Many people around the globe are asking, “What is the dangerous level of high cholesterol.” Another great one is, “what should I avoid if I have high cholesterol.” According to the CDC, 95 million U.S citizens above the age of 20 suffer from high cholesterol. These show that it’s likely to be one of the health problems one might battle within a lifetime. Poor diet, obesity, smoking, or even lack of excessive is the major contributing factors. When it strikes your body, you will experience things such as chest pain, heart attack, or stroke. But, above all, there is a solution for it. Here, you’ll learn more about high cholesterol, causes, ways to prevent, and many more.
Cholesterol
Cholesterol is an organic molecule, type of fat found in blood cells. It’s mostly produced by cells in the body and liver. Since it’s one of the building blocks of the cell membrane in the body, there are essential functions it does:
• Used to make hormones
• Assist with efficient metabolism to help you digest food and make vitamin D.
• Produce bile acid, to digest fat
High Cholesterol
A small amount of cholesterol is enough to fire up the above function. Now, what if you have too much cholesterol. We have two transport systems in which is carried in the body: High-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL). HDLcholesteroral is dubbed “good” cholesterol since it fetches extra cholesterol back to your liver. Upon reaching back, the liver then removes them from the body. LDL cholesterol is dubbed “bad” because it can clog your arteries. When it combines with other substance in the blood, it narrows arteries and leads to coronary artery disease.
Most Common Causes of High Cholesterol
Unhealthy lifestyle is one of the major causes of high cholesterol. High cholesterol causes can be broken down into these categories:
• Unhealthy diet. We talked about LDL, which is “bad” cholesterol. We have certain types of foods that can raise LDL, such as bad fats. Bad fats can be Trans fat (fried foods, processed snacks, baked goods, to mention a few.
• Lack of exercise. Sitting for a long period at workplaces or home slows metabolism. Avoiding exercise will only lower your HDL” good” cholesterol.
• Smoking. Cigarettes contain a chemical substance known as Acrolein. This chemical inhibits the functioning capabilities of HDL.
standard Treatment and their Side Effects
A few individuals will find relief when they make lifestyle changes in their life. It can be achieved by doing regular exercise and concentrating on a better diet. Some condition may require one to access medication. According to the American Heart Association, the following are commonly prescribed medication:
• Statins. Its main purpose is to inhibit cholesterol from forming in the liver. They are good at lowering LDL and raising HDL. They mostly work in the liver where they lower triglycerides (blood fats). Its side effects are mild and will disappear as you cope. They include headache, difficulty sleeping, muscle aches to mention a few.
• Resin. It operates in the intestines where it binds to the bile, raise disposal of cholesterol. It ensures that your body remains with less cholesterol circulating in your blood cells. Notable side effects with this drug include bloating, nausea, and flatulence.
• Niacin. It inhibits the production of blood fats in the liver. It has higher side effects compared to other medications. They include itching, stomach, upset, and flushing.
• Omega-3 fatty acids Ethyl Esters. They are extracts from fish oil, to reduce triglyceride levels. Serious precaution is needed when given since it interacts negatively with other medications. Its side effects can be severe for those
who portray allergies with fish products. A few of the side effects include headache, skin rash, sweating, nosebleeding, and many more.
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