022 Genetic makeup<\/p>\n \u2022 Age \u2013 above 40 years<\/p>\n \u2022 Diabetes<\/p>\n \u2022 Chronic kidney disease<\/p>\n \u2022 HIV\/AIDS<\/p>\n \u2022 Hypothyroidism<\/p>\n \u2022 Lupus<\/p>\n \u2022 Medications taken for diseases like cancer, acne, high blood pressure, HIV\/AIDS, irregular heart rhythm, and organ transplantation can also lead to hypercholesterolemia.<\/p>\n Signs and symptoms of high cholesterol in the body<\/p>\n Hypercholesterolemia is a silent disease. Therefore, a routine blood test is the safest way to identify if your cholesterol levels are high. However, certain signs of high cholesterol levels may be noticeable. It is vital to be aware of them to take action at the earliest.<\/p>\n Signs of cholesterol on the face<\/p>\n \u2022 Soft patches of yellowish bumps around your eyes, mostly seen on the upper eyelid, called xanthelasma.<\/p>\n \u2022 Appearance of a light-coloured, yellowish ring around your cornea called corneal arcus.<\/p>\n Signs of cholesterol on the skin<\/p>\n \u2022 Fatty deposits under the skin lead to an unexplained set of bumps, patches of soft yellowish skin, or discolouration on your extremities, called xanthomas.<\/p>\n \u2022 Psoriasis – an inflammatory skin condition<\/p>\n \u2022 Net-like bluish-red mottling of the skin called livedo reticularis.<\/p>\n Effects of high cholesterol on the body<\/p>\n High cholesterol levels can lead to the following systemic effects within your body.<\/p>\n \u2022 Blockage in the arteries of the brain<\/p>\n \u2022 Adverse effects on memory<\/p>\n \u2022 Stroke<\/p>\n \u2022 Pain in the jaw<\/p>\n \u2022 Chest pain<\/p>\n \u2022 Heart attacks<\/p>\n \u2022 Gallstones<\/p>\n \u2022 Numbness in the legs<\/p>\n High cholesterol treatment and precautions<\/p>\n If your cholesterol levels are high, you can take the following precautions and avail the following treatments (only after expert consultation).<\/p>\n Prevent high cholesterol<\/p>\n \u2022 Make healthy eating choices by including foods rich in fibre and low in saturated fats and sugars.<\/p>\n \u2022 Maintain a healthy weight by monitoring your diet and physical activity.<\/p>\n \u2022 Engage in regular physical activity.<\/p>\n \u2022 Avoid smoking and alcohol intake.<\/p>\n \u2022 Manage stress<\/p>\n Cholesterol medicine<\/p>\n Certain cholesterol tablets prescribed by your doctor can help reduce cholesterol levels, along with lifestyle changes. Cholesterol tablets include cholesterol-lowering medicines such as statins, bile acid sequestrants, fibrates, and nicotinic acid.<\/p>\n What causes low cholesterol?<\/p>\n Low cholesterol levels in the blood are known as hypolipidemia. A total cholesterol level of less than 120 mg\/dl or an LDL of less than 50 mg\/dl is considered as hypolipidemia. Causes of low cholesterol include the following.<\/p>\n \u2022 Poor nutrition<\/p>\n \u2022 Inability to absorb nutrients<\/p>\n \u2022 Chronic infections<\/p>\n \u2022 Chronic inflammation<\/p>\n \u2022 Certain genetic disorders<\/p>\n \u2022 Taking cholesterol-lowering medications without appropriate follow-up with the doctor<\/p>\n Signs and symptoms of low cholesterol in the body<\/p>\n Symptoms of low cholesterol in the body are as follows.<\/p>\n \u2022 Depressive symptoms<\/p>\n \u2022 Anxiety<\/p>\n \u2022 Confusion<\/p>\n \u2022 Nervousness<\/p>\n \u2022 Changes in one\u2019s mood, sleep or eating patterns<\/p>\n \u2022 Bleeding in the brain<\/p>\n Low cholesterol treatment and precautions<\/p>\n Since low cholesterol levels do not show up until it is too late, getting your cholesterol levels checked regularly is the best way to identify it. Treating low cholesterol levels depends on the cause. It is important to remember that simply eating a diet high in cholesterol will not solve the problem. Consult your healthcare practitioner before initiating any treatment.<\/p>\n Some of the best ways to prevent low cholesterol levels are as follows.<\/p>\n \u2022 Eat healthy food<\/p>\n \u2022 Check cholesterol levels regularly<\/p>\n \u2022 Maintain an active lifestyle<\/p>\n \u2022 Be attentive to symptoms of anxiety and stress.<\/p>\n Myths and facts about cholesterol<\/p>\n Dispelling certain myths about cholesterol with facts can help you acquire knowledge about cholesterol.<\/p>\n Myth: All cholesterol is bad.<\/p>\n Fact: HDL cholesterol is good cholesterol and helps in eliminating excess bad cholesterol from your body.<\/p>\n Myth: I can feel high cholesterol levels.<\/p>\n Fact: High cholesterol levels are identified only through a blood test. Usually, the signs of high cholesterol are difficult to pick up till they are advanced.<\/p>\n Myth: Eating high-cholesterol foods will not affect my cholesterol levels.<\/p>\n Fact: High-cholesterol foods like red meat, cheese, and butter contain saturated fats that increase your cholesterol levels. Contrarily, consuming foods rich in fibre like oatmeal, beans, whole grains, etc. can help maintain normal cholesterol levels.<\/p>\n Conclusion<\/p>\n Cholesterol levels, if high, may go unnoticed for a long time. A simple blood test to check your cholesterol levels every 5 years can help prevent and manage this condition. Taking necessary precautions like following a healthy lifestyle, diet, and exercise can help maintain your cholesterol levels.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Introduction Cholesterol is the waxy substance found in your blood that can clog the blood vessels, leading to detrimental health effects. To determine your cholesterol levels, you can get a blood test. This article will shed more light on the types of cholesterol, their effects on the body, how to treat high cholesterol levels, and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":6993,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[493],"tags":[120,121,119],"ppma_author":[606],"class_list":["post-210","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health-wellness","tag-cholesterol-levels","tag-high-cholesterol","tag-types-of-cholesterol"],"yoast_head":"\n