What is Cholesterol?
What Causes High Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a lipid (fat) which is produced by the liver.
Cholesterol is vital for normal body function.
Every cell in our body has cholesterol in its outer
layer.
Cholesterol is a waxy steroid and is transported in the blood plasma of all animals.
Cholesterol is a waxy steroid and is transported in the blood plasma of all animals.
It is the main sterol synthesized by
animals - small amounts are also synthesized in plants and fungi.
A sterol is a steroid sub-group.
The word "cholesterol" comes from the Greek word chole, meaning "bile", and the Greek word stereos, meaning "solid, stiff".
The word "cholesterol" comes from the Greek word chole, meaning "bile", and the Greek word stereos, meaning "solid, stiff".
What are the
functions of cholesterol?
·It builds and maintains cell membranes
(outer layer), it prevents crystallization of hydrocarbons in the membrane
·It is essential for determining which
molecules can pass into the cell and which cannot (cell membrane permeability)
·It is involved in the production of
sex hormones (androgens and estrogens)
·It is essential for the production of
hormones released by the adrenal glands (cortisol, corticosterone, aldosterone,
and others)
·It aids in the production of bile
·It converts sunshine to vitamin D. Scientists from the Rockefeller
University were surprised to find that taking vitamin D supplements do not seem to reduce the risk
of cholesterol-related cardiovascular disease.
·It insulates nerve fibers
There
are three main types of lipoproteins
Cholesterol
is carried in the blood by molecules called lipoproteins.
A lipoprotein is any complex or compound
containing both lipid (fat) and protein.
The three main types
are:
·LDL (low density lipoprotein) - people
often refer to it as bad cholesterol. LDL carries cholesterol from the
liver to cells. If too much is carried, too much for the cells to use, there
can be a harmful buildup of LDL. This lipoprotein can increase the risk of
arterial disease if levels rise too high. Most human blood contains
approximately 70% LDL - this may vary, depending on the person.
·HDL (high density lipoprotein) - people
often refer to it as good cholesterol. Experts say HDL prevents arterial
disease. HDL does the opposite of LDL - HDL takes the cholesterol away from the
cells and back to the liver. In the liver it is either broken down or expelled
from the body as waste.
·Triglycerides - these are
the chemical forms in which most fat exists in the body, as well as in food.
They are present in blood plasma. Triglycerides, in association with
cholesterol, form the plasma lipids (blood fat). Triglycerides in plasma
originate either from fats in our food, or are made in the body from other
energy sources, such as carbohydrates. Calories we consume but are not used
immediately by our tissues are converted into triglycerides and stored in fat
cells. When your body needs energy and there is no food as an energy source,
triglycerides will be released from fat cells and used as energy - hormones
control this process.
What are normal cholesterol levels?
The
amount of cholesterol in human blood can vary from 3.6 mmol/liter to 7.8
mmol/liter.
The National Health Service (NHS), UK,
says that any reading over 6 mmol/liter is high, and will significantly raise
the risk of arterial disease. The UK Department of Health recommends a target
cholesterol level of under 5 mmo/liter. Unfortunately, two-thirds of all UK
adults have a total cholesterol level of at least five (average men 5.5,
average women 5.6).
Below is a list of cholesterol levels and how most doctors would categorize them in mg/dl (milligrams/deciliter) and 5mmol/liter (millimoles/liter).
Below is a list of cholesterol levels and how most doctors would categorize them in mg/dl (milligrams/deciliter) and 5mmol/liter (millimoles/liter).
·Desirable - Less than 200 mg/dL
·Bordeline high - 200 to 239 mg/dL
·High - 240 mg/dL and above
·Optimum level: less than 5mmol/liter
·Mildly high cholesterol level: between
5 to 6.4mmol/liter
·Moderately high cholesterol level:
between 6.5 to 7.8mmol/liter
·Very high cholesterol level: above
7.8mmol/liter
Dangers of high cholesterol levels
High cholesterol levels can cause:
·Atherosclerosis - narrowing
of the arteries.
·Higher coronary heart disease risk - an
abnormality of the arteries that supply blood and oxygen to the heart.
·Heart attack - occurs
when the supply of blood and oxygen to an area of heart muscle is blocked,
usually by a clot in a coronary artery. This causes your heart muscle to die.
·Angina - chest
pain or discomfort that occurs when your heart muscle does not get enough
blood.
