How Often Should I Get My Cholesterol Checked
Your provider will tell you how often you need your cholesterol checked. It depends on your:
- Age: The older you get, the more often you need to have your numbers checked.
- Family history: If you have a close biological family member with a history of heart disease, you face a higher risk of heart problems, too. You may need cholesterol tests more often if your family member has high cholesterol or a history of heart attack or stroke.
- Risk factors for heart disease: If youve been diagnosed with heart disease or have risk factors, youll need cholesterol tests more often.
- Sex assigned at birth: People assigned male at birth need more frequent tests starting at a younger age compared with people assigned female at birth.
Children and teens age 19 and younger should get their first test between ages 9 and 11. Then, they should receive a test every five years. Your childs provider may recommend starting at a younger age based on family history.
Here are general guidelines for adults based on sex and age.
People assigned male at birth
| Age |
|---|
| Every year. |
How To Lower Your Cholesterol
If youve been told that you have high cholesterol or you just want to prevent it what can you do?
There are several ways to manage it, including:
Medication: Depending on your overall cardiovascular disease risk, you might be treated with a cholesterol-lowering medication, such as a statin. The decision to use a statin is based on a womans overall risk for heart attack and stroke including all these factors and the LDL cholesterol value.
If you already have vascular disease or evidence of atherosclerosis, or if you are at high risk for cardiovascular disease, a statin for prevention is strongly recommended because this treats the plaque in the arteries, and lowers LDL cholesterol, Michos says.
Diet and lifestyle:Diet and lifestyle are very important to help maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Even for women who are recommended to take cholesterol-lowering medications, a healthy lifestyle helps these drugs work better, says Michos.
Heres how to maintain a lifestyle that promotes healthy cholesterol levels:
Add these to your shopping list:
- Fatty fish such as salmon, trout, mackerel, sardines and albacore tuna
- Nuts, including walnuts, pecans, almonds and hazelnuts
- Olive oil to drizzle lightly over your salads and vegetables
While nobody wants to have high cholesterol, there are plenty of ways to keep it in check. With regular checkups and attention to what you eat, its possible to manage your cholesterol and blood fats to keep your heart healthy, says Michos.
How Are Triglycerides Different From Cholesterol
Triglycerides and cholesterol are both fatty substances called lipids. But triglycerides are fats cholesterol is not. Cholesterol is a waxy, odorless substance made by the liver. It is used to build cell walls, helps the nervous system and plays an important role in digestion and hormone production.
Don’t Miss: Why Is My Cholesterol High
Know Your Triglyceride Numbers
A blood test called a lipid panel checks both your triglyceride and cholesterol levels. Usually, your doctor will ask that you fast, or not eat or drink anything other than water, for 9-12 hours before the test. Youâll get blood taken from a vein in your arm. Some labs offer non-fasting lipid panels, or they may prick your finger for blood.
Here are the levels, based on a fastingblood test.
- Normal: Less than 150 mg/dL
- Borderline: 150 to 199 mg/dL
- High: 200 to 499 mg/dL
- Very High: 500 mg/dL or above
Anyone over age 20 needs to get regular tests to track their cholesterol and triglyceride levels, according to the American Heart Association.
How Do I Prepare For The Test
You may need to not eat or drink anything but water for 12 to 14 hours before this test. In addition, be sure your healthcare provider knows about all medicines, herbs, vitamins, and supplements you are taking. This includes medicines that don’t need a prescription and any illicit drugs you may use.
Recommended Reading: Is There Cholesterol In Beer
What Is Vldl And How Does It Relate To Triglyceride
Very low-density lipoprotein is one of the major lipoprotein particles. Others include high-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein . Each one of these particles contains a mixture of cholesterol, protein, and triglyceride but in varying amounts unique to each type of particle. LDL contains the highest amount of cholesterol. HDL contains the highest amount of protein. VLDL contains the highest amount of triglyceride. Since VLDL contains most of the circulating triglyceride and since the compositions of the different particles are relatively constant, it is possible to estimate the amount of VLDL-cholesterol by dividing the triglyceride value by 5. At present, there is no simple, direct way of measuring VLDL-cholesterol, so the estimate calculated from triglyceride is used in most settings. This calculation is not valid when the triglyceride is greater than 400 mg/dL. Increased levels of VLDL-cholesterol have been found to be associated with increased risk of heart disease and stroke.
