What Causes High Blood Cholesterol Levels

How Is Hypercholesterolaemia Treated

The primary concern in hypercholesterolaemia treatment is to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, such as heart disease and stroke, by lowering blood cholesterol levels. If you are thought to have a genetic form of this disorder, treatment may be started at a very young age. In addition, genetic counselling and family screening may be considered in your treatment plan. People who benefit most from lowering their cholesterol are those who already have heart disease or who have multiple risk factors for the disease.In addition to lifestyle changes, specific cholesterol-lowering medications are often prescribed.

This information will be collected for educational purposes, however it will remain anonymous.

Lifestyle changesChanges in lifestyle are considered the most effective means of both preventing and, in less severe cases, treating elevated LDL cholesterol levels. The cornerstone of this treatment strategy is dietary modification and exercise.In addition to little fat and cholesterol, lean protein , and lots of fruits and vegetables, diets should include:

MedicationsMedications that are used in the treatment of hypercholesterolaemia include:

• HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors

Alternative treatments other than medicinal are:

• Red yeast rice
• Guggulipid

What Is High Ldl

Cholesterol itself is a necessary substance in the body. Its manufactured in your liver and it can be present in certain foods, especially meats, eggs, and dairy. LDL is a lipoproteina substance that conveys cholesterol to cells, aiding in maintaining cell structure, and serving as a precursor for substances vital to human function. Everyone has some amount of this lipoprotein, but problems arise when these are elevated.

When there is an excess of LDL, plaques build up in the arteries, causing atherosclerosis and reducing blood flow. When your hearts arteries are affected, insufficient oxygen levels damage cardiac muscles and cause CAD, angina , and even heart attack. Further, arteries in other parts of the body can also be affected, leading to peripheral artery disease and stroke.

Can High Cholesterol Be Prevented Or Avoided

Making healthy food choices and exercising are two ways to reduce your risk of developing high cholesterol.

Eat fewer foods with saturated fats . Choose healthier fats. This includes lean meats, avocados, nuts, and low-fat dairy items. Avoid foods that contain trans fat . Look for foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. These foods include salmon, herring, walnuts, and almonds. Some egg brands contain omega-3.

Exercise can be simple. Go for a walk. Take a yoga class. Ride your bike to work. You could even participate in a team sport. Aim to get 30 minutes of activity every day.

Also Check: Is Shrimp Bad For Your Cholesterol

Why Does Cholesterol Increase In Blood

This is because cholesterol can build up in the artery wall, restricting the blood flow to your heart, brain and the rest of your body. It also increases the risk of a blood clot developing somewhere in your body. Your risk of developing coronary heart disease also rises as your blood’s cholesterol level increases.

Similarly, what can cause a sudden increase in cholesterol?

Poor diet.Eating saturated fat, found in animal products, and trans fats, found in some commercially baked cookies and crackers and microwave popcorn, can raise your cholesterol level. Foods that are high in cholesterol, such as red meat and full-fat dairy products, will also increase your cholesterol.

One may also ask, what are the symptoms of high cholesterol in the body? Ask about being tested for high cholesterol. You develop symptoms of heart disease, stroke, or atherosclerosis in other blood vessels, such as left-sided chest pain, pressure, or fullness dizziness unsteady gait slurred speech or pain in the lower legs.

Furthermore, what increases cholesterol levels in the blood?

Unhealthy eating patterns, lack of physical activity, and smoking can cause high blood cholesterol. Unhealthy eating patterns, such as consuming high amounts of saturated fats or trans fats, can increase bad low-density lipoprotein cholesterol .

Why do cholesterol levels increase with age?

You May Like Also

What Has The Biggest Impact On Ldl Cholesterol

Contrary to the long-held belief that dietary cholesterol itself is a major cause of high LDL, evidence suggests a weaker link. It’s still a good idea to steer clear of dietary cholesterol, but that intake isn’t the biggest influence. The current understanding is that the specific mix of carbohydrates and fats in your diet is the biggest factor in determining your LDL levels.