·Other cardiovascular conditions - diseases
of the heart and blood vessels.
·Stroke and mini-stroke - occurs
when a blood clot blocks an artery or vein, interrupting the flow to an area of
the brain. Can also occur when a blood vessel breaks. Brain cells begin to die.
If both blood cholesterol and
triglyceride levels are high, the risk of developing coronary heart disease
rises significantly.
Symptoms of high cholesterol (hypercholesterolaemia)
Symptoms of high cholesterol (hypercholesterolaemia)
Symptoms
of high cholesterol do not exist alone in a way a patient or doctor can
identify by touch or sight.
Symptoms of high cholesterol are
revealed if you have the symptoms of atherosclerosis,
a common consequence of having high cholesterol levels.
These
can include:
·Narrowed coronary arteries in the
heart (angina)
·Leg pain when exercising - this is
because the arteries that supply the legs have narrowed.
·Ruptured plaques - this can
lead to coronary thrombosis (a clot forming in one of the arteries that
delivers blood to the heart). If this causes significant damage to heart muscle
it could cause heart failure.
·Xanthomas - thick
yellow patches on the skin, especially around the eyes. They are, in fact,
deposits of cholesterol. This is commonly seen among people who have inherited
high cholesterol susceptibility (familial or inherited hypercholesterolaemia).
What causes high cholesterol?
Lifestyle causes
·Nutrition - although
some foods contain cholesterol, such as eggs, kidneys, eggs and some sea foods,
dietary cholesterol does not have much of an impact in human blood cholesterol
levels. However, saturated fats do! Foods high in saturated fats include red
meat, some pies, sausages, hard cheese, lard, pastry, cakes, most biscuits, and
cream (there are many more).
·Sedentary lifestyle - people
who do not exercise and spend most of their time sitting/lying down have
significantly higher levels of LDL (bad cholesterol) and lower levels of HDL
(good cholesterol).
·Bodyweight - people
who are overweight/obese are much more likely to have higher LDL levels and
lower HDL levels, compared to people who are of normal weight.
·Smoking - this can
have quite a considerable effect on LDL levels.
·Alcohol - people
who consume too much alcohol regularly, generally have much higher levels of
LDL and much lower levels of HDL, compared to people who abstain or those who
drink in moderation.
Treatable medical conditions
These medical conditions are known to cause LDL levels to rise. They are all conditions which can be controlled medically (with the help of your doctor, they do not need to be contributory factors):
These medical conditions are known to cause LDL levels to rise. They are all conditions which can be controlled medically (with the help of your doctor, they do not need to be contributory factors):
·High levels of triglycerides
·Kidney diseases
·Liver diseases
·Under-active thyroid gland
Risk factors which cannot be treated
These are known as fixed risk factors:
These are known as fixed risk factors:
·Your genes 1 - people
with close family members who have had either a coronary heart disease or a
stroke, have a greater risk of high blood cholesterol levels. The link has been
identified if your father/brother was under 55, and/or your mother/sister was
under 65 when they had coronary heart disease or a stroke.
·Your genes 2 - if you
have/had a brother, sister, or parent with hypercholesterolemia (high
cholesterol) or hyperlipidemia (high blood lipids), your chances of having high
cholesterol levels are greater.
·Your sex - men have
a greater chance of having high blood cholesterol levels than women.
·Your age - as you
get older your chances of developing atherosclerosis increase.
·Early menopause - women
whose menopause occurs early are more susceptible to
higher cholesterol levels, compared to other women.
·Certain ethnic groups - people
from the Indian sub-continent (Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka) are more
susceptible to having higher cholesterol levels, compared to other people.
How is high cholesterol diagnosed?
Cholesterol
levels may be measured by means of a simple blood test. It is important not to
eat anything for at least 12 hours before the blood sample is taken. The blood
sample can be obtained with a syringe, or just by pricking the patient's
finger.
The blood sample will be tested for LDL and HDL levels, as well as blood triglyceride levels. The units are measure in mg/dl (milligrams/deciliter) or 5mmol/liter (millimoles/liter).
Researchers at the Sree Sastha Institute of Engineering and Technology, India, developed a photographic cholesterol test, which they describe as a completely non-invasive way to test cholesterol levels.
People who have risk factors should consider having their cholesterol levels checked.
