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Why is it important to know your cholesterol levels?

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Why is it important to know your cholesterol levels? How to test and learn about your risk

15.MAR.2024

Written by Anna Sanniti Medically reviewed by Dr. Zara Fullerton

Cholesterol is a waxy fat-like substance essential for many important jobs in the body, such as building healthy cells and making vitamin D and hormones. 

Cholesterol levels are known to play a role in your risk of developing cardiovascular and other health conditions. Usually, there are no symptoms of high cholesterol so it’s important to get tested to know your levels [1]. 

In this article, we will discuss: 

  • When to get your cholesterol levels tested

  • What do you learn from a cholesterol test? 

  • What can you do if your LDL cholesterol is high?

  • The health effects of improving your cholesterol levels

When to get your cholesterol levels tested

The only way to know if you have high cholesterol is to get tested. This is easy to do with a simple blood test. ¹

This is how often you should have a cholesterol test, depending on your age and your individual risk factors. In general, the recommendations are as follows ¹

  • Healthy adults: Every 4 to 6 years

  • Healthy adolescents: Once between the ages of 17 and 21

  • Healthy children: Once between the ages of 9 and 11

If you are an adult with heart disease, diabetes, or a family history of high cholesterol or other risk factors, you should get your cholesterol checked more often. Children and adolescents with obesity or diabetes may also need to be tested more often. ¹

*Please note the Cholesterol testing offered by LetsGetChecked is only suitable for individuals over the age of 18. 

What do you learn from a cholesterol test? 

Cholesterol is carried through the bloodstream on proteins called lipoproteins such as LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol and HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, and depending on the amounts of each type of cholesterol your risk of cardiovascular disease may be increased. 

The cholesterol test offered by LetsGetChecked will check your levels of ¹

  • Low-density lipoprotein (LDL), also sometimes known as “bad cholesterol”, as too much LDL cholesterol can contribute to plaque buildup in the walls of your arteries, which is a major risk factor in heart disease and stroke.

  • High-density lipoprotein (HDL), also sometimes known as “good cholesterol”, as high levels of HDL cholesterol can lower your risk of heart disease and stroke.

  • Triglycerides, which are the most common form of fat in our bodies. High triglycerides may contribute to the buildup of plaques within arteries. ²

  • Total cholesterol, the total amount of cholesterol in your blood based on LDL, HDL, and triglycerides.

  • The percentage of HDL within total cholesterol - the higher this percentage, the better. 

  • Lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)], a type of LDL. High levels of Lp(a) can be a risk factor for heart disease and stroke. ³

A cholesterol test is easy and involves just a simple finger prick of blood. To check your levels, order your cholesterol test online today. Share all results with your healthcare provider, they will be able to provide guidance based on your individual situation.

What can you do if your LDL cholesterol is high?

The good news is that once you know your cholesterol levels you can take action with your healthcare professional to prevent or manage high cholesterol and reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease such as heart disease or stroke.

This may involve creating healthier diet and lifestyle habits such as ⁵

  • Increasing fresh fruits and vegetables

  • Consuming a high-fiber diet

  • Reducing or avoiding foods containing saturated fats, trans fats, and sugar

  • Stopping smoking

  • Reducing or stopping alcohol consumption

  • Getting plenty of exercise

  • Managing your weight

The American Heart Association recommends reducing saturated fat to less than 6% of your daily calories and avoiding trans fats. ⁶ Trans fats are found in fried food, baked goods, processed foods, and margarine. 

Depending on your LDL cholesterol levels and overall risk, you may also be prescribed cholesterol-lowering medications such as statins. ⁷

You should also work with your healthcare provider to manage any other medical conditions that can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease, such as high blood pressure or diabetes, with medication and changes to your diet and lifestyle. ⁸

The health effects of improving your cholesterol levels

Improving your cholesterol and triglyceride levels can help to reduce your risk of heart disease. This is because having high levels of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, and low levels of HDL cholesterol can increase the chances of plaque buildup, and subsequently increase the risk of cardiovascular disease such as a heart attack and stroke. ⁹

There are also beneficial effects of increasing your HDL cholesterol, as HDL helps your body remove excess cholesterol by bringing it back to your liver.¹⁰

You can raise your HDL cholesterol by following the healthy diet and lifestyle habits listed above as well as working with your healthcare provider to take steps to reduce your overall risk.

Remember that because we are all unique, our health and risk are unique also, so it’s important to talk to your healthcare provider for guidance on how often you should test based on your risk factors, any other medical conditions you have, and overall individual situation.

To get medical guidance from one of the healthcare providers on the LetsGetChecked team, you can learn more about our Virtual Consultation here.

Let’s recap

  • To know your cholesterol levels, you must be tested.

  • A cholesterol test is a simple blood test that looks at your levels of LDL, HDL, triglycerides, Lp(a), and total cholesterol.

  • High LDL cholesterol can increase the chances of plaque buildup in your arteries, and subsequently increase the risk of cardiovascular disease such as heart attack and stroke.

  • Together with your healthcare provider, you can prevent or manage high LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels and improve your HDL cholesterol by making healthy changes to your diet and lifestyle.

  • Depending on your individual risk, you may also be prescribed cholesterol-lowering medication.

Please note that the following is for educational use only and is not a substitute for medical advice. This content cannot diagnose or provide information about treatment. Consult with your healthcare provider if you have any concerns or need specific medical advice relating to any symptoms, conditions, diagnosis, or treatment. Do not delay seeking medical advice and do not disregard professional medical advice based on this content. Your healthcare provider can provide the most suitable guidance based on your situation.

References

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Get a Cholesterol Test. Online: cdc.gov 2. Cleveland Clinic. Triglycerides and Heart Health. Online: my.clevelandclinic.org 3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Lipoprotein (a). Online: cdc.gov 4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About Cholesterol. Online: cdc.gov 5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prevent High Cholesterol. Online: cdc.gov 6. American Heart Association. Prevention and Treatment of High Cholesterol. Online: heart.org 7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cholesterol-Lowering Medicines. Online: cdc.gov 8. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. High Blood Pressure Symptoms and Causes. Online: cdc.gov 9. Jung E et al. Serum Cholesterol Levels and Risk of Cardiovascular Death: A Systematic Review and a Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(14):8272. Online: mdpi.com 10. Cleveland Clinic. HDL Cholesterol. Online: my.clevelandclinic.org