Don’t Miss: Are Crabs High In Cholesterol

Signs Of High Cholesterol Levels In The Blood

Posted by Dr. Chris

Over 30% of Amercan adults over the age of 20 years have high blood cholesterol levels. This has become a common problem throughout the globe although numbers vary from country to country. Elevated cholesterol in the blood is one of the main causes of heart attacks and strokes two serious conditions that have become among the leading causes of death throughout the world.

One Study Suggests That Collagen Could Help With Wound Healing

Do your cuts and scrapes take longer than normal to heal? If so, you should know collagen supplements could help. As part of the 2019 pilot study published in the Journal of Drugs and Dermatology, researchers found eight healthy volunteers and gave them each a small biopsy on each thigh that is, they removed a small piece of their skin. The wound on one thigh was stitched while the wound on the other thigh was treated daily with topical collagen powder. The researchers found that after four weeks, the collagen-treated wounds healed at least as well as those that had been stitched up.

Adam Friedman, a medical doctor and one of the authors of the study, told EurekAlert! that further studies are warranted, as applying collagen powder to a small biopsy wound daily is easier and cheaper for patients than going to a physician for stitches and suture removal. However, no one should do this without first consulting their doctor, as the type of collagen and type of wound matters.

Also Check: Do Cheerios Help Lower Cholesterol

Diet And Lifestyle Changes

A doctor will look at your overall risk of cardiovascular disease and make recommendations to reduce high blood cholesterol as well as managing other risk factors such as high blood pressure, smoking and being overweight.

Reducing high blood cholesterol levels typically involves decreasing the total cholesterol level by decreasing LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides, while maintaining or increasing HDL-cholesterol levels.

• LDL-cholesterol levels are best decreased by eating less saturated fat
• Triglyceride levels are best reduced by eating less sugar-containing foods, limiting alcohol intake, and reducing the intake of total fat
• HDL-cholesterol levels are best increased by exercise, substituting saturated fats with polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fat , and maintaining a healthy weight.

Heart-healthy dietary changes are summarised in our Heart disease diet page.

Other lifestyle changes should include:

• Exercising regularly
• Maintaining a healthy body weight
• Limiting alcohol intake

Heart-healthy exercise suggestions are summarised in our Heart disease exercise page.

Bloating And Digestive Issues

The main reason for increased cholesterol levels is overeating fatty and fried food affects our liver and produces bad cholesterol in the body. If you are facing high cholesterol, then you may feel bloated even after eating significantly less.

Your stomach makes you feel heaviness and disinterest in appetite. The excess flow of lipid substance directly affects the metabolism and triggers the digestive system in your body, and you feel bloating and heaviness.

If you are constantly feeling these issues, then you must go for a lipid profile test.

You May Like: What Causes High Ldl Cholesterol

What Is The Difference Between Good Cholesterol And Bad Cholesterol

Good cholesterol is known as high-density lipoprotein . It removes cholesterol from the bloodstream. Low-density lipoprotein is the bad cholesterol.

If your total cholesterol level is high because of a high LDL level, you may be at higher risk of heart disease or stroke. But, if your total cholesterol level is high only because of a high HDL level, youre probably not at higher risk.

Triglycerides are another type of fat in your blood. When you eat more calories than your body can use, it turns the extra calories into triglycerides.

Changing your lifestyle can improve your cholesterol levels, lower LDL and triglycerides, and raise HDL.

Your ideal cholesterol level will depend on your risk for heart disease.

• Total cholesterol level less than 200 is best, but it depends on your HDL and LDL levels.
• LDL cholesterol levels less than 130 is best, but this depends on your risk for heart disease.
• HDL cholesterol levels 60 or higher reduces your risk for heart disease.
• Triglycerides less than 150 milligrams per deciliter is best.

Diet Rich In Saturated Fats And Trans Fats: Most Common Cause

An unhealthy diet is the most common cause of having high cholesterol readings. Foods that contain saturated fats and trans fat are the main culprits.

