High Cholesterol: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments
What is High Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a waxy substance that is found in your blood. It is an important component of your cell membranes and helps your body produce hormones, vitamin D, and bile acids that aid in digestion. However, when there is too much cholesterol in your blood, it can accumulate in the walls of your arteries and lead to various health problems.
High Cholesterol: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments
Causes of High Cholesterol
There are several factors that can contribute to high cholesterol levels. These include:
- Genetics: Some people may inherit genes that cause them to have high cholesterol levels.
- Unhealthy Diet: Eating a diet that is high in saturated and trans fats can increase your cholesterol levels.
- Lack of Physical Activity: Being physically inactive can lead to high cholesterol levels.
- Obesity: Being overweight or obese can increase your cholesterol levels.
- Smoking: Smoking can damage your blood vessels and lead to higher cholesterol levels.
Symptoms of High Cholesterol
High cholesterol does not typically cause any symptoms. In fact, many people do not even realize that they have high cholesterol until they have a blood test done. This is why it is important to get your cholesterol levels checked regularly, especially if you have any risk factors.
Complications of High Cholesterol
If left untreated, high cholesterol can lead to various health complications, including:
- Heart disease.
- Stroke.
- Peripheral artery disease.
- Atherosclerosis (hardening and narrowing of the arteries).
Treatment and Prevention of High Cholesterol
Fortunately, there are several ways to manage high cholesterol levels. These include:
- Lifestyle Changes: Eating a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, quitting smoking, and maintaining a healthy weight can help to lower your cholesterol levels.
- Medications: If lifestyle changes are not enough to lower your cholesterol levels, your doctor may prescribe medication.
- Supplements: Some supplements as plant sterols and stannous, can also help to lower cholesterol levels.
