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What Does It Mean To Have A Low Cholesterol

Prepare Your Food A Little Differently

What Eating Keto Does To Your Cholesterol.

Its not only what you eat its how you eat it. Just as you can change what you buy in the grocery store, you can also choose healthier ways to make your food that help lower your cholesterol naturally. For example:

  • Trim fat and remove the skin when cooking meat or fish. This helps you get the protein while reducing fat intake.
  • Focus on boiling, broiling, baking, poaching or grilling. These are better methods of preparation than deep frying or breading, which can bring in extra fat.

What Are The Types Of Cholesterol

Cholesterol moves throughout the body carried by lipoproteins in the blood. These lipoproteins include:

  • Low-density lipoprotein is one of the two main lipoproteins. LDL is often called the bad cholesterol.
  • High-density lipoprotein is the other main lipoprotein. HDL is often called the good cholesterol.
  • Very-low-density lipoproteins are particles in the blood that carry triglycerides.

How Do I Lower My Cholesterol Your 5 Top Questions Answered

High cholesterol could be caused by things we can control like lifestyle habits, or things we cant like age and family history. Keeping on top of the things you can control with simple changes can help to lower your risk of heart and circulatory disease. We answer your questions with simple tips to help you start making changes today.

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Should I Stop Drinking If I Have High Cholesterol

Cutting down on alcohol will help your liver to work better at removing bad cholesterol. It may also improve your heart health in other ways by helping you lose weight and lower your blood pressure.

Our top tips for drinking alcohol are to:

  • drink less than 14 units of alcohol a week
  • have a few days each week where you dont drink at all
  • avoid binge drinking by drinking half what you usually would
  • order a small glass of wine or half a pint of beer.

Read more of our advice on alcohol.By making some of these small changes you should see your cholesterol levels go down.

How Cholesterol Moves Around The Body

Nonhdlcholesterol What Regulats Serum Cholesterol? What ...

Cholesterol is a white, insoluble and waxy substance. It is carried around the body by two key transport systems in the blood, which include:

  • Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol carries most of the cholesterol that is delivered to cells. It is called the bad cholesterol because when its level in the bloodstream is high, it can clog up your arteries.
  • High-density lipoprotein cholesterol is called the good cholesterol, because it helps remove excess cholesterol out of the cells, including cells in the arteries.

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Symptoms Are Unlikely To Occur

Like high blood pressure and prediabetes, high cholesterol rarely causes noticeable symptoms. Instead, a blood test can let you know whether you have high cholesterol. Most healthy adults should get cholesterol tested once every 4 to 6 years. Your doctor may suggest more frequent testing based on your own health conditions and risk factors.

When Should You Contact Your Healthcare Provider About Your Cholesterol Levels

In truth, your healthcare provider will probably talk to you about your numbers first. As always, contact your provider if you have any new or worsening pain or other uncomfortable feelings. Make sure you know what medications you take and what they are expected to do. Call the provider if you have a reaction to the medicine.

Before you go to the office, and after you have had a cholesterol test, it helps to have a list of questions prepared about your test results and any proposed treatment.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

When considering cholesterol numbers, its important to remember that you really have the ability to make those numbers go in your favor. What you choose to eat, how much you are able to move and how you deal with lifes ups and downs are things that you can influence.

Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 07/31/2020.

References

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Causes Of Very Low Ldl Levels

Extremely low levels dont just come about due to cholesterol lowering drugs. There can be other causes as well. There are four major causes why your LDL levels can fall too low.

1. Iatrogenic, meaning due to cholesterol-lowering drugs such as statins

2. Reduced production of LDL due to

  • Liver disease
  • Malabsorption such as celiac disease, where there is poor absorption from the gastrointestinal tract
  • Malnutrition, inadequate intake of nutrition.

3. Increased clearance of LDL due to

Hyperthyroidism or an overactive thyroid gland causes cholesterol levels to drop to abnormally low levels.

4. Inherited: Low LDL Syndrome

  • In Abetalipoproteinemia virtually no LDL cholesterol is present
  • In familial hypobetalipoproteinemia the LDL cholesterol levels are extremely low.

These are rare genetic diseases that cause cholesterol readings to fall to dangerously low levels.

Inflammation Causes Heart Disease Not Cholesterol

What Does a Low LDL/HDL Ratio Mean? : Fresh Kitchen

A common misconception is that cholesterol builds up and clogs your arteries, like grease blocking a pipe. The process is more nuanced than that.

As you read about in the last section, cholesterol is a repair molecule that shows up to heal damaged cells. When your arterial walls get damaged, cholesterol arrives to fix the problem. The issue is that LDL particles carrying cholesterol are large, and they can get stuck in the tear in your arterial wall. Thats when plaques begin to form.

The solution, then, shouldnt be to decrease your LDL and deprive your body of repair. It should be to get rid of whatevers tearing holes in the walls of your arteries. LDL is a symptom of an underlying problem, not a cause. The question is, what causes arterial damage in the first place?

The answer seems to be inflammation.