Read Also: Can Sweets Cause High Cholesterol
Skip Red Yeast Rice Supplements
The other thing we see is sometimes people look for supplements to help control their cholesterol levels, said Dr. Kirley. The most common one that people ask about is red yeast rice, which is a supplement made by fermenting steamed rice with food fungus.
The Food and Drug Administration has said that certain levels of red yeast rice cant even be marketed as supplements, she said. Red yeast rice is not well studied, so we dont know a lot about its safety and effectiveness.
We definitely dont recommend using a supplement like red yeast rice to take care of your cholesterol, said Dr. Kirley. Instead, we recommend talking with your physician about FDA-approved, safe medications.
Also Check: How Do You Check Cholesterol
Atherosclerosis And Cardiovascular Disease
Despite being called good cholesterol, research suggests that very high levels of HDL may increase your risk of mortality.
In a 2017 Danish study , researchers analyzed the rate of mortality in groups of 52,268 European men and 64,240 women over an average of 6.4 years.
The researchers found the lowest mortality rates at HDL levels of 73 mg/dL in men and 93 mg/dL in women. Mortality rates increased significantly with HDL levels above 97 mg/dL in men and 135 mg/dL in women.
What Do I Need To Know Before Getting Screened
A cholesterol test is a simple blood test. Your doctor may tell you not to eat or drink anything except water for 9 to 12 hours before the test. The results give you four measurements:5
- Total cholesterol. About 150 mg/dL is considered optimal.
- LDL cholesterol. About 100 mg/dL is considered optimal. LDL is sometimes called bad cholesterol, because it can build up and clog your arteries, eventually leading to heart disease or stroke.
- HDL cholesterol. It is best to have greater than or equal to 40 mg/dL in men and 50 mg/dL in women. HDL is sometimes called good cholesterol, because it can help clear arteries of cholesterol buildup.
- Triglycerides. This is a type of fat in the blood. Optimal levels are typically less than 150 mg/dL.
Also Check: Is Mayo High In Cholesterol
Lowering Your Triglyceride Levels
Making some simple lifestyle changes can go a long way in helping bring down your triglyceride levels, including:
- Losing weight. Dropping just five to ten pounds can help lower your triglycerides.
- Avoiding sugary and refined foods. Stay away from simple carbohydrates, such as sugar and foods made with white flour.
- Eliminating trans and saturated fats. Trans fats are found in fried foods and commercial baked products like cookies and crackers and saturated fats are found in meats. Instead, choose healthier monounsaturated fats found in plants, such as olive, peanut and canola oils, and fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon and mackerel.
- Limiting alcohol consumption. Alcohol is high in calories and sugar and effects triglycerides. Even small amounts of alcohol can raise triglyceride levels.
- Maintaining regular exercise. Regular exercise can increase HDL cholesterol levels and lower LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity on most days of the week.
If making some lifestyle adjustments isnt enough to control your triglyceride levels, a medication may be necessary. Talk with your doctor to determine the best course of action for you to ensure a healthy heart.
Dont Miss: Is Mussels High In Cholesterol
Normal Cholesterol High Triglycerides
Even though your latest physical may have shown that your cholesterol levels are normal, you may still be at risk for heart disease if your triglycerides level is high.
A 20-year study conducted by the University of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicine found that a pattern of elevated levels of triglycerides, the main form of fats circulating in the bloodstream, even when cholesterol levels are normal, can mean a two- to three-fold increase of deaths by cardiovascular disease.