The blood sample will be tested for LDL and HDL levels, as well as blood triglyceride levels. The units are measure in mg/dl (milligrams/deciliter) or 5mmol/liter (millimoles/liter).
Researchers at the Sree Sastha Institute of Engineering and Technology, India, developed a photographic cholesterol test, which they describe as a completely non-invasive way to test cholesterol levels.
People who have risk factors should consider having their cholesterol levels checked.
What are the treatments for high cholesterol?
Lifestyle
Most people, especially those whose only risk factor has been lifestyle, can generally get their cholesterol and triglyceride levels back to normal by:
Most people, especially those whose only risk factor has been lifestyle, can generally get their cholesterol and triglyceride levels back to normal by:
·Doing plenty of exercise
·Eating plenty of fruits, vegetables,
whole grains, oats, good quality fats
·Avoiding foods with saturated fats
·Getting plenty of sleep (8 hours each
night)
·Bringing your bodyweight back to
normal
·Avoiding alcohol
·Stopping smoking
Many experts say that people who are at
high risk of developing cardiovascular disease will not lower their risk just
by altering their diet. Nevertheless, a healthy diet will have numerous health
benefits.
Cholesterol-controlling medications
If your cholesterol levels are still high after doing everything mentioned above, your doctor may prescribe a cholesterol-lowering drug. They may include the following:
Cholesterol-controlling medications
If your cholesterol levels are still high after doing everything mentioned above, your doctor may prescribe a cholesterol-lowering drug. They may include the following:
·Statins
(HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors) - these block an enzyme in your liver that
produces cholesterol. The aim here is to reduce your cholesterol levels to
under 4 mmol/liter and under 2 mmol/liter for your LDL. Statins are useful for
the treatment and prevention of atherosclerosis. Side effects can include constipation, headaches, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Atorvastatin, fluvastatin, lovastatin, pravastatin, rosuvastatin and simvastatin are examples of statins.
·Aspirin - this
should not be given to patients under 16 years of age.
·Drugs to
lower triglyceride levels - these are fibric acid derivatives and
include gemfibrozil, fenofibrate and clofibrate.
·Niacin - this is a
B vitamin that exists in various foods. You can only get very high doses with a
doctor's prescription. Niacin brings down both LDL and HDL levels. Side effects
might include itching, headaches, hot flashes (UK: flushes), and tingling
(mostly very mild if they do occur).
·Anti
hypertensive drugs - if you have high blood pressure your doctor may
prescribe Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, Angiotensin ||
receptor blockers (ARBs), Diuretics, Beta-blockers, Calcium channel blockers.
In
some cases cholesterol absorption inhibitors (ezetimibe) and bile-acid sequestrants
may be prescribed. They have more side effects and require considerable patient
education to achieve compliance (to make sure drugs are taken according to
instruction).
Written by Christian Nordqvist
Original article date: 05 June 2004. Article updated: 18th September 2012.
Written by Christian Nordqvist
Original article date: 05 June 2004. Article updated: 18th September 2012.
Visitor Opinions (latest shown first)
Is
that true? Sore legs from exercising?
posted by Jono
on 22 Jul 2013 at 5:20 pm
Whats
that info about getting sore legs from exercising due to constricted arteries
to the legs? That sort if advice will get people freaking out when they
exercise. Thats really misleading| post followup | alert a moderator |
preventive
measure - cholesterol
posted by Akan
on 9 Jul 2013 at 12:50 pm
As
much as possible, I have always tried to carry out regular checks on my self.
Concerning the cholesterol checks, regular exercise is key, I do it in the
morning, at least three times a week...| post followup | alert a moderator |
Thanx
a lot for this article on cholesterol
posted by sumitra
on 22 Jun 2013 at 6:50 am
I
was constantly worried abt my high cholesterol level, also that of a young relative.