Trans fat foods not only raise your LDL but also lower your HDL, the good cholesterol. That makes it the worst food you can eat vis-à-vis cholesterol.

Saturated fats are found in :

• Dairy foods such as butter, cheese, sour cream, ghee, full-fat milk and ice cream
• Red Meat such as fatty cuts of beef, pork and lamb organ meat, processed meats like salami and sausages and the skin on chicken
• Lard
• Certain cooking oils like palm oil
• Seafood like prawns and lobster

Trans fats are found in :

• Cakes, pies, and cookies
• Doughnuts
• Packed wafers

The American Heart Association recommends that you replace foods containing saturated fats and trans fats with foods that contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

You May Like: Is Shrimp Bad For Your Cholesterol

Who Should Be Tested

Your GP may recommend that you have your blood cholesterol levels tested if you:

• have been diagnosed with coronary heart disease, stroke or mini-stroke , or peripheral arterial disease
• are over the age of 40 people over 40 should have their estimate of CVD risk reviewed regularly
• have a family history of early cardiovascular disease for example, if your father or brother developed heart disease or had a heart attack or stroke before the age of 55, or if your mother or sister had these conditions before the age of 65
• have a close family member who has a cholesterol-related condition, such as familial hypercholesterolaemia
• are overweight or obese
• have high blood pressure or diabetes
• have another medical condition, such as kidney disease, an underactive thyroid, or an inflamed pancreas these conditions can cause increased levels of cholesterol or triglycerides

Cholesterol And Peripheral Vascular Disease

In addition to your heart and your brain, cholesterol plaque can cause symptoms in your legs and other areas outside of your heart and brain . Legs and feet are most common. You might notice cramps in your calves when you walk that get better with rest. This is like angina — it works the same way — but in your legs instead of your heart.

Also Check: Are Shrimp Bad For Cholesterol

What Are Hdl Ldl And Vldl

HDL, LDL, and VLDL are lipoproteins. They are a combination of fat and protein. The lipids need to be attached to the proteins so they can move through the blood. Different types of lipoproteins have different purposes:

• HDL stands for high-density lipoprotein. It is sometimes called “good” cholesterol because it carries cholesterol from other parts of your body back to your liver. Your liver then removes the cholesterol from your body.
• LDL stands for low-density lipoprotein. It is sometimes called “bad” cholesterol because a high LDL level leads to the buildup of plaque in your arteries.
• VLDL stands for very low-density lipoprotein. Some people also call VLDL a “bad” cholesterol because it too contributes to the buildup of plaque in your arteries. But VLDL and LDL are different VLDL mainly carries triglycerides and LDL mainly carries cholesterol.

Research For Your Health

The NHLBI is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health the Nations biomedical research agency that makes important scientific discoveries to improve health and save lives. We are committed to advancing science and translating discoveries into clinical practice to promote the prevention and treatment of heart, lung, blood, and sleep disorders, including high blood cholesterol. Learn about current and future NHLBI efforts to improve health through research and scientific discovery.

Read Also: Does Shrimp Has Cholesterol

How To Lower Cholesterol: Know Your Fats

The American Heart Association recommends that just 25% to 35% of your daily calories come from fats such as those found in fish, nuts, and vegetable oils. For healthy people, saturated fat should comprise no more than 7% of your total calories. On a 2,000 calorie-a-day diet, that’s about 140 calories worth of saturated fat. If you need to lower your LDL cholesterol, limit saturated fat to 5% to 6% of calories, or about 11 to 13 grams of saturated fat on a 2,000-calorie diet. Reduce trans fats to less than 1% of your total daily calories. This means avoiding fried foods and many junk foods.

S To Lower Cholesterol And Risks Of Related Diseases

A few simple changes can lower your cholesterol and cut your risk for conditions linked to high cholesterol.

Ask for expert advice on lifestyle changes. Your doctor can help you come up with a plan for healthy eating and exercise.

Give your diet a makeover. Go for foods like oatmeal, walnuts, tuna, salmon, sardines, and tofu. Stay away from things that are high in trans and saturated fats and simple sugars.

