What Causes Hyperlipidemia?
Cholesterol is a waxy kind of fat generated in the liver and is an essential component of building healthy cells. There are two types of cholesterol: low-density lipoprotein (LDL), considered bad because of its tendency to collect in blood vessels and contribute to heart disease, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL), called good cholesterol thanks to its ability to clear out those build-ups of bad cholesterol in the bloodstream. Balancing the body's production and consumption of these two types of cholesterol is at the heart of treating hyperlipidemia. Several factors can influence this balance. Get to know these causes now.
Diet With Foods High In Cholesterol
Diet is one of the largest contributing factors to overall health and possibly the easiest to alter. Foods rich in saturated fat raise bad cholesterol. These foods often come from animal sources and include red meats, poultry with the skin attached, cooking fats like shortening or lard, and high-fat dairy, such as whole milk and cheeses. Bad cholesterol is also highly prevalent in baked goods and many of our modern-day processed foods.
Depending on an individual's level of cardiac function, healthcare experts recommend the consumption of only eleven to twenty-two grams of saturated fat a day. Alternatively, fish and most plant-based foods are rich in heart-healthy good cholesterol. But, be aware not all vegetable products are created equally. Oils derived from tropical plants, like coconut and palm, are high in saturated fat and can carry similar risk factors to their animal-based alternatives.
Trans fats are considered to be the most dangerous of all fats. They are artificially processed from vegetable oils and are most commonly found in commercial products like pastries, packaged snacks, and fried foods. Trans fats have no beneficial effects on the body and do double damage to it by not only increasing the levels of bad cholesterol but also decreasing good cholesterol. Healthcare experts universally agree trans fats should be avoided.
Lack Of Exercise
Exercise can have a dramatic, positive impact on cholesterol by lowering triglycerides (fat in the blood) and by increasing the level of good cholesterol in the body. Although exercise itself does not decrease levels of bad cholesterol, if significant weight loss is achieved, LDL levels may lower as a result. Exercise has also been linked to lowering stress and promoting better sleep. Theories suggest over time, the body's natural hormonal response to stress can lead to higher levels of cholesterol. In addition, how an individual responds to stress can lead them to make poor dietary or lifestyle choices, risking further cholesterol growth. Studies indicate quality rest and better stress management can have both short and long-term benefits on cholesterol. It is recommended for individuals to get at least forty minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise three times a week to help maintain healthy levels of cholesterol.
Age
As we age, our bodies become less effective at clearing out bad cholesterol from our blood, which can lead to a rise in the level of total and bad cholesterol. It may also put us at a higher risk for heart disease. Men typically bear greater odds of hyperlipidemia than women, since estrogen has the added benefit of lowering bad cholesterol and increasing good cholesterol. However, after menopause, the risk to women catches up to men. Studies have also linked higher percentages of body fat with elevated cholesterol. Therefore, it is important for men over forty-five and women over fifty-five to eat well, get regular exercise, slim down, and tackle other risk factors such as smoking and elevated blood pressure.
Family History Of High Cholesterol
There is a saying nurture acts on what nature endows, meaning regardless of the lifestyle choices we make, genetics can have an even greater influence on our overall health. With this in mind, a family history of high cholesterol can put an individual at increased risk for developing hyperlipidemia. Our bodies naturally produce cholesterol, and some bodies produce higher levels of it. Individuals with a family history of hyperlipidemia have been shown to have a mutation in the genes that govern the role of the liver in cholesterol disposal. This small change causes the liver to misread signals designed to tell it when there is enough cholesterol in the bloodstream. As a result, it continues to create more.
The odds of developing high cholesterol in a patient with a parent who also suffers from the condition is one in two. Testing to confirm an individual's genetic predisposition is essential, as many individuals show no signs of elevated cholesterol until they suffer a cardiovascular incident, like a heart attack or stroke. It is also important to start monitoring at a young age, as increased levels of cholesterol can present risks to cardiac health throughout a person's life, not just in their later years.
Certain Medical Conditions
When high cholesterol is the result of certain medical conditions, it is known as secondary hyperlipidemia. This acquired form of the condition may differ in its origins but carries with it the same risk to the heart and long-term health. Diseases capable of raising cholesterol levels include hypothyroidism, Cushing's syndrome, kidney disease, alcoholism, and conditions that disrupt the body's endocrine system.
Many of these disorders share a common element in that they trigger a rise in the levels of fat and sugar in the blood. This ultimately contributes to higher concentrations of bad cholesterol and lower levels of good cholesterol. These diseases can also influence weight gain, another contributing factor to hyperlipidemia. There are even some ailments, like anorexia nervosa, that, for reasons currently unknown, raise cholesterol levels, despite having no traditionally contributing factors.