Cholesterol is like butter in a chocolate chip cookie recipe — essential in the right amounts.
Butter adds structure and flavor to cookies, just as cholesterol supports vital functions in the body, such as creating hormones and building cell membranes. However, too much of even a key ingredient can cause problems. Overdo the butter, and your cookies turn out greasy and unbalanced; let cholesterol get too high, and it can build up in your arteries, increasing the risk of heart disease and other cardiovascular issues.
Learn more about what cholesterol is, what your levels should be and how to monitor and track your cholesterol levels.
What Is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a waxy, fatty substance in the bloodstream. Cholesterol has several key functions:
— Maintaining cell membranes. Cell membranes control what goes in and out of cells and protect the cell. Cholesterol ensures cells function properly.
— Facilitating hormones. Cholesterol plays a key role in hormone production, as it’s a precursor to hormones, such as testosterone and estrogen.
— Producing bile acid. By helping produce bile acids, cholesterol helps digestion and absorption of fats and vitamins.
Because cholesterol is fatty, it can’t dissolve in water and can’t travel freely through the bloodstream. It requires a carrier, called a lipoprotein, to help transport it through the bloodstream.
These types of lipoproteins are:
— High-density lipoprotein, also known as the “good” cholesterol. HDL helps remove excess cholesterol from the bloodstream to be broken down in the liver.
— Low-density lipoprotein, also known as the “bad” cholesterol. LDL builds up in the arteries, creating plaque. LDL also deposits cholesterol and other fats throughout the body.
— Very low-density lipoprotein is another type of “bad cholesterol,” which deposits triglycerides, or fat storage molecules, as well as cholesterol, throughout the body.
Why you should measure your cholesterol
High cholesterol is associated with a higher risk of heart disease, which is the leading cause of death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One global study showed that out of all modifiable risk factors of heart disease, unhealthy cholesterol levels had one of the biggest impacts on developing heart disease.
[Read: The Truth About Fats, Cholesterol and Heart Health: Good Fats vs. Bad Fats.]
What Are Cholesterol Guidelines?
The CDC shares that optimal cholesterol levels are:
— Total cholesterol: about 150 milligrams per deciliter
— HDL: over 40 mg/dL in men and over 50 mg/dL in women
— LDL: about 100 mg/dL
— Triglycerides: less than 150 mg/dL
High cholesterol is when your total cholesterol is above 200 mg/dL.
Dr. Megan Kamath, a cardiologist at UCLA Health in Los Angeles, says one of the biggest misconceptions about cholesterol is that we shouldn’t check it until someone is middle-aged.
“The recommendation is to start getting your cholesterol checked in your mid-20s, or even sooner if there is a significant family history of high cholesterol,” she says.
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommends the following screening cadence:
— Children. An initial screening should take place between ages 9 to 11, repeated every five years. Screening should be adjusted depending on a family history of cardiovascular disease and high cholesterol.
— Adults. Screening should take place every five years. Men after the age of 45 and women after the age of 55 should be screened each year.
— Older adults over 65. Those over age 65 should be screened every year.
Providers discuss family and medical history, diet and lifestyle first when screening younger patients, says Dr. Roshini Singh, a board-certified family nurse practitioner in Lake Worth, Florida, and CEO of 365 Wellness, a mobile direct primary care practice.
“Then from there, we bring up preventative wellness and importance of screening for high cholesterol sooner to address it so it doesn’t become a major problem leading to cardiovascular disease in future,” Singh explains.
[See: How to Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease]
How to Measure Cholesterol
Medical providers measure cholesterol through a blood lab test called a lipid panel.
The panel measures:
— Total cholesterol
— HDL
— LDL
— Triglycerides
Prior to a lipid panel, you need to fast by not eating or drinking anything other than water, for at least nine to 12 hours.
[READ: How to Lower Cholesterol Naturally]
Home tests
There are a number of home cholesterol tests on the market. The accuracy of the home tests depend on how closely you follow the instructions for the test. Test accuracy varies from brand to brand, according to the Food and Drug Administration, which recommends using tests that are traceable to a CDC program because they may be more accurate.
To find tests that have been approved by the FDA, visit their website for in vitro diagnostics testing approvals, dedicated to tests that are performed by taking blood or tissue samples. Home cholesterol tests require a finger-prick blood sample, similar to a glucose test.
A lab-ordered test by your medical provider might be more affordable to you. If you have health insurance, check how much a screening lipid panel will cost based on your plan, deductible and copay. Many insurance plans, including Medicare, cover screening lipid panel tests every few years at no cost to their members.
Remember that screening for cholesterol involves more than lab results, so make sure to follow up with a medical provider who can consider your personal health history, medications, lifestyle and risk factors.
Cholesterol diary
Trista Best, a Dalton, Georgia-based registered dietitian, says a cholesterol diary is a great tool to help you get a picture of your diet, lifestyle and habits that may be contributing to your high cholesterol.
Best says you may want to track foods that contribute to high cholesterol, such as:
— Saturated fats, which are found in full-fat dairy, fatty cuts of meat and processed foods
— Refined carbohydrates, which raise triglycerides and lower good cholesterol
Best says you may also choose to track foods that are associated with lower cholesterol, which include:
— Soluble fiber, which lowers cholesterol by binding to cholesterol in the digestive tracts and being eliminated from the body. These include oats, apples, citrus fruits, lentils and beans.
— Healthy fats, which improve HDL cholesterol levels and are found in nuts, seeds, avocado and fatty fish
— Plant sterols or stanols, which block cholesterol absorption and are found in fortified foods, such as juice
— Antioxidants, which support a healthy heart by reducing inflammation and are found in berries, green tea and dark leafy greens
Cholesterol apps
You may choose to use a smart phone application to help you track your heart health, including factors related to cholesterol.
Even though dietary cholesterol doesn’t necessarily cause high blood cholesterol and heart disease, an app can be useful for:
— Tracking your diet, especially foods associated with higher cholesterol
— Helping with lifestyle tracking, such as tracking exercise, sleep, blood pressure, weight or other risk factors associated with high cholesterol and overall cardiovascular disease
— Charting your lipid panel labs to monitor trends
— Reminding you to take your cholesterol medications
There are many free apps available so you can find the one best suited for your needs. For example, the American Heart Association has a free app available on iPhone and Android phones called Heart & Stroke Helper.
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How to Track Your Cholesterol originally appeared on usnews.com
