- Cholesterol - what is it?
- Cholesterol - what functions does it perform in the body?
- Cholesterol - norm
- LDL cholesterol "bad"
- HDL cholesterol "good" - features
- Non-HDL cholesterol
- Increased cholesterol - causes
- Increased cholesterol - symptoms
- Cholesterol - how to lower it?
- Too high cholesterol - effects
- Diet for cholesterol. Cholesterol in eggs and other foods
Cholesterol - both good and bad - although it sounds dangerous, it is essential for the proper functioning of the body. No cell in the body can do without good and bad cholesterol - only excess cholesterol is harmful. Make sure what you know about cholesterol and its role in the body is true.
Cholesterol - what is it?
Cholesterolis an organic compound from the group of sterols that is necessary for the proper functioning of the body. Part of the cholesterol is produced by the body - mainly in the liver, from where it reaches all the body's cells with the blood.
Some are delivered with food. Its source in the diet are animal fats and animal products. Total cholesterol consists of the so-calledgood and bad cholesterol . These are the colloquial names of two lipoproteins - LDL ("bad" cholesterol) and HDL ("good" cholesterol).
How are they made? Cholesterol is a fatty compound. It does not dissolve in the blood, so in order for it to travel with it, it must bind to proteins. Then, lipoproteins (fats - lipids, proteins - proteins) are formed. There are two types: LDL (low density lipoproteins) and HDL (high density lipoproteins).
LDL particles deliver cholesterol to cells. They take it as much as they need. The surplus is collected by HDL particles and transported to the liver. Here cholesterol is consumed, among others for the production of bile acid, the rest is excreted. Useful HDL is called "good". LDL sometimes supplies too much cholesterol and some of it builds up in the arteries. That's why it is called "bad".
Cholesterol - what functions does it perform in the body?
Cholesterol has many important functions in the body:
- is the building block of cell membranes
- is part of the myelin sheaths that protect the nerve fibers from damage
- is involved in the production of hormones (e.g. sex, anti-stress)
- is needed for the production and assimilation of vitamin D
- is a component of bile, facilitates the digestion of fats
Cholesterol is necessary for the proper functioning of the body, but its excess is dangerous to he alth.
Cholesterol - norm
| "Bad" LDL cholesterol | "Good" HDL cholesterol | |
| norma | 130 mg / dl | men ≥ 40 mg / d women ≥ 50 mg / dl |
| in patients suffering from ischemic heart disease after a heart attack, stroke | <100 mg/dl |
>60 mg / dl
|
| in people with diabetes | <70 mg/dl |
Author: Time S.A
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Find out moreAccording to an expertKrystyna Knypl, MD, PhD, internistHow to lower cholesterol?
Recently, I was in the hospital with a suspected heart attack. Hell in the chest, but all the "cardiac" tests came out very well. However, I have very high cholesterol, high blood pressure and low sugar. What could be causing this? Could it be nervous? I am a slim, active 50-year-old girl. I take medications, my chest still burns. How to lower cholesterol?
Krystyna Knypl, MD, PhD, internist:Increased cholesterol is usually associated with the use of an inappropriate diet. Other factors that affect cholesterol are age, genetic factors. Diet plays a very important role, because by modifying it we can influence the level of cholesterol.
It is advisable to eliminate all fat-containing dishes, including sweets (they contain the so-called confectionery fat - which has a very negative effect on cholesterol), fatty yellow cheeses, and cold meats containing fat. Recommended dishes only cooked, vegetables, fruit, skim milk.
You should also limit the volume of eaten servings. If you want to have a he althy cholesterol level, you should never feel completely overeated or satisfied. It is also important to treat arterial hypertension, because it additionally intensifies heart problems.
Home blood pressure checks are important - especially in the morning after waking up and urinating. If morning blood pressure values are above 130/80 mmHg, more intensive treatment of high blood pressure may be required - many people require 2-3 medications to bring their blood pressure to normal.
LDL cholesterol "bad"
"Bad" LDL cholesterol is the primary transportercholesterol from the liver to other organs, primarily the kidneys, muscles, and adrenal cortex. LDLs perform their function by depositing free cholesterol on the surface of cell membranes.
It accumulates in blood vessels, leading to the narrowing of their lumen, which causes atherosclerotic changes, circulatory disorders and even heart failure. Cholesterol hurts the coronary arteries the most.
It is there (and in the carotid arteries) that the most cholesterol deposits are deposited. He althy arteries are smooth and flexible, and cholesterol constricts and stiffens (this process is called atherosclerosis). Clogging of the lumen of the artery and the formation of blood clots is the most common cause of heart attacks and strokes. The risk of a heart attack in people with high cholesterol is up to 3 times higher than in those with a normal lipid profile.
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Good and bad cholesterol - test results
My LDL 5.3 mmol / L, HDL 0.99 mmol / L, and total cholesterol 7.9 mmol / L. Is elevated cholesterol and the rest of the results a threat to my he alth and is I at risk of atherosclerosis?
