I’m Young and Fit Why Do I Need To Check My Cholesterol

WHAT IS CHOLESTEROL?

Cholesterol is a waxy, yellowish-white substance in our blood. It is an essential building block of our cells, vitamins, bile acids and hormones. However, too much bad cholesterol can form artery-clogging plaque, putting us at higher risk of heart disease and stroke. ¹

TRIGLYCERIDE

Triglyceride (TG) is a fat storage molecule converted from excess calories and burned to serve as a source of energy for our body. Both triglyceride and cholesterol are insoluble in water, they need protein molecules called lipoproteins to transport them around the body in blood.²

THE BAD CHOLESTEROL 😈

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is known as bad cholesterol. LDL delivers cholesterol from blood circulation to tissues that need it; however, elevated levels of LDL cholesterol are strongly associated with the buildup of artery-clogging plaque.³

THE GOOD CHOLESTEROL 👼

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is known as good cholesterol. HDL carries cholesterol from arteries and plaque back to the liver, reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke.⁴

WHERE DOES CHOLESTEROL COMES FROM?

Cholesterol comes from two different places. Our liver and intestines produce about 80% of the cholesterol in our body, while another 20% is obtained from foods we eat, primarily animal products such as meat, eggs, cheese and milk.⁵

WHY DO WE NEED TO CHECK CHOLESTEROL AT YOUNG AGE?

Evidence shows that the atherosclerosis process (buildup of plaque in arteries) begins early in childhood without symptoms and progresses slowly into adulthood. Early identification of high cholesterol allows early intervention to slow down the progress.⁶

CAN SLIM PEOPLE HAVE HIGH CHOLESTEROL?

Overweight individuals are more likely to have high cholesterol, but slim people can be affected as well. There are a few risk factors for developing high cholesterol besides body weight, including genetics, unhealthy diet, lack of physical exercise, heavy alcohol consumption and smoking.⁷

Genetic :

Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a genetic disorder, inherited from parents. The gene carriers are more likely to have high levels of LDL cholesterol.⁸

Unhealthy Diet :

Diets high in saturated fat or trans fat raise LDL bad cholesterol and lower protective HDL good cholesterol. These fats are commonly found in

•Animal meat including beef, poultry and pork

•Dairy products such as butter, ice cream and cheese

•Processed meats including sausages and bacon

•Snacks such as crackers, chips, fried foods and cookies9

Lack of Physical Exercise :

Researchers discovered a stronger correlation between body composition and cholesterol levels when compared with body weight. Individuals with low body weight can have high body fat percentages due to a lack of aerobic exercise.¹⁰

Alcohol Consumption :

Light to moderate alcohol intake (30g of pure alcohol/day = 3 standard drinks) may increase levels of good HDL-cholesterol, associated with reduced risk of heart issues. On the other hand, heavy alcohol intake (>3 standard drinks) is consistently tied to negative health outcomes, including elevating bad LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides.¹¹

Smoking:

Chemicals in cigarettes are found not only to increase bad LDL-cholesterol accumulation but also to impair HDL’s ability to transport cholesterol from arteries to the liver.¹⁹

High cholesterol is a significant risk factor for heart disease and everyone can be affected! American Heart Association recommends to start checking cholesterol levels from the age of 20 and assess risk factors regularly. You can get tips on how to control your cholesterol level through diet and lifestyle changes from our CARiNG pharmacists and start your journey to a healthier heart today.