One of my favorite examples is smoking, Feldman says. Smoking causes oxidative stress that damages endothelial cellsthe damaged cells then become problematic, to the extent that it makes sense that the body would take action to repair them. Would you rather have a hole in the endothelial wall of your blood vessel, or would you rather have some spackle there to try to plug the leak?

Cholesterol seems to be a symptom of a larger problem. So why the confusion all these years about cholesterol causing heart disease?

The Framingham Study and related studies have found that the main risk factors for heart attack are:

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What Does High Cholesterol Mean

While cholesterol often gets a negative reputation attached to it, its not inherently bad. However, this can be problematic when the amount of cholesterol circulating within your blood becomes higher than recommended.

Ideally, you want to have a high ratio of HDL to LDL to help keep your total cholesterol levels in a healthy range.

When you have high LDL and low HDL levels, combined with high levels of another blood fat called triglycerides, this significantly increases your risk for heart disease.

The only way to know that you have high cholesterol is to have a blood test, called a lipid panel, done by your physician.

A fasting cholesterol test, generally done in the morning following a night of not eating, is the most accurate way to collect these numbers. A fasting test is necessary because a single meal can alter your cholesterol levels, and you dont want inaccurate readings.

A blood cholesterol test will tell you the following markers: total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides. Healthy parameters for these are listed in the table below for the average adult.

Biomarker
Less than 150 mg/dL

How Can I Lower My Cholesterol Level

The first step in reducing your cholesterol is to maintain a healthy, balanced diet. It’s important to keep your diet low in fatty food.

You can swap food containing saturated fat for fruit, vegetables and wholegrain cereals. This will also help prevent high cholesterol returning.

Other lifestyle changes, such as taking regular exercise and giving up smoking, can also make a big difference in helping to lower your cholesterol.

If these measures don’t reduce your cholesterol and you continue to have a high risk of developing heart disease, your GP may prescribe a cholesterol-lowering medication, such as statins.

Your GP will take into account the risk of any side effects from statins. The benefit of lowering your cholesterol must outweigh any risks.

Read more about how high cholesterol is treated

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What Causes Low Cholesterol Health Risks Symptoms And Treatment Of Hypocholesterolemia

Written byBel Marra HealthPublished onJanuary 11, 2018

Low cholesterol or hypocholesterolemia is something we dont hear a lot about.Cholesterol, of course, is that fatty substance that can clog arteries and lead to heart attack or stroke when levels are high however, low cholesterol can also be a health hazard.

When cholesterol levels are high, it can interfere with blood flow, causing a heart attack or stroke. If cholesterol levels are low, then other conditions such as cancer and depression can become a problem.

Understanding cholesterol and how it can impact the human body is important if you want to protect your health. For instance, cholesterol is a substance that the body actually needs. It plays a vital role in making certain hormones and making some of the substances that we need to digest food, but LDL is bad cholesterol, as it clogs our arteries. While lowering bad cholesterol is a good idea, having hypocholesterolemia can be concerning. Keep in mind that HDL is good cholesterol. It helps remove LDL from the body.

Eat Fibre To Lower Cholesterol

Hdlcholesterollevels What Does It Mean When U Have Low ...

Eating high-fibre food can also help to lower your cholesterol. Fibre helps reduce the amount of cholesterol that is absorbed into the blood stream from your intestine.

  • Make sure you get at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day as these contain fibre along with other nutrients
  • Eat plenty of other high fibre foods like pulses oats and seeds.
  • Choose more wholegrain foods when you can, such as brown or granary bread over white.

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Can High Cholesterol Cause Erectile Dysfunction

High cholesterol alone is not thought to cause erectile dysfunction , but plaque-clogged arteries can, because blood flow is essential to an erection, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Too much cholesterol may also affect the bodys ability to produce the hormone testosterone, as well as nitric oxide, which helps relax the penile tissue. Both of these factors can lead to ED as well.

The good news is that in older men with both high cholesterol and ED, taking statins medications used to treat high cholesterol is associated with a significant improvement in ED, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiologys 63rd Annual Scientific Session.

How Much Cholesterol Do We Need

Cholesterol is in every cell of your body. Your body needs cholesterol to make hormones and help your brain, skin, and other organs work the way they should. But too much cholesterol in the blood can clog the arteries that carry blood around your body.

Cholesterol that builds up in a person’s blood vessels over many years could lead to:

  • a heart attack that can damage the heart
  • a stroke that can damage the brain

Cholesterol can start to build up in childhood and teen years. Doctors can find out what your cholesterol level is by ordering a blood test.

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How Is The Total Cholesterol Or Blood Cholesterol Test Done

A blood test is a routine test. A phlebotomist is the person whose job it is to draw blood. Blood is usually drawn from the vein in your arm. You will sit down and the phlebotomist will wrap a rubber band around your upper arm so that the vein in your elbow sticks out. Then they will use a needle to puncture the vein and remove blood. The blood is sent to the lab to be examined.

Youve probably been at health fairs where testing is offered. In that case, the person performing the test takes a drop of blood from your finger. The finger stick test uses a small blade to poke a hole in the tip of your finger to get the blood.

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How To Increase Hdl Cholesterol

How Does the Keto Diet Affect Cholesterol?