MSc Eng. Agnieszka Ślusarska, dietitian:Increased total cholesterol occurs in such he alth problems as hypothyroidism, cardio metabolic disorders, diabetes, psoriasis, and kidney failure. It can also be the result of dietary mistakes. As for the norms: LDL cholesterol - the so-called "Bad" cholesterol that is atherogenic.
The norm is<135 mg/dl (<3,5 mmol/l), u Pana występują zbyt wysokie wartości mogące świadczyć o procesie miażdżycowym, jednak proszę pamiętać że cholesterol to nie jedyny wskaźnik.
Total cholesterol should be in the range of 150-200 mg / dl (3.9-5.2 mmol / l) in your Lord is too high. At the same time, there is not enough protective (good) HDL cholesterol. It is also worth determining hsCRP and doing a Doppler test.
HDL cholesterol "good" - features
High-density lipoproterin (HDL) is commonly known as good cholesterol.
Good cholesterolhas a number of important functions.
- He is credited with the role of a factor that cleans the blood plasma of cholesterol. Cholesterol released into the plasma is bound by HDL. "Good" cholesterol is an active "collector" of free cholesterol in boththe surface of cell membranes as well as from circulating lipoproteins. So it is considered that when there is more of it in the blood,protects against cardiovascular diseases , incl. before a heart attack.
- "Good" cholesterol binds unnecessary cholesterol and carries it to the liver, where it is processed by the body, stored or excreted in the bile. In turn, the task of "bad" cholesterol is to transport cholesterol from the liver to the cells of the body.
As for the positive effect of "good" cholesterol on he alth, there are no doubts, among others, Researchers at the Massachusetts Veterans Epidemiology Research and Information Center (MAVERIC) in Boston.6In the American Journal of Cardiology, they argue that"good" cholesterol can prolong life.
They came to such conclusions after examining 650 war veterans, aged around 65. Taking the level of good cholesterol as a criterion, the respondents were divided into groups. Starting at 40 mg / dL, each 10 mg / dL increase in HDL reduced the risk of death before age 85 by 14%. In total, 375 surveyed men lived to their 85th birthday. In the case of participants with the highest HDL concentration, the risk of death was reduced by 28%. This group had less cardiovascular problems and obesity, and led a he althier lifestyle.
Experts from the American Heart Association are also convinced about the positive effects of good cholesterol. Low HDL level (below 40 mg / dl) in men increases the risk of heart disease.
However, some scientists believe that good cholesterol isn't all that good. Raising with the use of drugs, the so-called of good cholesterol (HDL) does not reduce the risk of a heart attack at all, so far suspected by cardiologists, argue researchers from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
American cardiologists gave test subjects simvastatin, a drug that lowers bad cholesterol, and a drug containing niacin (vitamin B3), which increases the concentration of good cholesterol and additionally lowers triglycerides (as harmful as LDL).
"Bad" cholesterol fell to 40-80 mg / dl of blood in research volunteers, while good cholesterol increased by an average of 28 percent, and triglycerides decreased by 25 percent. Tests have therefore confirmed that niacin is effective. However, among the study participants who received the most comprehensive treatment, there were no fewer heart attacks or strokes than those who took only LDL-lowering medications.
The experiment was stopped after 18 months, although it was planned for almost 3 years. So the researchers concluded that there is no doubt that lowering bad cholesterol is beneficial.however, there is still no evidence that a similar effect is shown by increasing good cholesterol and lowering triglycerides.
Good and bad cholesterol. What do you know about it?
Source: x-news.pl/Agencja TVN
Non-HDL cholesterol
For some time now, a new parameter can be noticed in the results of the lipidogram - non-HDL cholesterol. Colloquially he is called "even more angry".
This is in fact the collective name for all cholesterol fractions whose high blood values increase the risk of atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases.
In addition to the LDL fraction, there is a whole group of so-called atherogenic ("atherogenic") lipoproteins: VLDL cholesterol, VLDL remnants, intermediate density lipoproteins and lipoprotein (a) (Lp (a)).
The concentration of non-HDL cholesterol is obtained by a simple subtraction: total cholesterol minus HDL cholesterol, so they can be used without additional financial costs - as a supplement to the basic test: lipidogram.
The real "career" of non-HDL cholesterol was made in 2016, when the Polish Lipidology Society, the College of Family Physicians in Poland and the Polish Cardiac Society recommended in their guidelines GPs to mark it in patients with lipid disorders.
Increased cholesterol - causes
The main cause of high cholesterol is a diet high in saturated fat and trans fats, which can be found in:
- fatty meats and cold cuts
- fatty dairy products, e.g. cream, cheese and processed cheese
- fast food
- confectionery, such as donuts or faworki
- canned food
- some vegetable oils: palm oil and coconut oil
What raises cholesterol?
See the gallery of 7 photos
Increased cholesterol - symptoms
Elevated cholesterol levels do not cause any symptoms for a long time. The first alarming signals appear only when there is too much cholesterol, especially the "bad" cholesterol - LDL, and it accumulates in the walls of the arteries in the form of the so-called plaque.
