Cholesterol
Cholesterol is fat-like and waxy substance, which normally, presents in certain foods especially those foods from dairy products like eggs and meat.
Generally, the body needs some cholesterol for proper functioning. The walls of the cells and its membranes requires cholesterol for producing hormones, bile acids and vitamin D however, a small amount of cholesterol is only needed. Too much amount of cholesterol can cause medical problems like heart problems.
Too much cholesterol can build up in the arteries and can result to atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries. This disease normally develops slowly but this gets worse as the person gets older.
Different Kinds of Cholesterol
Cholesterol is also normally stored in the liver and circulates in the blood where it is attached to a protein. The combination of cholesterol and protein is also known as lipoprotein. Lipoproteins are categorized as low-density cholesterol (LDL) and high-density cholesterol (HDL). They are classified accordingly depending presence of the protein and fat.
- Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) are known as the bad cholesterol. This type of cholesterol normally contains more fats and less protein. Too much presence of LDL can clog the arteries.
- High-density lipoproteins (HDL) are known as the good cholesterol. This type of cholesterol normally contains more protein and less fat. This usually aids in clearing the presence of bad cholesterol in the blood to avoid it from clogging the arteries.
- Triglycerides are not considered cholesterol but this is a form of fat, which floats in the blood. Too much of triglycerides increase the risks of heart problems.
Various factors affect the presence of low or high-density cholesterol. The controllable factors, which may include unhealthy diet and obesity, contribute to cholesterol levels. However, genetic factors may also play a role in production of cholesterol.
Symptoms of High Cholesterol
High cholesterol has generally no symptoms. The best way to detect high cholesterol is only done through blood tests.
Diagnosis of High Cholesterol
High cholesterol is diagnosed through blood test.
- Simple cholesterol test - this can measure the total cholesterol as well as the high-density cholesterol. This is normally done even the patient had eaten prior the test. If the result of this will show high cholesterol or low cholesterol, then the next step is fasting cholesterol.
- Fasting cholesterol test - this test is also known as lipoprotein analysis. This is considered the most complete test to detect the presence of cholesterol build up in the body.
This measures total cholesterol, LDL, HDL as well as triglycerides and this requires nine to twelve hours fasting before the test.
When to Get Tested for Cholesterol
Cholesterol normally increases when in the elderly. In men, it usually increases when one reaches the age of fifty. However, cholesterol can start increasing by the age of twenty. Therefore, it is recommended that you ask your doctor to get you tested for baseline cholesterol when you reach twenty.
After age twenty, you may ask your doctor to get you tested every five years there after but this should be done regularly when you reach forty.
If the test results show abnormal ranges, the doctor might recommend more tests in the future. However, if your family has history of high cholesterol or other medical conditions factors like diabetes, your doctor will recommend you to undergo cholesterol test more frequently to monitor your cholesterol level and avoid complications later on.
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Understanding Cholesterol Recommended Resources:
Harvard School of Public Health
University of Illinois Extension
