Is Cholesterol Important?
According to the National Institutes for Health, your blood cholesterol level has a lot to do with your chances of getting heart disease. In fact, NIH says, the higher your blood cholesterol level, the greater your risk for developing heart disease or having a heart attack. Heart disease is the number one killer of adults in the United States, causing about half a million deaths each year.
Does Cholesterol Cause Heart Disease?
High blood cholesterol itself does not cause symptoms, but high cholesterol can lead to heart attacks. Cholesterol is a fat-like substance in your blood. Excessive cholesterol can build up in the walls of your arteries, causing the arteries to become narrow and slowing the flow of blood. If the blood supply to the heart is blocked, the result is a heart attack.
How is Cholesterol Measured?
The National Institutes for Health recommend a cholesterol test for everyone age 20 and older at least once every 5 years. One good test is a blood test called a "lipoprotein profile" which will give you numbers related to:
- Total cholesterol levels below 200* are desirable; above 240 is considered high.
- LDL (bad) cholesterol--the main source of cholesterol buildup and blockage in the arteries. The lower the number the better – less than 100 is considered optimal; over 160 is moving into the high range.
- HDL (good) cholesterol--helps keep cholesterol from building up in the arteries. For HDL, the higher the number the better – a level of 40 is low; a level at 60 or above is considered healthy
- Triglycerides--another form of fat in your blood
*Cholesterol levels are measured in milligrams (mg) of cholesterol per deciliter (dL) of blood.
What Affects Cholesterol Levels?
Cholesterol levels can be affected by:
· Diet – Particularly saturated fat and cholesterol in the food you eat
· Weight - Excess weight tends to increase cholesterol levels. Losing weight can lower LDL and raise HDL cholesterol levels.
· Physical Activity – Regular activity can help to lower LDL and raise HDL.
· Age - cholesterol levels tend to go up with age
· Gender – prior to menopause women tend to have lower cholesterol levels than men
· Heredity - High cholesterol can run in families.