Why Does Your Cholesterol Ratio Matter
A waxy, fat-like substance, cholesterol is found in all cells, and has an important part to play in various vital processes in the body. However, high blood or serum cholesterol is one of the risk factors in the development of heart disease. High cholesterol can increase the risk of a heart attack or stroke as fatty deposits can build up in the wall of arteries making them narrower. Its a good idea to find out your cholesterol level.
There are two main types of cholesterol:
- HDL cholesterol HDL cholesterol carries cholesterol back to the liver, where it is broken down or eliminated. While lowering LDL-cholesterol is key, its a good idea to maintain good HDL-cholesterol at or above the healthy level.
- LDL cholesterol too much can cause fatty build-ups in the arteries. To maintain a healthy heart, try to keep LDL cholesterol at a lower, healthy level.
Your doctor may talk about non-HDL cholesterol. This is because LDL was previously used as the main measure of bad cholesterol, and is still a good indicator, but we now know that other forms of non-HDL cholesterol, as well as LDL are also harmful, and this test may be a more accurate way of estimating risk.
Your cholesterol ratio reveals, in fact, your HDL to cholesterol ratio or in other words: the amount of good HDL cholesterol in your total cholesterol. Thats why discovering yours may help you find out whether you may need to make changes in your diet and lifestyle.
Total Cholesterol To Hdl Ratio
The total cholesterol to HDL ratio calculator is used to determine their proportion in the blood. The total cholesterol/HDL ratio is considered to be the least precise in determining your health risk. So, what should your cholesterol ratio be?
- The optimum ratio is below 3.5.
- An average total cholesterol/HDL ratio is considered below 5.0.
- And an elevated ratio is above 5.0.
What Is Total Cholesterol
When your cholesterol is checked, you get a number for total cholesterol, one for the HDL level, and one for the LDL level. Your total cholesterol will be more than the sum of the HDL and LDL numbers.
Either a high HDL number or a high LDL number can make your total cholesterol number high. If it’s high because of a high HDL number, your health is not necessarily in danger. However, if it’s high because your LDL cholesterol level is high, it’s important to talk with your doctor about your health .
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How Can You Lower Your Cholesterol
These are the rules to help you manage your cholesterol.
Regular aerobic exercise is a good idea. Studies have shown that exercising regularly increases HDL cholesterol while decreasing LDL cholesterol . It may lower your chances of having a heart attack or stroke by lowering the blood pressure.
Diet. Consume foods that are low in saturated fats, cholesterol, and fatty acids. Fish is a good source of omega-3 fat acids, so make sure to include them in your diet. You might consider eating cholesterol-lowering foods like margarine, which is enriched with plant steroids and stanols.
Take medications. Dont hesitate to consult your doctor if the non-pharmacological methods of treatment fail to produce satisfactory results. You can lower your bad cholesterol levels and improve your LDL HDL ratio with a variety of drugs. They not only lower cholesterol, but also reduce cardiovascular risk . and extend life .
Do not be afraid to make positive changes in your daily life. Use our cholesterol calculator to calculate your LDL HDL and other ratios. Reduce your cholesterol, treat hypertension, diabetes, and check for abnormalities within your ECG. Protect your heart, live longer, healthier, and happier.
Total Cholesterol/hdl Cholesterol And Ldl/hdl Cholesterol Ratios
The LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio appears to be as useful as the total/HDL cholesterol ratio. Their similarity can be explained by the fact that approximately two thirds of plasma cholesterol are found in LDL and, consequently, total and LDL cholesterol are closely related. Like the total/HDL cholesterol ratio, LDL/HDL cholesterol may have more predictive power if triglyceridemia is taken into account. Although, the increase in these ratios predicted a greater cardiovascular risk in a wide range of cholesterol or triglyceride concentrations, the risk is significantly higher when hypertriglyceridemia is present, as shown by the Helsinki Heart Study.
However, it is clear than when there is no reliable calculation of LDL cholesterol, as when triglyceridemia exceeds 300mg/dL , it is preferable to use the total/HDL cholesterol ratio furthermore, the very-low-density lipoprotein fraction shows cholesterol enrichment in individuals with high triglyceride concentrations, and thus the LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio may underestimate the magnitude of the lipoprotein abnormality in these patients.
Individuals with a high total/HDL cholesterol or LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio have greater cardiovascular risk owing to the imbalance between the cholesterol carried by atherogenic and protective lipoproteins. This may be due to an increase in the atherogenic component contained in the numerator, a decrease in the anti-atherosclerotic trait of the denominator, or both.
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What Do Your Cholesterol Results Mean
When you have a cholesterol test, it is really important that your healthcare professional explains the results to you to prevent unnecessary worry and confusion.
Its not just your total cholesterol thats important and your results will include different types of cholesterol. If you are only given your total cholesterol, ask for a break-down of the other numbers. Its possible to have a healthy total cholesterol number but an unhealthy balance of the different types of cholesterol.
