Blog

We often hear that cholesterol is bad for our health, but that’s not entirely true! Essential for the body to function, cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that helps in the building of cell membranes.

Cholesterol plays a role in the production of bile acids, a substance that aids in the absorption of fats and fat-soluble vitamins, steroid hormones and vitamin D.

Bad cholesterol VS Good cholesterol

As cholesterol is not soluble in the blood, it has to be transported by some special carriers known as lipoprotein.

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) transports cholesterol from the liver to the cells and causes cholesterol to build up on the walls of the arteries. This leads to health complications, hence LDL is also termed ‘bad cholesterol’.

On the other hand, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) is known as ‘good cholesterol’ as it carries excess cholesterol from the cells to the liver. This prevents the deposition of cholesterol on arterial walls.

Causes of high cholesterol

Though cholesterol is important for most body functions, high levels of it can lead to serious health issues.

High cholesterol in the body usually stems from various factors including age, gender, heredity and unhealthy lifestyles.

Age & Gender

As the body ages, the level of cholesterol in the body will rise. Usually, women will have lower cholesterol levels than men before menopause, and this trend is reversed once women reach menopausal age.

Heredity

Certain ethnic groups, such as South Asians, are more prone to high cholesterol.

Familial hypercholesterolemia is also an hereditary form of high cholesterol that can be passed within the family.

Lifestyle

Unhealthy lifestyles that can lead to high cholesterol include indulging in a diet high in saturated or trans fats and not exercising enough.

Being overweight or obese can also increase the risk of having high cholesterol in the body. A body mass index (BMI) of 30 and above is likely to elevate LDL levels and reduce HDL levels.

Smoking can also affect the cholesterol levels by reducing the HDL levels in the body. Health conditions such as diabetes and kidney diseases can also increase cholesterol levels in the body.

Cholesterol & heart health

High cholesterol leads to health problems as the cholesterol is deposited on the walls of blood vessels, narrowing or even blocking blood flow.

Arteries that are narrowed or blocked will reduce the blood supply to cells or organs, ultimately depriving them from oxygen and nutrients. This condition is known as atherosclerosis.

When atherosclerosis occurs in the arteries that supply oxygen and nutrients to the heart, heart functions will be compromised. Coronary arteries that are partially blocked can result in angina, or chest pain.

If the coronary arteries are completely blocked and cause damage to parts of the heart muscles, a heart attack is very likely to occur.

Cholesterol & other health problems

Cholesterol is circulated throughout the body via blood vessels, so high cholesterol levels affect the part of the body where cholesterol build-up occurs.

Apart from the heart, the blockage of arteries in the brain will deprive brain cells of oxygen and nutrients, causing a stroke.

If cholesterol is deposited in blood vessels other than in the heart and brain, it can lead to peripheral vascular disease (PVD). PVD leads to pain or numbness, and if left untreated, it can cause open sores or the death of tissues.

How to improve cholesterol levels

If you’re looking to improve your cholesterol levels, the first thing you’ll have to do is make changes to your lifestyle.

Exercising regularly has shown to increase HDL and reduce LDL in the body. Individuals who are overweight or obese should watch their diet and do physical activities for at least 30 minutes a day.

Smokers should quit smoking as early as possible as tobacco smoking can affect cholesterol levels and harm the body in many other ways.

For a complete, healthy diet, swop saturated fats with unsaturated fats, and avoid trans fat when you dine. Find out where you’ll find the respective fats and what foods you should avoid.

Saturated fats

Harmful to the body, saturated fats increase the total cholesterol and LDL levels.

Saturated fats are usually found in animal products (e.g. lard, butter) and dairy products (e.g. full cream milk, cheese). They are also found in some plant oils such as palm oil and coconut oil.

Unsaturated fats

Unsaturated fats are usually found in plant oils (e.g. olive oil, corn oil), seeds, nuts and fatty fishes (e.g. salmon). They increase the HDL levels and reduce the LDL levels, making them beneficial to the body.

Trans fat

Trans fat can be obtained from animal sources, but are mainly produced during food processing. They have proven to increase LDL levels and reduce HDL levels, which can lead to health problems.

Atherosclerosis is a medical condition involving the build-up of fatty material called plaque on the inner walls of large and medium-sized arteries. The plaque is composed of lipid, cell debris, smooth muscle cells, collagen, and, in older persons, calcium.

Clogged arteries reduce the flow of oxygen-rich blood to your main organs. This greatly increases the risk of angina (chest pains) and heart attacks, strokes, and peripheral arterial disease, which may all inadvertently result in death.

Thinking in another way: when a blood vessel is clear and free of plaque build-up, the blood flow will be smooth. However, when there is a build-up of plaque, it’s almost like having “road blocks” inside your blood vessels. This causes a “traffic jam” to occur because the plaque makes the artery narrow and less elastic.

Risk factors of atherosclerosis

• High blood cholesterol level
• High blood pressure
• Cigarette smoking
• Ageing
• Heavy alcohol consumption
• Diabetes
• Family history of heart disease

Symptoms and complications
People don’t usually realise that they have the disease because its symptoms are not apparent until a medical emergency such as a heart attack or stroke happens.

However, depending on the location of the plaque, some symptoms may occur like in the following:

Coronary artery disease
This is caused by clogged heart arteries and may result in angina, shortness of breath, fast heart beats, and dizziness, just to name a few.

While symptoms of angina and heartburn may seem similar, it’s actually not that hard to distinguish between them. Heartburn, unlike angina, is usually associated with a sour taste in the mouth and regurgitation (the sensation of food or liquid coming up into the throat especially when lying down).

Carotid artery disease
This is caused by clogged brain arteries and may result in numbness on one side of your body, arms and legs, or in the slurring of words.

Peripheral artery disease
This is caused by clogged arteries in extremities such as the legs, arms, and pelvis and may result in leg pain, cold feet, and delays in the healing of injuries in extremities.

It may also result in gangrene, the localised death of skin and other tissues, which is characterised by blue or black coloured skin, pain, numbness, and sores that produce a foul-smelling discharge.

Test and Diagnosis
Make an appointment with your health care provider if you are at risk of atherosclerosis, especially if you have been noticing the symptoms described here. Your physician will perform a physical examination, a series of diagnostic tests, as well as imaging to tell you whether you have the disease.

Treatment
The medication prescribed will be dependent on the underlying medical conditions diagnosed by your physician. For example, medicines for high blood pressure and cholesterol may be administered. Blood thinning medicines are among the more common medicines to help prevent blood clots from forming inside your arteries. Your doctor will discuss a suitable treatment with you.

Prevention
You can prevent atherosclerosis and its complications by modifying your life style.

Some lifestyle modifications include:

• A reduced intake of high-fat foods, salt, and sugar
• An increased intake of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains
• Replacing the saturated fats and trans fats in your diet with unsaturated fats

Saturated fats and trans fats (bad cholesterol) can be found in foods like red meat and margarine while unsaturated fats (good cholesterol) can be found in most fish oils and vegetable oils.

The USDA recommends that the average individual should:

• Keep total fat intake to 20-35% of your daily calories
• Limit saturated fats to less than 10% of your calories (200 calories for a 2000 calorie diet)
• Limit trans fats to 1% of calories (2 grams per day for a 2000 calorie diet).
• Reduce daily intake of salt to less than 2.4 grams.

If you love to snack, replace your favourite snacks with an apple, carrot sticks, or nuts. Be active; exercise at least three times per week for at least 30 minutes each session. Quit smoking for your health and for your loved ones.

If you are a healthy individual, you should also go for regular health screening.
For example:

Ask your physician for more information on how you can maintain an excellent heart health.