How low should your cholesterol level be
First, we have to understand that cholesterol that can be measured comprises of HDL and LDL, which is not the same as the cholesterol in the cells or on the artery wall. The cholesterol level of your blood is not exactly the same as the cholesterol in your organs. However, cholesterol in your blood might be related to that on the artery wall. Also, the cholesterol on the artery wall has no relation to the level of cholesterol in the cells and hormones. This is confusing, isn’t it?
Simply put, they are like the water levels of a lake, river and ocean. The cholesterol level of the cells and hormones is like the level of a lake. The blood cholesterol level, which can be measured, is like the ocean, while cholesterol on the artery wall is like a river.
The ocean makes the level of the river rise, but the amount of water from the river flowing to the sea does not change the sea level. It could be even more confusing if you talk about fat (which can be cholesterol) around your hip and waist, which I would say is like underground water, which will not vary with the sea level (as much).
Today, when we check cholesterol levels, we can see results in detail because we now know that there are both good (HDL) and bad (LDL) cholesterol.
Total cholesterol level should not exceed 200mg/dl. That means the LDL level should be about 130mg/dl. When people try to lower their cholesterol level, it’s the LDL that needs to be lowered.
In healthy people, the recommended LDL level is not the same as the one for those at risk of heart disease. Healthy people can do just fine with 130mg/dl. Those with mild risk for heart disease should lower it to 100mg/dl, but those with high risk should keep the LDL level at 70mg/dl, if possible. The lower the LDL the better, in particular for those with proven blood vessels diseases.
Cholesterol medication in the statin group lowers both the total cholesterol level and the LDL level. It also helps strengthen the blood vessels. Reports have shown that this type of medicine can prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
So, how low is too low? When it comes to LDL (the bad cholesterol only, not the total cholesterol), it can never be too low. The lower it is, the healthier you are. First, always try to watch your diet and exercise to lower your LDL. If that does not help, ask your doctor for medication.
What about the HDL level? How do we increase it since it is the good guy? First, we have to know the factors that decrease it and avoid those. They include smoking (or second-hand smoking), lack of exercise, genetics and obesity (beer belly).
Regular and moderate exercise can help increase the HDL level. In recent years, it has been discovered that some medicine can increase the HDL level, which is quite an exciting thing because in the past, no medicine could do that.
However, after more studies it was found that while the medicine could increase the HDL level, there was a higher risk for heart disease-related death. So it was not good news, after all. It is better to try to increase the HDL level naturally through exercise, no smoking and weight control.
Source: Bangkok Post
Published: 19 Aug 2014