Blood triglycerides come from two main sources: the food you eat-especially sugar, animal products and saturated fats-and from your liver. Although its not exactly clear how, high triglyceride levels can result in hardening of the arteries or thickening of the artery walls , which can raise your risk for stroke, heart attack, and heart disease.
- Normal triglyceride levels are less than 150 milligrams per deciliter
- Borderline high is 150-199 mg/dl high is 200-499 mg/dl
- Very high 500 mg/dl. A triglyceride level of 150 mg/dl or above is considered a risk for metabolic syndrome-a constellation of conditions resulting from too much fat around the waist-which in addition to raising your risk for heart disease, it can also increase your risk for diabetes.
Recommended Reading: Is Canned Tuna Good For High Cholesterol
What Are The Risks Of A High Triglyceride Level
As we mentioned above, triglycerides and other lipids are crucial to not just your overall health but your survival. Even though your body needs triglycerides to function, a surplus of triglycerides can lead to undesirable health conditions, such as:
- Heart disease â Although the precise connection between elevated triglyceride levels and heart disease is still under study, itâs believed that low-density lipoproteins that carry triglycerides through your bloodstream can get stuck in your arteries, leaving plaque deposits that may lead to cardiovascular disease and conditions like heart attack and stroke.
- Pancreatitis â An excess amount of triglycerides can lead to pancreatic inflammation known as pancreatitis. In fact, some studies suggest that hypertriglyceridemia is responsible for nearly 9% of pancreatitis cases.
Your Body Naturally Makes Cholesterol
One of the biggest things we see is that people think their cholesterol levels are more tied to what they eat than they really are, said Dr. Kirley, adding that people tend to think if my cholesterol levels are high, that means I should eat less cholesterol.
The amount of cholesterol that you eat, doesn’t actually impact your own cholesterol very much, she noted. And that’s because your body is making cholesterol. It makes cholesterol no matter what. Even if you eat no cholesterol, your body makes cholesterol.
What you eat matters, but it has less impact on cholesterol levels than a lot of people might realize, Dr. Kirley said.
Related Coverage
Don’t Miss: Is There Cholesterol In Butter
How Do Triglycerides Get Into The Blood
When we eat foods containing triglycerides, such as meat, dairy products, cooking oils and fats, they are absorbed by our intestines and packaged into parcels of fats and protein called chylomicrons . These carry the triglycerides in the blood stream to our tissues to be used for energy straight away, or stored for later.
The body also makes its own supply of triglycerides in the liver. This form is carried in a different type of lipoprotein known as VLDL cholesterol.
What Can Raise Your Triglycerides
Triglycerides can be raised due to what doctors refer to as ‘primary’ and ‘secondary’ causes, explained below. Some people have a combination of both.
It is very important that your doctors investigates all these potential causes so that you can start treatment.
Primary causes of raised triglycerides
‘Primary’ refers to inherited conditions which cause raised triglyceride levels.
You May Like: How Does Cholesterol Contribute To Atherosclerosis
Diets Rich In Calories Carbohydrates And Saturated Fats
When you consider that your body converts calories it doesnât need right away into fatty triglycerides, itâs easy to understand how a high-calorie diet can contribute to elevated triglyceride levels.
The more calories you ingest, the more calories your body is going to keep on standbyâand the more triglycerides your liver must produce in order to store those calories.
Thatâs why a balanced diet is so important to maintaining healthy triglyceride levels. Consuming too many calories, especially from carbohydrates and unhealthy saturated fat, can cause you to have high levels of triglyceride.
When To Contact A Doctor
While high triglyceride levels typically do not cause symptoms, anyone concerned they may have high triglyceride or cholesterol levels should contact their doctor.
A doctor would usually measure triglyceride and cholesterol levels at the same time as high levels of either may contribute to heart conditions.
Doctors may recommend drug therapies in some cases. This may happen if a person has dangerously high triglyceride levels that need to come down quickly or if their levels do not respond to lifestyle and dietary changes.