I am not very conscious abt my food and i am obese. This article cleared my
doubts about the cause n treatment of high cholesterol. I'm grateful to the
author. some knowledge abt d diseases reduces tension. so thanx again.| post followup | alert a moderator |
I
have high cholesterol
posted by Saima
on 21 Jun 2013 at 12:00 pm
i
have high cholestrol of 244, triglycerides 291, hdl 42, ldl 142, vldl 58,
cholestrol retio 5.8 ND URICK ACID 7.4Please suggest what I should take in food, and what cautions are needed.
| post followup | alert a moderator |
high
cholesterol & high blood
posted by ella
on 20 Jun 2013 at 11:28 am
im
going to menupause, my cholesterol 400plus my BP 145/95 almost everyday im
monitoring for 2 weeks, i consult my doctor he gave me only for my high BP
tablet but my cholesterol he did not give me anything, but im drinking parsley
leaves juice & 3pcs garlic im eating every evening also, You can advise me
anything medicines which is herbal like parsley.thank you.
| post followup | alert a moderator |
My
cholesterol at 290
posted by shikha
on 14 Jun 2013 at 4:05 am
i am
28 years old and my cholesterol rating is 290. i want to reduse it fast and i
have high blood pressure problem also.. please help me what i should do??? what
type of foods are good and what foods are bad for me to reduse my bad
cholostrol fastly...| post followup | alert a moderator |
low
hdl
posted by tidyhome
on 1 Jun 2013 at 2:03 am
my
HDL (high density lipoprotein) is low what remedy do you suggest| post followup | alert a moderator |
treatment
of cholestrol
posted by ariba
on 21 May 2013 at 6:11 am
best
way for treatment of cholestrol is to change our life style i think| post followup | alert a moderator |
cholesterol
- is HDL 5.4 level high?
posted by aba
on 14 May 2013 at 8:46 am
i
have total cholestrol for HDL 5.4 . i want to know if it is high.| post followup | alert a moderator |
total
cholesterol and LDL high
posted by BIJOY
on 1 May 2013 at 5:31 am
i
would like to know what are precautions for the high cholesterol| post followup | alert a moderator |
high
Cholesterol,
posted by Ejaz
on 25 Apr 2013 at 2:26 am
very
useful page.Thanks a lot for everybody.| post followup | alert a moderator |
health
checkup
posted by deepak
chaudhary on 16 Apr 2013 at 3:25 am
my
cholestrol near high and blood prssure 140/80 and my age 32,| post followup | alert a moderator |
Herbal
treatment for high cholestrol
posted by Said
Rasool on 15 Apr 2013 at 11:00 am
A
mixture of, garlic (extract),ginger(EXTRACT), apple vinegar,lemon juice,(All in
equal quantity),added by double quantity of honey will give you unbelievable results
in settling your cholesterol problem.1-2 teaspoonful two times a day would
suffice (till u feel treated.Normally takes 4-6 weeks with instant
results).More appropriate if first four items r boiled for 10-15 minutes followed
by mixing of honey| post followup | alert a moderator |
cholestoral
posted by Lissa
on 15 Apr 2013 at 1:52 am
Just
wanted to ask my partner just had a result and it was 7 and by looking at this
it's low. We don't eat too much fat and he doesn;t really drink excessively, he
also exercises. Could it be genes then? What could be the othere causes?| post followup | alert a moderator |
high
cholesterol - medication is best
posted by tasa
sheikh on 14 Apr 2013 at 9:50 am
the
best way to lower high colesterol is medication| post followup | alert a moderator |
cholesterol
posted by lucy
on 13 Apr 2013 at 6:38 am
i am
doing a presentation on cholesterol monday this has been a great help,keep
upthe great work,thank you a lot
| post followup | alert a moderator |
LDL
High Cholesterol Result
posted by Meg
on 9 Apr 2013 at 11:19 pm
'Got
my result of lab test, my LDL is 155.8 mgs/dl, also for my thyroid ultrasound
findings: "thyromegaly with complex nodule, right" and lastly my ECG
interpretation is "Sinus Bradycardia"All sounds not ok... 'got to see my doctor immediately.
'Got to be seriously change my lifestyle and maybe eating habit...
| post followup | alert a moderator |
Causes
nd remedies of High Cholesterol
posted by K V Rao
on 4 Apr 2013 at 11:55 pm
Really
this article is very educative to all who are looking for the reasons of High
colesterol and their treatment. Thanks a lot for the same!!!| post followup | alert a moderator |
cholesterol
- want to lose it
posted by juliet
on 29 Mar 2013 at 11:25 pm
i
want to loose my weight and decrease bad cholestrol| post followup | alert a moderator |
thyroid
& cholesterol
posted by Radha
on 18 Mar 2013 at 5:57 am
The
article has not mentioned any relationship with high cholesterol levels and
thyroid.| post followup | alert a moderator |
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Cholesterol
What Is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a fat
(lipid) which is produced by the liver and is crucial for normal body
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