What Should Ldl Cholesterol Be

Cholesterol Levels Chart For Children

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics and the US National Library of Medicine, heres what cholesterol levels should look like for children under 19:

Some children are genetically predisposed to high cholesterol because of a condition called familial hypercholesterolemia . The most effective way to diagnose FH is to get your child proper genetic testing from a specialist between the ages of 2 and 10, says Mohamed Al-Kazaz, MD, a cardiologist at Mount Sinai Hospital.

A child is also more likely to have high cholesterol if they have obesity, diabetes, liver or kidney disease, or an underactive thyroid, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Getting A Cholesterol Test

A blood sample is taken that will be used to determine the amount of bad cholesterol , good cholesterol and other fatty substances in your blood.

You may be asked not to eat for 10-12 hours before the cholesterol test, usually including when youre asleep at night. This ensures that all food is completely digested and wont affect the outcome of the test.

Your GP or practice nurse can carry out the cholesterol test and will take a blood sample, either using a needle and a syringe or by pricking your finger.

A newer type of test that measures non-high-density lipoprotein is now sometimes used because its thought to be a more accurate way of estimating cardiovascular disease risk than LDL.

Non-HDL cholesterol is total cholesterol minus HDL cholesterol. Its also not necessary to fast before the test, so it is more convenient.

Cholesterol Chart For Adults

Your doctor may recommend a plan of treatment for high cholesterol that includes lifestyle modifications and potentially medication. This will vary based on factors like other medications you may be taking, your age, sex, and general health.

Here are some medications more commonly prescribed for high cholesterol:

• Statins.Statins lower the LDL cholesterol levels by slowing the production of cholesterol by the liver.
• Bile acid sequestrants.Bile acid sequestrants are substances used in digestion. These resins can reduce cholesterol levels in the blood by binding to bile acids and removing them, forcing the body to break down LDL cholesterol to create bile acids instead.
• Cholesterol absorption inhibitors.Cholesterol absorption inhibitors can block the absorption of cholesterol from the diet, sometimes in conjunction with statins.
• Bempedoic acid.Bempedoic acid helps to stop an enzyme in the liver, ATP citrate lyase, from making cholesterol. This drug is often combined with statins for increased benefit for those with familial hypercholesterolemia, an inherited condition that can cause early heart disease.
• PCSK9 inhibitors. Also used frequently with familial hypercholesterolemia, PCSK9 inhibitors, which are injected drugs, help the liver absorb and remove more LDL cholesterol from the blood.

Medications can also be used to treat contributing factors to cholesterol like triglycerides. These may be used in addition to some of the medications above.

You May Like: Is Tuna High In Cholesterol

What Does This Mean For My Dietary Choices

The common theme in all of this is that we just dont do well when we mix high levels of fat and carbs. Its not necessarily the fat or the carbs, but rather the combination of the two in the diet and the bloodstream that becomes problematic!

When we combine fat+carbs in ways that rarely occur in nature, we get cholesterol and glucose hanging around together in our bloodstream for extended periods, which leads to oxidised LDL and eventually heart disease.

In nature, fat, carbs and protein tend to oscillate with the seasons. Before modern agriculture and food processing, we wouldnt have had access to high levels of carbs and fat at the same time.

We see the same pattern with carb intake vs satiety. Its not necessarily the high carb or low carb diet that is problematic, but rather the combination of carbs+fat that leads us to eat more than we need, which causes our body fat stores to be overfull and with a subsequent overflow of high levels of energy into our bloodstream . In our modern food environment, the combination of non-fibre carbs with fat with minimal protein drives us to eat more than we otherwise would.

High Ldl Cholesterol Diagnosis

A blood test can check your LDL, HDL, and total cholesterol levels. It also measures triglycerides, a type of fat that stores extra energy from your diet. High triglyceride levels can make you more likely to have heart problems.

Experts recommend testing every 4 to 6 years. Youâll probably need it more often if you have heart disease or diabetes, or if high cholesterol runs in your family.

Lower numbers are better when it comes to LDL cholesterol test results. The general guidelines for adults in the United States are:

• Less than 100 milligrams per deciliter : Optimal
• 100-129 mg/dL: Near or above optimal
• 130-159 mg/dL: Borderline high
• 160-189 mg/dL: High
• 190 mg/dL and above: Very high

If you have a condition like heart disease or diabetes, your doctor might recommend an LDL target of 70 mg/dL or below.

Read Also: Cholesterol In Pork Chops

What Is A Healthy Cholesterol Level

This table is a general guide for ideal cholesterol and triglyceride levels for healthy adults in the UK. If you have a condition such as heart disease or diabetes, your target levels may be lower your doctor will be able to tell you your individual targets.

Above 6 is considered high risk â the lower this figure is the better

Above 6 is considered high risk â the lower this figure is the better

Why Is Cholesterol Important To Our Bodies

Every cell in the body needs cholesterol, which helps the cell membranes form the layers. These layers protect the contents of the cell by acting as the gatekeeper to what things can enter or leave the cell. It is made by the liver and is also used by the liver to make bile, which helps you digest foods. Cholesterol is also needed to make certain hormones and to produce vitamin D. Your liver makes enough cholesterol to meet your bodys needs for these important functions.

