There can be many reasons for increased cholesterol in the body. An increase in bad cholesterol increases heart attack and stroke. Which medical test detects cholesterol, and what is the normal range of cholesterol?
Cholesterol exists in all cells of the body. This cholesterol is vital for making hormones in our body, vitamin D, and elements that are required for the digestion of food. Cholesterol has two types, one HDL, which is known as good cholesterol, and the other as bad cholesterol, which is LDL. An increase in the percentage of bad cholesterol in the body is dangerous. In simple words, cholesterol is sticky stuff like wax that sticks to our arteries and blood vessels. Sometimes its particles mix in the blood and block the supply of blood. When the bad cholesterol increases in your body due to high cholesterol, it can instantly block blood anywhere in the heart or brain, which causes heart attack and stroke. Now it is the most important to know how cholesterol increases.
Reasons For High Cholesterol:
Bad food: Bad food is considered to be the primary cause of bad cholesterol. Cholesterol increases due to high saturated and trans fat content in food. Saturated fat is present in animal foods like red meat, butter, and full-fat dairy products. Trans fat is present in processed food.
Lack Of Exercise: the second biggest cause of high cholesterol is the lack of exercise. That means not doing a physical exercise. The person who is obese has a very high level of bad cholesterol. Therefore, always keep your weight under control.
Smoking: Smoking can also be the reason for increasing LDL, or bad cholesterol. Smoking can reduce the good cholesterol in the body and increase bad cholesterol.
Health-related Problems: If you have any kind of lifestyle disease or health-related problem, then cholesterol can increase. For example, if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or a kidney-related disease, then also your cholesterol can be high.
Also read: Heart Health Essentials: Age-Specific Tests And Tips To Keep Your Heart Strong
Other reasons: One cause for which a person suffers from high cholesterol in the body is either his age or his gender. Cholesterol, particularly LDL cholesterol, rises with time. Cholesterol, especially LDL, is more dominant in men as compared to women. At times, even genetic factors make the levels of cholesterol higher.
Which test should be done for cholesterol?
To know the cholesterol, you may undertake a lipid profile test. A blood test requires fasting for 9–12 hours. The test report lets you know the scale of LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglyceride, and total cholesterol present in your body.
What Is The Normal Scale Of Cholesterol?
If your test report is received, then LDL cholesterol normal range should be less than 100 mg/dL. The normal range for HDL cholesterol should be 40 mg/dL or more. The range of triglycerides is less than 150 mg/dL.
