So how much cholesterol is considered good and healthy for your body? Here is what Dr Gajinder Goyal has to say about normal cholesterol levels.
Having high blood cholesterol levels can raise the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, which is why it is important that you understand why cholesterol is required by your body, and exactly how much cholesterol you should have in order to own a healthy body. To begin with, how many of you know about the right number of cholesterol that your body needs, or is considered healthy for your heart? In this article, we look at the recommended levels of cholesterol in the blood. We have Dr Gajinder Goyal, Director of Interventional Cardiology at Marengo QRG Hospital in Faridabad, to help us better understand the terminologies and numbers. Let’s learn from the expert what one should be aware of when it comes to regulating their cholesterol levels for improved health.
What Is High Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in your blood. Although your body needs cholesterol to create healthy cells, having too much of it can increase your chance of developing heart disease. What happens when you have high cholesterol levels?
High cholesterol levels can lead to the formation of fatty deposits in your blood vessels. Over time, these deposits thicken and restrict the amount of blood that can pass through your arteries. These deposits can occasionally unexpectedly separate and create a clot that results in a heart attack or stroke.
Health Hazards of High Cholesterol
A person is said to have high cholesterol (“hypercholesterolemia”) if certain criteria are exceeded. A medical problem is not necessarily caused by high cholesterol levels alone. Likewise, there is disagreement on what constitutes an excessive amount. Keep in mind that there are numerous other risk factors for developing cardiovascular disease in addition to high cholesterol. Because of this, cholesterol levels by themselves don’t reveal anything about a person’s risk.
According to Dr. Gajinder Goyal, coronary artery disease is now the leading cause of death worldwide. A significant risk factor for Coronary Artery disease is high cholesterol. High cholesterol is the most significant risk factor for heart attack out of the nine primary risk factors for cardiovascular disorders, according to a very large Interheart study that was conducted in 52 countries and published in the Lancet journal in 2004.
Understanding ‘Good’ Cholesterol
Although our bodies contain several different types of harmful cholesterol, Low-density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (LDL) is the most important one. The risk of coronary artery disease increases with the level of LDL cholesterol in our bodies. These harmful cholesterols build up in our heart arteries, causing plaque to develop and blockages to occur. The majority of heart attacks are brought on by sudden rupture of these plaques and obstructions.
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Numerous studies and clinical trials have shown that lowering cholesterol greatly lowers the risk of heart attack. LDL cholesterol levels can be lowered by 40 mg without a 25% increase in heart attack risk.
Cholesterol Numbers and What They Mean
The cholesterol levels in your blood are indicated by these numbers. You want your HDL (“good”) cholesterol level to be high, ideally above 60. LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels should be under 100. Your total need to be less than 200. Discuss your results and cholesterol management options with your healthcare professional.
In the latest guidelines, it is recommended that LDL cholesterol should be less than 100 mg /dL in the general population and it should be less than 70 mg /dL in diabetic patients and other higher-risk patients. The target for those who already suffered from heart attacks is less than 50 mg/dL. So lower cholesterol levels lower the risk for heart disease.
In healthy adults, the following ranges are regarded as “good” levels:
- Total cholesterol: Levels below 200 mg/dL (5.2 mmol/L)
- LDL cholesterol: Levels below 130 mg/dL (3.4 mmol/L)
- HDL cholesterol: Levels above 40 mg/dL (1 mmol/L) in men and above 50 mg/dL (1.3 mmol/L) in women
Your age and the gender you were allocated at birth can affect your normal cholesterol levels. Therefore, it is crucial that you discuss your test results and what they signify for you with your provider.
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