Don’t Miss: How Long Should You Wait Between Cholesterol Tests

What Are Cholesterol Levels

Cholesterol circulating in the blood is carried by special particles called lipoproteins. The two major cholesterol-carrying lipoproteins are low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein :

• LDL cholesterol is often referred to as “bad” cholesterol because too much of it can build up in your arteries and form plaques, which increases the risk of heart disease .
• HDL cholesterol is often referred to as “good” cholesterol as it carries cholesterol to the liver to be broken down and excreted.

Since your total cholesterol is a combination of your LDL cholesterol and your HDL cholesterol, ideally you want to keep your LDL levels low and your HDL levels high. There are many factors that can influence your cholesterol, including, diet, exercise, weight, genetics, and other health conditions.

Getting Help For Your Child

If you are worried about your child’s weight, consider consulting with a registered dietitian or expressing your concerns with your pediatrician.

Children can benefit from getting involved in meal planning, shopping, and cooking, reducing intake of sweetened beverages, and learning how to eat more fruits and vegetables. Being a good role model and getting the entire family on board is also important for making changes and providing your child with confidence.

Recommended Reading: Does Honey Nut Cheerios Really Lower Cholesterol

Questions To Ask Your Doctor

If testing shows you have high cholesterol, you may want to ask your doctor these questions at your next visit.

1. What are the dangers of having high cholesterol? Can other problems develop?

2. What could have caused my cholesterol to be too high? Is it inherited?

3. Are there things I can do at home or in my life to reduce my cholesterol?

4. Is medicine necessary? Are there alternative treatments?

5. If medicine is needed, how does the medicine work?

6. How long can I take medicine? What are the side effects? Is long-term use harmful?

7. How can exercise help to lower my cholesterol?

8. Where can I learn more about how to live with high cholesterol?

9. What changes should I make to the way I eat?

10. How often do I need to get my cholesterol level checked?

Show Sources

When Should I Get My Cholesterol Checked

How often you have your cholesterol level checked depends on your age, family history and what other risk factors for heart disease you have.

If you have no cardiovascular risk factors, routine screening most often starts at the age of 40 for men and 50 for women.

If your cholesterol is up, as with an FH diagnosis, your family doctor can also advise you when to have follow-up cholesterol levels done.

Don’t Miss: Shellfish High In Cholesterol

What Affects My Cholesterol Levels

A variety of things can affect cholesterol levels. These are some things you can do to lower your cholesterol levels:

• Diet. Saturated fat and cholesterol in the food you eat make your blood cholesterol level rise. Saturated fat is the main problem, but cholesterol in foods also matters. Reducing the amount of saturated fat in your diet helps lower your blood cholesterol level. Foods that have high levels of saturated fats include some meats, dairy products, chocolate, baked goods, and deep-fried and processed foods.
• Weight. Being overweight is a risk factor for heart disease. It also tends to increase your cholesterol. Losing weight can help lower your LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. It also raises your HDL cholesterol level.
• Physical Activity. Not being physically active is a risk factor for heart disease. Regular physical activity can help lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol levels. It also helps you lose weight. You should try to be physically active for 30 minutes on most, if not all, days.
• Smoking.Cigarette smoking lowers your HDL cholesterol. HDL helps to remove bad cholesterol from your arteries. So a lower HDL can contribute to a higher level of bad cholesterol.

Things outside of your control that can also affect cholesterol levels include:

What Are The Normal Cholesterol Levels For Men And Women

A cholesterol test generally determines 4 distinct numbers: Total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides. Cholesterol being fat, it is not soluble in water. So it cannot circulate freely in the blood. But, the fact is that nature has devised a way to make water-soluble cholesterol, and transport it through the blood. This is by lipoproteins. The LDL or Low-density lipoprotein and the HDL or high-density lipoprotein are the 2 fundamental cholesterol carriers but to make things simpler, they are considered as cholesterol types. In addition, the lipid panel appraises the triglycerides . They have an impact on health in the same manners as cholesterol. At last, the total cholesterol is integrated as well in the results. Apart from these 4 general lipid levels, your doctor may want to access your very low-density lipoprotein or VLDL that is considered bad when high.

Donât Miss: Tuna Cholesterol Content

Recommended Reading: Are Shellfish High In Cholesterol

How Can I Lower My Ldl Cholesterol Without Medications

The first step in managing any case of high LDL is through adopting healthy, therapeutic lifestyle changes . The key to TLC is:

• Adjusting diet: Adopting specific, heart-healthy eating habits, such as the TLC diet, Mediterranean diet, or the Dietary Approaches to Hypertension eating plan can dramatically improve LDL levels. These limit intake of trans fats, salt, and cholesterol, while boosting healthy, unsaturated fats.
• Managing weight: If you’re overweight or obese, even moderate reductions in weight can help lower LDL. Incorporating healthier lifestyle habits, such as improving diet, sleep quality, and level of physical activity can make a big difference.
• Staying active: Ensuring that you’re getting enough physical activity will also help reduce LDL levels. Aiming for a bare minimum of 30 minutes a day of moderate exercise, such as taking daily walks or cycling, can help a great deal.

