What you need to know about cholesterol levels?

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that is found in all the cells in your body. Your liver makes cholesterol, and it is also found in certain foods, such as meat and dairy products. Your body needs some cholesterol to work properly. However, if you have too much cholesterol in your blood, you are at a higher risk of developing coronary artery disease.

How do you measure your cholesterol levels?

A blood test called a lipoprotein panel measures your cholesterol levels. The test provides information about your：

• Total cholesterol - measures the total amount of cholesterol in your blood. It includes both low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol.
• LDL (bad) cholesterol - the main source of cholesterol buildup and clogged arteries
• HDL (good) cholesterol - HDL helps to remove cholesterol from the arteries
• Non-HDL - This number is your total cholesterol minus your HDL. Your non-HDL includes LDL and other types of cholesterol, such as VLDL (very low density lipoproteins).
• Triglycerides - another form of fat in the blood that increases the risk of heart disease, especially in women

What do my cholesterol numbers mean?

Cholesterol numbers are given in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). The following are healthy cholesterol levels based on your age and gender:

Anyone age 19 or younger:

Type of Cholesterol	Healthy Level
Total Cholesterol	Less than 170mg/dL
Non-HDL	Less than 120mg/dL
LDL	Less than 100mg/dL
HDL	More than 45mg/dL

 

Men age 20 or older:

Type of Cholesterol	Healthy Level
Total Cholesterol	125 to 200mg/dL
Non-HDL	Less than 130mg/dL
LDL	Less than 100mg/dL
HDL	40mg/dL or higher

 

Women age 20 or older:

Type of Cholesterol	Healthy Level
Total Cholesterol	125 to 200mg/dL
Non-HDL	Less than 130mg/dL
LDL	Less than 100mg/dL
HDL	50mg/dL or higher

Triglycerides are not a type of cholesterol, but they are part of a lipoprotein panel (the test that measures cholesterol levels). A normal triglyceride level is below 150 mg/dL. You might need treatment if you have triglyceride levels that are borderline high (150-199 mg/dL) or high (200 mg/dL or more).

How often should I have my cholesterol tested?

When and how often you should have your cholesterol tested depends on your age, risk factors and family history. The general recommendations are as follows:

For people 19 years of age or younger:

• The first test should be between the ages of 9 and 11
• Children should be re-tested every 5 years
• Some children may start this test at age 2 if they have a family history of high blood cholesterol, heart attack or stroke

For those 20 years of age or older:

• Young people should be tested every 5 years
• Men ages 45 to 65 and women ages 55 to 65 should be tested every 1 to 2 years.

What can affect my cholesterol levels?

Many things can affect cholesterol levels. You can take the following steps to lower your cholesterol levels.

Diet. The saturated fats and cholesterol in the foods you eat can raise your blood cholesterol levels. Saturated fat is the main problem, but the cholesterol in your food is also important. Reducing the amount of saturated fat in your diet can help lower your blood cholesterol levels. Foods that are high in saturated fat include some meats, dairy products, chocolate, baked goods, and fried and processed foods.

Weight. Being overweight is a risk factor for heart disease. It also tends to increase your cholesterol. Losing weight helps lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, total cholesterol and triglyceride levels. It can also raise your HDL (good) cholesterol levels.

Physical activity. Physical inactivity is a risk factor for heart disease. Regular physical activity can help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and raise HDL (good) cholesterol levels. It can also help you lose weight. You should try to get 30 minutes of physical activity most, if not all, days.

Smoking. Smoking lowers your HDL (good) cholesterol. HDL helps to remove bad cholesterol from your arteries. Therefore, a lower HDL leads to higher levels of bad cholesterol.

Things you cannot control that can also affect your cholesterol levels include:

Age and gender. As women and men get older, their cholesterol levels rise. Before the age of menopause, women have lower total cholesterol levels than men of the same age. After menopause, women's LDL (bad) cholesterol levels tend to rise.

Genetics. Your genes partially determine how much cholesterol your body produces. High blood cholesterol can run in families.
Race. Certain races may increase the risk of developing high blood cholesterol. For example, African Americans usually have higher HDL and LDL cholesterol levels than whites.

How can I lower my cholesterol?

There are two main ways to lower cholesterol.

Make heart-healthy lifestyle changes, including:

A heart-healthy diet. A heart-healthy eating plan will limit the amount of saturated and trans fats you eat. Examples include therapeutic lifestyle change diets and the DASH diet plan.

Weight management. If you are overweight, losing weight can help lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol.

Physical activity. Everyone should get regular physical activity (30 minutes most, if not all, of the time).

Manage stress. Studies show that chronic stress can sometimes raise your LDL cholesterol and lower your HDL cholesterol.

Quit smoking. Quitting smoking can raise your HDL cholesterol. Since HDL helps remove LDL cholesterol from your arteries, having more HDL can help lower LDL cholesterol.

Medication. If lifestyle changes alone are not enough to lower your cholesterol, you may also need to take medication. There are several types of cholesterol medications available, including statins. These medications work in different ways and may have different side effects. Talk with your health care provider about which one is right for you. While you are taking medications to lower your cholesterol, you should continue to make lifestyle changes.

See also:

1. Cholesterol care