They narrow and stiffen the vessels. This process is called atherosclerosis (arteriosclerosis), which produces symptoms such as:
- difficulty concentrating and remembering
- yellow lumps, usually around the eyelids, in the elbow bend, under the breasts - in very rare cases cholesterol builds up in the skin. They can also form nodules on the tendons of the wrists and the Achilles tendon.
If proper treatment is not implemented,the disease process will continue. Coronary heart disease can be a consequence. The most characteristic symptom of coronary artery disease is chest pain which:
- is called angina (hence the colloquial name of the disease angina), because it causes the feeling of pressure, crushing in the chest. Besides, it is referred to as searing and bursting
- is located behind the breastbone and can radiate to the neck, lower jaw, abdomen, or arms. Sometimes it is located in the epigastrium
- occurs during stress, during a meal or under the influence of cold air, as well as during exercise
In some cases, the first symptom of excess cholesterol is a heart attack or stroke.
Cholesterol - how to lower it?
There are over-the-counter medications to lower cholesterol. But they are only effective with slightly increased results. This is how, for example, preparations with artichoke extract work. Products containing soy phytoestrogens, beta-sitosterols and pumpkin phytosterols are also recommended.
If the concentrations of "bad" and "good" cholesterol are borderline, they can be normalized by modifying the diet (reducing fat, more vegetables and fruits) and lifestyle (at least 3 times a week for 30 minutes of exercise, avoiding stress, alcohol, caffeine, smoking). If this does not work, the doctor selects the appropriate pharmacological therapy.
Too high cholesterol - effects
The effects of too high levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol are not only atherosclerosis, which can lead to ischemic heart disease, heart attack and stroke. Excess cholesterol can lead to other complications.
Elevated cholesterol can cause erectile dysfunction and fertility problems. This is the result of a study by scientists from the University at Buffalo (USA) and Emory University in Atlanta (USA), published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. fertility problems. It turned out that women who had high cholesterol waited longer for pregnancy than women who had no such problem. The waiting for offspring became even longer when the future father of the child also had too high cholesterol.
Cholesterol build up in the arteries in the form of atherosclerotic plaque can detach from the vessel wall and reach the retina of the eye, damaging the eyesight .² The central retinal artery may become blocked. In this case, the patient suddenly notices severe visual impairment and visual field defects due to retinal ischemia. Irreversible damage to the retina may occur and it may occurblindness.
Too high cholesterol levels can also accelerate senile deafness These conclusions were presented in The Journal of Nutrition by Australian scientists from the University of Sydney .³ They suggest that a diet high in "bad" cholesterol contributes to hearing loss, and Eating good polyunsaturated fats (e.g. olive oil) has a protective effect on hearing.
In turn, researchers from the University of California4concluded that too much cholesterol in the blood accelerates the formation of amyloid deposits in the brain, leading to gradual tissue loss and dementia - the characteristic symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. Scientists examined the blood cholesterol levels of 74 men and great women over 70 years of age. They then analyzed what the amyloid deposits in their brains look like.
It has been found that both "good" and "bad" cholesterol play an important role in the development of neurodegenerative diseases. The unhe althy effect of cholesterol is manifested by an increased secretion of beta amyloid in the brain, which is the main cause of Alzheimer's. Scientists have shown that high levels of "good" cholesterol and low levels of "bad" cholesterol in the blood are associated with a reduction in the amount of amyloid deposits in the brain.
The kidneys are another organ that can be damaged from excess cholesterol and further to atherosclerosis, experts at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public He alth warn.5Atherosclerotic plaques also build up in the vessels that supply blood to this organ. The narrowing of the arteries can cause high blood pressure and kidney failure.
Atherosclerosis, caused by excess cholesterol, can also lead to the formation of cholesterol deposits, resulting in lower limb ischemia and problems with movement. This disease is called vascular occlusive disease of the lower extremities. It manifests itself with pain in the legs, especially when resting, tingling and sensitivity to cold. If the limbs are very hypoxic, they may develop gangrene and necrosis.
Diet for cholesterol. Cholesterol in eggs and other foods
Is cholesterol in eggs harmful? 100 g of egg contains 372 mg of cholesterol10 . For this reason, it has been recommended for many years to avoid especially egg yolks rich in this ingredient. Unnecessarily! According to the World He alth Organization, we can safely eat 6 to 10 eggs a week.7Eggs contain a whole range of vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and lecithin. They will have a positive effect on the level of good HDL and eliminate the bad influence of LDL.
Eggs are a product inthis aspect is unique. Other sources of cholesterol in food, such as: livers, sausages, salami, yellow cheese, blue cheese, no longer carry all these beneficial ingredients. On the contrary - they are also a source of saturated fatty acids, from which our liver will produce this cholesterol. 7
Cholesterol content in products8,9
| Product | Cholesterol content [in 100 g of product] |
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