Can Bad Cholesterol Levels Be Too Low Can Good Cholesterol Levels Be Too High

It isnt often that people have bad cholesterol that is too low or good cholesterol that is too high. There are studies being done that suggest that extremes of any kind are not healthy for everyone.

Even though there is no clear-cut number about what LDL level is too low, levels under 40 mg/dL may be associated with certain health issues, including depression/anxiety, and hemorrhagic stroke.

However, there is data from clinical trials to support that there is no evidence of harm when LDLs remain < 40mg/dl on statin therapy.

In some cases, genetic conditions can cause you to have very low cholesterol levels. In other cases, nutritional problems, some cancers, hypothyroidism and certain infections can also cause low cholesterol levels. In any of these types of situations, the underlying issues need to be addressed.

In terms of having too much of a good thing, researchers are studying the effects of too much HDL, the good cholesterol. No conclusions have been reached, but there have been studies into the possible relationship between high HDL and cancer, and a greater risk of heart attack among the high risk. Excessively high HDL may be dysfunctional HDL and not protective.

Recommended Reading: High Cholesterol Mayo

Below Are The Ldl Cholesterol Ranges:

• Optimal: If LDL is less than 100.
• Near-optimal or above optimal: If it is between100-129.
• Borderline high: If it is between130-159.
• High: If it is between160-189.
• Very high: If it is between 190 or above.

However, for the people suffering from any heart disease or blood vessel disease the recommended LDL goal during treatment is usually less than 70. The treatment goal for the ones with a high-risk disease like diabetes or any other multiple risk heart disease is to reach an LDL level of less than 100.

You Dont Need To Avoid Eggs And Seafood

Some foods are high in cholesterol but are fine to eat in moderation, as long as your overall diet is low in saturated fats. For example:

• Egg yolks a single egg yolk contains 200250 mg of cholesterol, which is almost the uppermost recommended daily intake . However, reducing egg intake is probably not important for healthy people with normal blood cholesterol levels.
• Seafood prawns and seafood contain some cholesterol, but they are low in saturated fat and also contain healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Seafood is a healthy food and should not be avoided just because it contains cholesterol. However, avoid fried and battered seafood.

Recommended Reading: Is Chocolate Bad For Cholesterol

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.

Lifestyle Tips To Cut Cholesterol

Changing some of your lifestyle habits may also help to reduce your cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Suggestions include:

• Cease alcohol consumption or reduce your alcohol intake to no more than one or two drinks a day. Avoid binge drinking. This may help lower your triglyceride levels.
• Dont smoke. Smoking increases the ability of LDL cholesterol to get into artery cells and cause damage.
• Exercise regularly . Exercise increases HDL levels while reducing LDL and triglyceride levels in the body.
• Lose any excess body fat. Being overweight may contribute to raised blood triglyceride and LDL levels.
• Control your blood sugar levels if you have diabetes. High blood sugars are linked to an increased risk of atherosclerosis , heart attacks and strokes.

You May Like: Does Honey Nut Cheerios Help Lower Cholesterol

What Ldl Levels Mean

When you have your cholesterol checked, you usually receive a consultation to help explain what the measures mean. As mentioned, high LDL levels are a red flag, as are those of triglycerides when the latter are also higher than normal, it can be a sign that atherosclerosis has already developed.

LDL levels are broken down into five specific categories, defined as optimal and near optimal, often considered healthy ranges, as well as borderline high, high, and very high. The results are expressed as milligrams per deciliter .

Healthy LDL Ranges
190 mg/dL and higher

Hdl Versus Ldl Cholesterol

There are two main types of cholesterol: high-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein . Lipoproteins are made of fat and proteins. Cholesterol moves through your body while inside lipoproteins.

HDL is known as good cholesterol because it transports cholesterol to your liver to be expelled from your body. HDL helps rid your body of excess cholesterol so its less likely to end up in your arteries.

LDL is called bad cholesterol because it takes cholesterol to your arteries, where it may collect in artery walls. Too much cholesterol in your arteries may lead to a buildup of plaque known as atherosclerosis. This can increase the risk of blood clots in your arteries. If a blood clot breaks away and blocks an artery in your heart or brain, you may have a stroke or heart attack.

Plaque buildup may also reduce blood flow and oxygen to major organs. Oxygen deprivation to your organs or arteries may lead to kidney disease or peripheral arterial disease, in addition to a heart attack or stroke.

Centers for Disease Control , over 31 percent of Americans have high LDL cholesterol. You may not even know it because high cholesterol doesnt cause noticeable symptoms.

The only way to find out if your cholesterol is high is through a blood test that measures cholesterol in milligrams per deciliter of blood . When you get your cholesterol numbers checked, youll receive results for:

To treat high cholesterol, doctors often recommend these lifestyle changes:

Dont Miss: Tahini Cholesterol

Read Also: Beer Effect On Cholesterol