Your Cholesterol- Know Your Numbers
Despite all the bad press it gets, cholesterol is a natural substance that’s required to build and maintain cell membranes and is carried to all parts of your body by your blood. Your body uses cholesterol to produce vitamin D, bile salts and the hormones that help you digest fat. Though some of our cholesterol comes from the foods that we eat – known as dietary cholesterol – our bodies make the majority of it. If there’s too much cholesterol built in your blood stream, it can eventually collect on the walls of your blood vessels, leading to a clogging of the blood vessels, stroke or a heart attack.
The first step in reducing your risk of stroke or heart attack is to have a complete fasting lipoprotein profile done, including total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL), and triglycerides. To complete the test, you’ll need to fast, or go without food and drinks (except water) for at least twelve hours before the test. Blood will be drawn and analyzed for all necessary blood components and each element of your cholesterol profile.
When your results are in, you’ll need to check for the following different elements:
Total cholesterol (TC) is the number of cholesterol molecules in your blood, defined in milligram per deciliter. A TC number of 200 or less is good; however, if you have a family history of risk factors, you’ll need to talk with your doctor about having a complete fasting lipoprotein profile test. The physician or laboratory report may give you a TC-to-HDL ratio, which is calculated by dividing your TC number by your HDL number. In general, ratios less than 5 are associated with a decreased risk of heart disease, while a ratio greater than 5 is considered to be higher risk. Make sure to ask your physician to clarify the ratio number and how it was calculated to avoid any discrepancy with the results.
In the body, cholesterol has to be teamed up with protein to get through your blood vessels. High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) is made up of lipids – another word for fats and protein – and cholesterol. HDL has more protein content than fat, and appears to carry the cholesterol to the liver for excretion. Because of this, HDL cholesterol is known as the “good” cholesterol in the body. Typically, an HDL score of <35 to <40 milligram/deciliter or lower is considered to be a good score, while <60 mg/dl is considered to be optimal.
Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is the primary focus of heart disease prevention campaigns because of the negative effects it can have on the body. LDL cholesterol contains more fat and less protein than HDL, causing it to be carried to the tissues and deposited on the walls of blood vessels. When this cholesterol builds up over time, it can lead to strokes or heart disease – giving it the title “bad” cholesterol. Although LDL is only one part of your total cholesterol profile, an LDL value of <100 mg/dl is considered optimal and a value of >160 mg/dl is high risk.
If your cholesterol test comes back with numbers outside of the optimal ranges, your doctor may prescribe cholesterol-lowering medications or recommend a number of lifestyle changes to get you back on track. Typically, you’ll be advised to reduce your saturated fat intake, increase your level of physical activity and maintain an optimal weight. Together, these changes will help to lower your cholesterol and reduce your risk of having a stroke or heart attack due to cholesterol buildup.