You May Like: What Does Calculated Ldl Cholesterol Mean
How Often Should My Triglycerides Be Tested
If youâre a healthy adult, you should get a lipid profile every 4-6 years. Children should have it done at least once between the ages of 9 and 11, and one more time between 17 and 21. If youâre making changes to your diet or taking medication for high cholesterol or triglycerides, experts advise you to get a lipid profile afterward.
Show Sources
High Total Cholesterol Normal Ldl High Hdl Normal Triglycerides
In this case, the high total cholesterol is less troublesome since its largely due to elevated HDL . The fact that HDL is high and LDL is normal also makes for a favorable HDL:LDL ratio. Although, extremely high levels of HDL cholesterol can be due to genetics. Generally, HDL levels shouldnt exceed 116 mg/dL for men and 135 mg/dL for women.2
Don’t Miss: Why Is My Cholesterol And Triglycerides High
Whats Your Cholesterol Level Anyway
A standard lipid blood test usually measures the concentration of total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides levels. The LDL-cholesterol level is typically estimated from these numbers using a well-established formula that has been more recently revised and improved by researchers at Johns Hopkins.
So what are your target numbers? According to Michos, an ideal LDL cholesterol level should be less than 70 mg/dl, and a womans HDL cholesterol level ideally should be close to 50 mg/dl. Triglycerides should be less than 150 mg/dl. As Michos notes, total cholesterol levels well below 200 mg/dl are best.
High Cholesterol High Hdl Low Triglycerides
Dr T
Question:Answer:
There are 2 kinds of LDL cholesterol, A and B, of which B is associated with heart disease.Most labs calculate LDL as follows:
LDL = Total Cholesterol HDL triglycerides/5.
This doesnt explain the difference between LDL A or B .
Studies have shown that there is a strong correlation between a low triglyceride/high HDL level and LDL pattern A .
On the other hand, a high triglyceride/low HDL level is strongly associated with LDL pattern B . Thus high triglycerides are an independent risk factor for heart disease.
From this you can calculate that in your situation a high LDL is mostly Type A , confirmed by a high HDL and low triglyrerides and that therefore there a very low risk of heart disease.
Having high cholesterol may still be healthy if good cholesterol levels, triglycerides, and other markers of cardiovascular health are good. You can calculate this here. People with high good cholesterol levels and low levels of triglycerides may actually be at a lower risk for heart disease than people with normal cholesterol levels who have lower levels of good cholesterol and higher levels of bad cholesterol.
Hope this helps,
Recommended Reading: When Is The Best Time To Take Cholesterol Medicine
Diets High In Calories Carbs And Fats
Triglyceride levels increase with a positive energy-intake balance . In other words, when you eat more than your body needs, the surplus is transformed into fat, including triglycerides. Its easier to overeat when your diet is high in calories and contains lots of carbs and saturated fats .
Low-fat, high-carbohydrate diets are among the most common causes of high triglycerides. But wait we said that high-fat diets are bad, so doesnt that mean a low-fat diet should be beneficial? Not quite .
Saturated, unhealthy fats are bad. But your body needs healthy fats such as those found in olive oil and fish oil to keep your triglyceride levels normal and to maintain your overall health. If you dont get enough dietary fats, your body will revert to transforming the sugars you consume into fats .
This goes against the popular but unfounded belief that your body wont store fat as long as you dont eat fats. In truth, high-carbohydrate diets can be much worse than high-fat diets for your triglyceride levels. Many scientists advocate that high-carb, low-fat diets likely also contributed to the obesity epidemic in America over the past few decades .
Normal Cholesterol With High Triglycerides What Is That
When measuring total cholesterol levels, low-density lipoprotein , high-density lipoprotein , and triglycerides are used in the measurement.
For adults, standard cholesterol levels are:
- Less than 200 mg/dL is desirable
- Between 200 – 239 mg/dL is considered borderline
- Over 240 mg/dL is considered high
Recommended Reading: Is Duck High In Cholesterol