As a minimum, you should be given your total cholesterol and HDL numbers, then you can work out your ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol .
You might also have your triglycerides tested, these are another type of blood fat which are linked to heart disease.
Ask for a print out of your results if you are not able to speak to your GP, nurse or pharmacist.
Your results should include:
- Total cholesterol
This is sometimes written as ‘serum cholesterol’ or ‘TC’ and refers to your overall level of cholesterol.
- Non-HDL cholesterol
Your non-HDL cholesterol is your total cholesterol minus your HDL cholesterol. Its all the ‘bad’ cholesterol added together, including your LDL cholesterol. Ideally it should be as low as possible.
- HDL cholesterol
- TC:HDL ratio
You might be given a TC:HDL ratio, which is the ratio of HDL compared to the total cholesterol. If not, you can work it out from your HDL and total cholesterol numbers. This should be as low as possible. Above 6 is considered high.
Cholesterol And Its Consequences
Without cholesterol, the life of humans and animals would not be possible. It is an essential structural component of cell membranes, and is needed in the process of production of steroid hormones, bile acids, and vitamin D. Moreover, you should notice that in certain clinical situations there are too low levels of cholesterol, but it is not very often. This is so-called hypocholesterolemia. It is usually caused by hyperthyroidism , adrenal insufficiency, liver diseases, depression, cerebral hemorrhage, or cancer. In sporadic cases it is caused by SLOS – a genetic abnormality in the process of synthesis of cholesterol.
On the other hand, high levels of cholesterol, so-called hypercholesterolemia lead to substantial health problems. The most important consequence of high cholesterol is atherosclerosis. It is a disease in which the inside of an artery narrows due to the accumulation of plaque. At first patients usually don’t have any symptoms, but eventually it causes:
- coronary artery disease
- stroke
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What Do Your Triglyceride Results Mean
Triglycerides are another type of blood fat and your triglyceride levels can tell you more about your health. If your triglycerides are high, it can mean youre at risk of heart disease, liver disease and diabetes.
You might have your triglycerides tested when you have a cholesterol test.
People with high triglyceride levels often have a low HDL level as well, which is an unhealthy combination.
How Do Good And Bad Cholesterol Affect The Body
High-density lipoprotein, or HDL, is the good cholesterol. The benefit of HDL lies in the fact that it carries bad cholesterol back to the liver. In doing so, it cleanses cholesterol from the bloodstream.
Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL cholesterol, is the bad cholesterol. The higher the level of LDL cholesterol, the greater your risk of a heart attack. When the level of LDL cholesterol goes up, excess cholesterol can build up and stick to the walls of your arteries. This causes damage. The buildup is called plaque, and the formation of plaque can cause arteries to harden and narrow. This hardening is called atherosclerosis. It’s also known as hardening of the arteries. If a plaque becomes unstable, a blood clot can form, suddenly blocking an artery. This causes a heart attack or stroke.
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Cholesterol Calculator: Determine Your Cvd Risk Factors
Your heart and cardiovascular system are continuously exposed to a variety of risk factors. High cholesterol has one of the most significant influences on the development of cardiovascular diseases . Therefore, it is commonly checked during routine laboratory examinations.
The concentration of total cholesterol in the blood is only a general indicator. A cholesterol calculator needs to be used to determine the actual risk of developing atherosclerosis and subsequent cardiovascular complications. Read on to learn exactly how to calculate your cholesterol and triglyceride levels to keep this risk factor under control!
How They See It Vs How I See It
Ive been obsessively reading these Remnant Cholesterol papers for a while now. And this is a common opinion among them:
Remnant cholesterol, also known as remnant lipoprotein, is a very atherogenic lipoprotein composed primarily of very low-density lipoprotein and intermediate-density lipoprotein .
So VLDLs and IDLs themselves are very atherogenic?
Let me offer an entirely different viewpoint.
As many long-time readers know, I certainly see the lipids and their containing lipoproteins in our bloodstream as primarily an energy distribution system. That first tiny little stage of delivering energy as VLDLs or Chylomicrons is arguably the bulk of their work. Sure, it is done so quickly that it might seem like it is a small part of it. But when you see their largest payload is fatty acids and their most reliable activity is hydrolyzing it off to the tissues that need it, you realize these guys just arent procrastinators, they get the biggest job done early and quickly
except when they dont.
I offer two major reasons VLDLs and IDLs would be slowed down from remodeling to LDLs:
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How Does A Cholesterol Calculator Work
Some LDL calculators operate using the Friedewald equation from 1972, while others use the Iranian lipid profile calculation formula from 2008. Based on the blood sample results for total cholesterol, triglycerides, and HDL, it calculates LDL cholesterol levels. The second equation is often suggested for those with a small carbohydrate intake when the triglyceride content is smaller than the mean value required.
You can choose to type the three values into the cholesterol calculator as mmol/L or mg/dL according to the obtained results from the lab.
