Know Your Cholesterol Levels

Cholesterol Levels

Did You Know

  • The word ‘cholesterol’ has its root in two Greek words, one of which means ‘stiff’.
  • Cholesterol, also known as lipid, is a fatty substance formed in the liver, but can also be found in certain food we eat.
  • Cholesterol is vital for the normal functioning of the body, but too much of it in the blood can cause damage to arteries leading to cardiovascular disease.
  • Cholesterol, which is produced in the liver or consumed through food, is carried to the blood by proteins, which when they combine is known as lipoproteins.
  • Lipoproteins are of many types, and they can be harmful (LDL) or protective (HDL).
  • Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) carries cholesterol from the liver to those cells that need it. High-density lipoprotein (HDL), on the other hand, carries cholesterol away from the cells back to the liver, to be broken down or passed out of the body as waste products.
  • If the cells have too much of cholesterol to use, it can form deposits in the artery walls, leading to heart attack, stroke, etc., which is why LDL is known as bad cholesterol.
  • HDL on the other hand is known as good cholesterol since it carries cholesterol away from the cells, which is why it is recommended to maintain high levels of HDL and low levels of LDL cholesterol.
  • A ‘blood test’ is used to detect and measure the levels of HDL and LDL cholesterol.

WHY SHOULD I LOWER BAD CHOLESTEROL LEVELS?

Evidence suggests that high levels of LDL in blood can increase the risk of atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries), heart attack, stroke and transient ischaemic attack (mini heart attack). The reason is that there is a buildup of fat inside the walls of blood vessels which narrows the same and restricts the flow of blood to the heart, resulting in fatal consequences.

HOW DOES THE CHOLESTEROL LEVELS INCREASE IN MY BODY?

A number of factors increase the chances of high cholesterol levels which includes:
  • Unhealthy diet in the form of food rich in fat content, especially saturated and trans fat, like red meat, butter, cheese, ice-cream, and processed food made with partially hydrogenated oil.
  • Smoking whereby a chemical called acrolein, found in cigarettes stops the flow of cholesterol from the cells to the liver, which result in narrowing of arteries.
  • Diabetes or high blood pressure (hypertension) and a family history of heart diseases are some of the other factors that can increase the cholesterol levels in the blood.
  • Familial Hypercholesterolaemia, an inherited condition leads to high cholesterol even if the affected person eats a healthy diet.

WHEN DO I GET MY CHOLESTEROL LEVELS CHECKED?

The epidemic of lifestyle diseases (non-communicable diseases) brought about by the unhealthy lifestyles most of us tend to lead makes a regular health check-up to monitor your cholesterol levels a must.