Although HDL levels are driven by family genetics, you can improve HDL levels in three key ways:

  • If you are a smoker, research clearly shows that quitting smoking can increase HDL.
  • Adopting a heart-healthy diet low in fat and high in fiber can also modestly raise your HDL.
  • Aerobic exercise can also have positive effects on HDL. Have trouble exercising? Find a buddy research shows it helps motivate you. That exercise can be as simple as increasing the amount of walking you do each week.

Lastly, although primarily used to decrease high LDL, some statin medications may potentially increase HDL levels moderately. Any medical treatment option should be discussed with your doctor. Importantly, high HDL does not protect you from the untoward effects of high LDL.

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What Should My Cholesterol Levels Be

Blood cholesterol is measured in units called millimoles per litre of blood, often shortened to mmol/L.

As a general guide, total cholesterol levels should be:

  • 5mmol/L or less for healthy adults
  • 4mmol/L or less for those at high risk

As a general guide, LDL levels should be:

  • 3mmol/L or less for healthy adults
  • 2mmol/L or less for those at high risk

An ideal level of HDL is above 1mmol/L. A lower level of HDL can increase your risk of heart disease.

Your ratio of total cholesterol to HDL may also be calculated. This is your total cholesterol level divided by your HDL level. Generally, this ratio should be below four, as a higher ratio increases your risk of heart disease.

Cholesterol is only one risk factor. The level at which specific treatment is required will depend on whether other risk factors, such as smoking and high blood pressure, are also present.

How Is High Cholesterol Diagnosed

You cant tell if you have high cholesterol without having it checked. A simple blood test will reveal your cholesterol level.

Men 35 years of age and older and women 45 years of age and older should have their cholesterol checked. Men and women 20 years of age and older who have risk factors for heart disease should have their cholesterol checked. Teens may need to be checked if they are taking certain medicines or have a strong family history of high cholesterol. Ask your doctor how often you should have your cholesterol checked.

Risk factors for heart disease include:

  • Cigarette smoking.
  • Having an immediate family member who has had heart disease.
  • Being overweight or obese.
  • Inactivity.

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What Does The Term Total Cholesterol Mean

The term total cholesterol refers to the total amount of the different kinds of cholesterol in your blood. One kind of cholesterol is the LDL cholesterol. Another kind is the HDL cholesterol. LDL stands for low-density lipoprotein. LDL is the bad cholesterol. HDL stands for high-density lipoprotein. HDL is the good cholesterol.

List Of Statin Drugs To Lower Cholesterol

Ldlcholesterol What Causes Bad Cholesterol To Increase ...

The doctor may prescribe one of the following medications to help lower cholesterol:

  • Atorvastatin

The consensus has been that heart benefits are greater than diabetes risk.

So should I take statins?

If you want to reduce your risk for heart disease, then you should take statins. Currently, statin use is recommended by the American Diabetes Association for people with diabetes who have high cholesterol. Some people stop taking statins due to adverse side effects. Talk with your doctor before stopping any of your medicines. You shouldnt consume grapefruit if you take statins, as grapefruits increase uptake, and may increase side effects. You will want to avoid fibrates, warfarin , some antibiotics, and some HIV medicines. Talk to your pharmacist to see if any drugs you are taking might interact with statins.

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What In The World Is Red Yeast Rice

Weird as it sounds red yeast rice is a fungus that grows on rice. Asian countries use it for a food coloring and a medication. It has become popular in western countries because it tends to stop cholesterol production in the liver. It has sort of a natural form of statin in it, like the statin medications used to lower cholesterol. If you are one of the people that has trouble taking statins due to side effects, or dont want to take them for one reason or another, ask your doctor if red yeast rice might help you lower your cholesterol.

In one study, subjects that got muscular pain while on statins were able to take 1800 mg of red yeast rice twice a day for 24 weeks. The average drop in LDL-C was 35 mg/dl. In China, one study showed a 30 percent reduction in cardiovascular risk with long term use of red yeast rice. In the US, its a supplement so its not FDA regulated. Keep that in mind when taking any supplements in the US.

Always talk with your doctor, and have him or her to check your liver enzymes before starting red yeast rice supplements.

To Sum It All Up Does High Cholesterol Cause Diabetes

We have learned that diabetes is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, but does high cholesterol cause diabetes? Researchers are still unsure. However, there are some characteristics of diabetes that seem to affect cholesterol levels. To review, they are

  • people with diabetes have smaller and denser cholesterol particles that attach to arteries forming plaques
  • high glucose in diabetes contributes to LDL-C cholesterol staying in the bloodstream longer than it normally would
  • lower HDL-C and higher triglycerides in Type 2 diabetes increase cardiovascular risk
  • circulation difficulties compound the problems of high cholesterol
  • high triglycerides have been shown to be a risk factor for Type 2 diabetes

I hope you learned the relationship between cholesterol and diabetes. If you have any comments on the connection of cholesterol and diabetes let us know.

TheDiabetesCouncil Article | Reviewed by Dr. Christine Traxler MD on June 03, 2020

References

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