What Is Cholesterol Ratio And What Should Yours Be
To find your cholesterol ratio, you divide your total cholesterol number by your HDL, or good, cholesterol number. For example, if your total cholesterol number is 200 and your good cholesterol is 50, your total cholesterol ratio is 4:1.
Cholesterol ratio may be used as a monitoring tool by some health care specialists. However, the AHA suggests that doctors use LDLcholesterol with patients rather than cholesterol ratio. That’s because the total cholesterol number is considered a better tool for guiding the doctor in planning the best patient care and helping patients understand their health risks. Discuss with your doctor what the best numbers to monitor for you are.
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Are High Cholesterol Levels Dangerous
A high cholesterol level can be a risk factor for heart attack and stroke. These devastating events happen when a cholesterol plaque ruptures. This causes blood to suddenly clot and block an artery in the heart or brain.
Blockages that prevent sufficient blood flow in the coronary arteries can lead to a form of chest pain called angina. Angina is a common symptom of coronary artery disease. Symptoms usually occur with exertion and go away with rest.
The Total Cholesterol Hdl Hdl And Ldl Are All Important
The cholesterol ratio calculator considers four basic blood tests. All levels recommended are based on the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health.
Only three results are required they depend on each other, according to the formula.
Total cholesterol = HDL + 0.2 * Triglycerides
- Desirable: Less Than 200 mg/dL
- Borderline high: 200-239 mg/dL
- High: 240 mg/dL or more
- Maximum: 60 mg/dL or more
- Borderline: 40-59 mg/dL
- Heart disease risk: Less than 40 mg/dL
- Optimal: Less Than 100 mg/dL
- Near optimal/aboveoptimum: 100-129 mg/dL
- High: 200 to 499 mg/dL
- Extremely high: 500 mg/dL and above
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What This Means For Low Carbers
While I have read through a lot of these studies, I still consider this early in my research on it. Im naturally thinking through the mechanics and how it applies to those who are LCHF and thus powered by fat.
Heres a summary of my notes thus far:
- Given the data I have so far from the followers of this site, those going LCHF/Keto will more likely to see an improvement in their RCs, even if they are a hyper-responder.
- Ironically, the reference range for RCs as they apply to those on a fat-based diet may actually be inflated. In other words, Id expect RCs to actually be higher for appropriate mechanistic reasons given the higher proportion of distribution by VLDLs when LCHF/Keto.
- Like triglycerides, RCs seem to be a great cheat detector within my own group of family and friends. Anecdotally, when they fall off the wagon and have too many carbs while still being very high fat, their RCs tend to go up.
Do You Need To Lower Your Cholesterol And Triglycerides
If you have high cholesterol, high triglycerides or an unhealthy balance of blood fats, your doctor will probably recommend bringing these levels down with lifestyle changes and sometimes treatments.
Your doctor should look at your results in relation to any other risk factors for heart disease you may have such as high blood pressure, being overweight or smoking, as well as other health conditions such as diabetes.
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Predicting The Magnitude Of The Preventive Effect
The total/HDL cholesterol and LDL/HDL cholesterol ratios are also good predictors of the degree of clinical benefit to be derived from lipid-lowering intervention. In the LRC-CPPT with cholestyramine, the drops in the total/HDL cholesterol ratio in the active treatment group were associated with clinical benefit. In the Helsinki study, multivariate analysis of the relationship between the lipid changes induced by gemfibrozil and the incidence of cardiovascular events in the treated group showed better predictive value for changes in HDL cholesterol and the total/HDL cholesterol ratio. In the placebo group of the AFCAPS/TexCAPS study, baseline LDL cholesterol had no predictive value for the incidence of coronary events, whereas predictive value was found in HDL cholesterol and the total/HDL cholesterol and LDL/HDL cholesterol ratios, both with greater significance than HDL cholesterol by adjusted logistic regression in the active treatment group, only changes in apoB and the apoB/apoA-I ratio, which is largely equivalent to the LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio, predicted risk reduction. The total/HDL cholesterol ratio also had more predictive value than other lipid parameters in the control group of the 4S study treatment-induced changes in this ratio were the best risk predictors in the group receiving simvastatin, with an estimated 17.6% risk difference for every one-unit reduction in the ratio.
Cholesterol Ratio Or Non
For predicting your risk of heart disease, many doctors now believe that determining your non-HDL cholesterol level may be more useful than calculating your cholesterol ratio. And either option appears to be a better risk predictor than your total cholesterol level or even your low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level.
Non-HDL cholesterol, as its name implies, simply subtracts your high-density lipoprotein cholesterol number from your total cholesterol number. So it contains all the “bad” types of cholesterol.
An optimal level of non-HDL cholesterol is less than 130 milligrams per deciliter , or 3.37 millimoles per liter . Higher numbers mean a higher risk of heart disease.
To calculate your cholesterol ratio, divide your total cholesterol number by your HDL cholesterol number. So if your total cholesterol is 200 mg/dL and your HDL is 50 mg/dL , your ratio would be 4-to-1. Higher ratios mean a higher risk of heart disease.
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