No smoking. It lowers your âgoodâ cholesterol. If you quit, youâll have more of it. There are lots of other benefits for your whole body.

Get moving! Even modest amounts of exercise, like half an hour a day of brisk walking, help you control weight. Itâs also good for other things that put you at risk for heart disease, like diabetes and high blood pressure. Exercise can lower your triglyceride levels and raise your âgoodâ cholesterol. Both are good for your heart.

Take your medications. Your doctor may prescribe medicines to help lower your cholesterol. Take them as directed. Questions? Ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Read Also: How Do You Test Cholesterol

Numbness In The Body Parts

If you are constantly experiencing numbness in your body parts, then high cholesterol can be responsible for that. However, other causes can also be responsible for numbness and swelling.

When bad cholesterol appears high in your body, it affects blood circulation and prevents healthy nutrients from reaching the body. The lack of proper oxygen is also a cause of swelling and unusual numbness.

Lifestyle Changes For Preventing Atherosclerosis

There are two lifestyle changes you can get started on right away:

Exercise. Regular exercise helps maintain the health of the vessels leading to the heart. Exercise also can strengthen the heart muscle itself. Walking after meals, even just for 10 minutes, can reduce blood sugar after meals, and prevent further damage to the blood vessels.

Stop smoking. Smoking oxidizes cholesterol, causing it to deposit in your blood vessels and contribute to atherosclerosis. This is the single most important change you can make to reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. A great program is 14andout.com.

We are indebted to Linus Pauling for finding the real cure of heart disease caused by plaque in the arteries. Modern medicine may take another 50 years to come to the same conclusion!

Currently, the medical establishment believes that hardening of the arteries cannot be reversed once it has occurred. This is what they have seen in their practices because they have not focused on nutritional changes to help stimulate the healing processes of the body and reverse disease. Thus, what theyre saying is technically true.

However, theres a whole other part of science that is ignored by medical doctors that of nutrition. And when nutritional principles are used, then miracles often happen. The body was designed to heal and repair itself.

Also Check: Are Egg Beaters Low In Cholesterol

What Causes High Cholesterol

You’ve likely heard the warnings about high cholesterol. Specifically, how having it can increase a person’s risk of heart disease.

But cholesterol in and of itself isn’t bad quite the opposite, actually. Your body needs it.

Cholesterol becomes a problem when you have too much of it in your bloodstream, which is almost always preventable.

“Your liver produces cholesterol. In fact, it actually produces all the cholesterol you need. The tricky part is that our diet and lifestyle habits can also influence our cholesterol levels,” says Dr. Joshua Septimus, associate professor of clinical medicine and medical director of Houston Methodist Primary Care Group Same Day Clinics.

And while your body has a way of dealing with extra cholesterol floating around in your bloodstream, it can’t always effectively handle excess amounts of it.

Getting Your Cholesterol Levels Checked

If youre age 20 years or older, the American Heart Association recommends getting your cholesterol levels checked at least once every four to six years. If you have a history of high cholesterol or other risk factors for cardiovascular disease, your doctor may encourage you get your cholesterol levels tested more often.

Your doctor can use a lipid panel to measure your total cholesterol level, as well your LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. Your total cholesterol level is the overall amount of cholesterol in your blood. It includes LDL and HDL cholesterol.

If your levels of total cholesterol or LDL cholesterol are too high, your doctor will diagnose you with high cholesterol. High cholesterol is especially dangerous when your LDL levels are too high and your HDL levels are too low. Find out more about your recommended cholesterol levels.

Recommended Reading: Cholesterol Hydrophilic Or Hydrophobic

What Causes High Ldl

Simon Lam

Simon has been an online writer for over six years. He has a Graduate degree in life science and writes frequently about health topics

Its important to know what causes high LDL or bad cholesterol. Knowing what increases LDL levels and eliminating these cholesterol-raising factors can prevent LDL numbers from climbing and thereby help maintain good health. Here are the culprits that can raise LDL cholesterol, and as a result, increase the risk of heart disease.

Eggs

Free Digital Photos