What is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a steroid that is essential for life and good health. Cell membranes in all our tissues and organs are made of cholesterol and cholesterol is also used to produce hormones and form bile acids required to absorb nutrients from food. Cholesterol circulates in the blood, inside lipoprotein particles. This test measures the total amount of cholesterol in the blood.
Why test cholesterol?
What do the results mean?
Maintaining healthy cholesterol levels is essential for good health. Foods high in trans fats and excess saturated fats increase cholesterol levels and can negatively impact your health.
What causes low cholesterol?
If you have low cholesterol, you have less circulating cholesterol than expected. The body needs cholesterol for hormone production (e.g. vitamin D) and to produce substances needed to digest foods. Some studies have found that low cholesterol increases anxiety and depression risk. The association of low cholesterol with any health condition is still under debate.
Low cholesterol may also be associated with some cancers, but such an association does not mean that low cholesterol causes cancer. In pregnant women, low cholesterol may increase the risk of premature birth, or low birth weight.
Symptoms of low cholesterol
Symptoms of low cholesterol can include fatigue, depression, anxiety, mood swings, cognitive issues such as memory loss or confusion, and an increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke. Low cholesterol can also affect hormone production, potentially leading to fertility and sexual issues.
High levels of saturated fat in the diet can increase blood cholesterol, especially in obese individuals. Other factors include smoking, lack of exercise, stress, and genetics. Systemic chronic inflammation also raises cholesterol - and high cholesterol can induce inflammation. Familial hypercholesterolemia is a disease caused by mutations that affect the clearance of LDL cholesterol from the body and can thus increase LDL cholesterol levels.
Finally, hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid gland), poor metabolism and the use of fats, early-stage diabetes, insulin resistance, and kidney problems can both increase cholesterol levels. Both naturally randomized genetic studies and randomized intervention trials consistently demonstrate that healthy cholesterol levels reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke and help to maintain a healthy heart. The more Apo B-containing lipoproteins, such as LDL, that are circulating in the blood, the higher the risk of heart disease.
Symptoms of high cholesterol
High cholesterol often has no symptoms, but it can lead to serious conditions over time. It can cause the development of fatty deposits in blood vessels, which may lead to atherosclerosis, resulting in reduced blood flow. This can cause chest pain (angina), heart attack, stroke, and peripheral artery disease. In rare cases, high cholesterol can cause xanthomas, which are fatty deposits that develop under the skin.
Preparations for this test
Always take your ID with you when going to take a test.