Why Is My Cholesterol High?
Eating a healthy diet is important, but other factors may impact your cholesterol
Medically reviewed by Richard N. Fogoros, MD
It is possible for your cholesterol to be high even when you are eating a healthy diet and exercising. Though high cholesterol is typically related to your diet, you may also have a genetic condition that makes it hard for your body to eliminate excess cholesterol. Smoking, age, and weight can also contribute to high cholesterol levels.
It can be hard to tell if you have high cholesterol because it doesn't always come with symptoms. Having high cholesterol levels can increase your risk of heart attack, stroke, and other conditions.
In this article, we'll discuss the causes and treatments for high cholesterol and how you can lower your risk of developing it.
What Is High Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a fatty molecule that your cells need to function. Your liver makes it, but you can also get cholesterol from the foods you eat.
The term "high cholesterol" usually refers to low-density lipoprotein, or LDL (often called "bad cholesterol").
High LDL levels increase your risk of atherosclerosis, where deposits of cholesterol, calcium, and white blood cells produce plaques in the walls of arteries. These plaques can reduce blood flow to vital organs like the heart and brain, and lead to serious complications like heart attack and stroke.
Related: HDL and LDL Cholesterol Range by Age
Why Is My Cholesterol High?
High cholesterol can be caused by your diet. Cholesterol enters your body when you eat food, specifically foods high in saturated fats, such as fried foods and red meat. If you eat too much of these foods, it can increase the cholesterol level in your blood to unhealthy levels.
If you're eating healthy, other factors may be impacting your cholesterol levels.
Genetics
Even if you eat right and exercise, you can still have high cholesterol if you have inherited a genetic form of high cholesterol from your parents called familial hypercholesterolemia. This condition can make it hard for your body to get rid of extra cholesterol.
While the liver makes cholesterol in your body, it also recycles and removes cholesterol from the body. When your liver isn't working properly or when genetic mutations disrupt this process, too much cholesterol can build up in your body. Even though it cannot be prevented, maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help keep the condition under control.
Related: What Is My Familial Hypercholesterolemia Inheritance Risk?
Exercise
When you aren't getting enough exercise, your body may not be making as much HDL as it needs to remove bad cholesterol from your body. Some studies have found that long periods of inactivity are associated with a significant increase in total and LDL cholesterol and a reduction in HDL cholesterol.
Getting plenty of exercise has a variety of health benefits and may help you maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Studies have found that exercise can help increase HDL (good) cholesterol and maintain or even offset increases in LDL (bad) cholesterol. More intense, regular exercise can even help reduce LDL cholesterol levels.
Age and Weight
As you age, your LDL cholesterol rises. Some scientists believe that your body becomes less efficient at clearing bad cholesterol as you get older. Research has also found that HDL cholesterol decreases by about 1% with every year of advancing age.
Studies have also found a relationship between high cholesterol and obesity. People who are obese may have trouble metabolizing cholesterol. Obesity is associated with changes in the way people absorb, synthesize, and process cholesterol. Obesity also lowers HDL cholesterol, which can affect the body's ability to remove excess LDL cholesterol.
Smoking
Smoking can restrict blood flow through your vessels and make them stiff. On top of this, smoking can impair the function of "good" cholesterol, or HDL cholesterol, which helps break down bad cholesterol and balance out levels in your body. Studies have also found that quitting smoking can help restore HDL function.
Stress
Studies have also found that psychological stress may have some correlation with unhealthy cholesterol levels. A small 2020 study concluded that people who were under a lot of job stress were at increased risk of having unhealthy lipid profiles, especially those who were overcommitted and poorly compensated.
Sleep
People who have trouble sleeping or who regularly do not get enough sleep are at increased risk for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. A 2016 study found that sleep loss affects the expression of the genes responsible for transporting cholesterol and that people who say they don't get enough sleep tend to have lower HDL levels.
Other Conditions
There are a number of conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, and thyroid disorders that can contribute to high cholesterol. Talk to your healthcare provider about other conditions you have, the medications you take, and how they may affect your cholesterol levels.
Related: False-High and False-Low Cholesterol Tests
Managing Cholesterol Levels
Lifestyle changes are one of the first things your healthcare provider will recommend for managing high cholesterol. All medications can cause side effects, including medications to lower your cholesterol, and many people can successfully lower their cholesterol without them. Your healthcare provider will determine which treatment approach is best for you.
Lifestyle Factors
Lifestyle changes that can help prevent high cholesterol or lower your cholesterol include:
Eating plenty of fiber
Maintaining a healthy weight
Reducing your alcohol intake
Stopping smoking
Controlling your blood sugar
It takes time to lower cholesterol, so don't be discouraged if you don't see results right away. Stick to your healthcare provider's suggestions and make sure to see your healthcare provider as recommended for follow-up testing.
Medication
If these changes aren't enough to lower your cholesterol to a safe range, your healthcare provider may prescribe medication. If this is part of your treatment plan, you still have to continue your healthy lifestyle changes.
Many medications can help lower your cholesterol, including:
Fibrates
Selective cholesterol absorption inhibitors
Adenosine triphosphate-citrate lyase (ACL) inhibitors
If you have familial hypercholesterolemia, you may not be able to prevent high cholesterol. You can work with your healthcare provider to detect it early and manage it to prevent complications.
When to See a Healthcare Provider
In most cases, your healthcare provider will diagnose high cholesterol through routine screening. A lipid panel usually measures total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and HDL cholesterol.
Since people with high cholesterol don't usually have symptoms, most healthcare providers recommend regular screening at certain ages or for people at higher risk. The current recommendations are as follows:
People with a family history of high cholesterol, heart attack, or stroke may begin screening between the ages of 9 and 11. In these people, screening should be repeated every five years.
Younger adults should be screened every five years.
Men between the ages of 45 and 65 should be screened every one to two years.
Women between the ages of 55 and 65 should be screened every one to two years.
Men and women over the age of 65 should be screened yearly.
You should also see a healthcare provider if you develop symptoms of conditions that are related to high cholesterol, such as chest pain, a tight feeling in the chest, or high blood pressure.
If you've been diagnosed with high cholesterol and are having trouble maintaining a healthy diet, ask your healthcare provider about arranging a consultation with a nutritionist.
Learn More: What Is a Lipid Panel?
Summary
High cholesterol can be caused by a lot of things, from a poor diet to genetics. There are many ways to treat high cholesterol like diet and medications, but addressing it in some way is the most important. Untreated high cholesterol can lead to a number of serious complications, including heart attack and stroke.
Read the original article on Verywell Health.
