“Good” And “Bad” Cholesterol: Know the Difference

Do you know what cholesterol is? 

It's a fatty substance that's produced by your liver. It's pretty important because it helps with the formation of cell membranes, certain hormones, and vitamin D. But here's the thing: cholesterol can't travel through your bloodstream on its own. That's where lipoproteins come in. These particles are made from fat and protein and carry cholesterol and triglycerides through your bloodstream. 

There are two types of lipoproteins: LDL (Low-Density Lipoprotein) and HDL (High-Density Lipoprotein). LDL cholesterol is sometimes called "bad cholesterol" because it carries cholesterol to your arteries. If you have too much LDL cholesterol, it can build up on the walls of your arteries in the form of cholesterol plaque. This plaque can narrow your arteries, which can limit your blood flow and increase your risk of blood clots, heart attacks, and strokes. 

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But don't worry, there's also "good cholesterol" called HDL cholesterol. HDL helps return LDL cholesterol to your liver to be removed from your body. This can prevent cholesterol plaque from building up in your arteries. Having healthy levels of HDL cholesterol can help lower your risk of blood clots, heart disease, and stroke. 

Now, here's the thing: high cholesterol often has no symptoms early on, so it's important to get regular cholesterol level check-ups. Stay on top of your health game and keep those cholesterol levels in check! 

Factors Affecting Cholesterol Level: 

Many factors are responsible for inducing changes in cholesterol levels in the body, some of these factors are changeable and some are such that you cannot change them. 

4 Factors Affecting "Good" and "Bad" Cholesterol That Can Be Changed:

1: Diet: Saturated fats and cholesterol foods that you eat increase the cholesterol level in your blood. The main problem is caused by the consumption of saturated fats but the cholesterol present in the food also matters. It is always better to avoid eating food items in excess including processed foods, red meats, deep-fried items, full-fat dairy products, some baked goods, and chocolates. 

2: Weight: Suffering from obesity or gaining excess body weight is very dangerous for heart disease. If we do not pay attention, it can also increase the risk of cholesterol. 

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3: Lack of physical activity: Heart disease is the biggest risk of not being physically active; Therefore, at every age, a person should be physically active and take care of fitness. 

4: Smoking: Smoking cigarettes reduces HDL cholesterol. HDL helps in reducing the bad cholesterol level in the arteries, hence the chances of cholesterol getting reduced due to a drop in HDL.

4 Factors Affecting "Good" and "Bad" Cholesterol That Cannot Be Changed:

1: Age: There is a tendency for cholesterol levels to increase with increasing age. Although this happens less often cholesterol may reach high levels even in children and young people. 

2: Sex: In the age group of 20 to 39 years; Men are at greater risk than women for developing high cholesterol levels. However, after menopause, women become more prone. This happens because menopause reduces female hormones which protect them from high blood cholesterol. 

3: Family history: Your genes partly determine how much cholesterol your body can make. If there is a record of high cholesterol in the family history, then the chances of cholesterol in the next generation also increase. 

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4: Ethnicity: Certain specific ethnic or racial groups have an increased risk of increasing cholesterol levels. Asian Americans tend to have higher levels of LDL cholesterol compared to other groups.

Conclusion: 

Cholesterol plays a very important role in the body, it supports hormone production, helps in cell membrane formation, and is also crucial for Vitamin D synthesis. It is very important to maintain the optimal level of cholesterol to manage heart health. There are two types of cholesterol, LDL and HDL. LDL cholesterol contributes to artery blockage and increases the risk of stroke and heart disease while HDL cholesterol effectively eliminates excess cholesterol from the bloodstream. 

Physical activity, weight, and diet are a few factors that influence cholesterol levels while age, family history, sex, and ethnicity are non-modifiable factors. Lifestyle adjustments and regular body checkups prevent high cholesterol and protect long-term cardiovascular health.

Source:- https://www.healthline.com/health/high-cholesterol#what-it-is 

Disclaimer:- This information is intended to supplement, not substitute, advice from your healthcare provider or doctor. It does not cover all possible uses, precautions, interactions, or side effects, and may not be appropriate for your specific healthcare needs. Always consult with your doctor or another qualified healthcare provider before modifying or discontinuing any prescribed portion of your healthcare plan or treatment, in order to determine the best course of therapy for you. Do not ignore or delay professional medical advice based on anything you have seen or read on Medwiki. 

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