The causes and symptoms of high cholesterol
High cholesterol is dangerous for health. Here are the causes that can lead to its increase and the symptoms it may be associated with. Having high cholesterol is a health risk. In fact, even though it is an essential substance for the body’s functioning (it is one of the building blocks of cells and is needed to produce certain hormones and vitamin D), when its blood concentrations are too high, cholesterol can deposit on the walls of arteries, increasing the risk of serious events such as heart attack and stroke.
However, not all cholesterol in the blood is the same, and not all is harmful to health. The most well-known distinction is between "good" cholesterol and "bad" cholesterol, and it is easy to understand that the one to keep particularly under control is the latter, also known as LDL (Low Density Lipoproteins). But why can its levels rise enough to endanger cardiovascular health?
Causes of high cholesterol
In some cases, high cholesterol is a matter of genetics. There is a form of familial hypercholesterolemia caused by a defect on chromosome 19 that leads to changes in the LDL receptor and reduces the body's ability to remove "bad" cholesterol. In many other cases, however, the causes of high cholesterol must be sought in lifestyle. In particular:
• a diet rich in saturated fats, found in many animal-derived foods – meat, butter, dairy products, and eggs – and their derivatives;
• the consumption of trans fats, present in some fried foods, certain margarines, and products containing them;
• smoking are all factors that can raise the level of "bad" cholesterol.
Other risk factors include advanced age, excess weight, and heredity.
High cholesterol: symptoms
Unfortunately, in many cases high cholesterol is asymptomatic, and the only way to know if you have this problem is to undergo blood tests. However, if hypercholesterolemia is familial, some symptoms may also appear. In particular, alongside elevated total cholesterol and LDL levels revealed by blood tests, there may be:
• the presence of fatty deposits in the skin (xanthomas), especially on the hands, knees, ankles, and around the cornea of the eye;
• the presence of cholesterol deposits on the eyelids (xanthelasmas). Additionally, familial hypercholesterolemia can lead to angina or other symptoms of coronary artery disease at an early age, and cramps in one or both calves while walking.
Finally, familial hypercholesterolemia may be associated with the presence of sores on the toes that are slow to heal.
A potential enemy to keep in check
For all these reasons, cholesterol is a potential enemy to keep under control. From this perspective, lifestyle can be a powerful ally: a proper diet including adequate amounts of fruit and vegetables and sources of polyunsaturated fats (such as Omega-3 from fish and monounsaturated fats from olive oil), combined with suitable physical activity and avoidance of bad habits like smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, can help maintain total, "bad," and "good" cholesterol as well as triglycerides at healthy levels.
Sources: American Heart Association. Causes of high cholesterol. https://goo.gl/fUyXyU, 20/04/18 Epicentro. Colesterolo e ipercolesterolemia. https://goo.gl/uhWPGi, 20/04/18 MedlinePlus. Cholesterol. https://goo.gl/PmjWSJ, 20/04/18 MedlinePlus. Familial hypercholesterolemia. https://goo.gl/eHm7Vf, 20/04/18 Image: Pixabay
