Guide To Understanding Cholesterol And What Causes Levels To Rise

Lack Of Exercise

One big factor in cholesterol is exercise. Doctors recommend exercising as a means to lower unhealthy cholesterol levels. If individuals live a sedentary lifestyle, they have a higher chance of developing unhealthy cholesterol levels. The link between exercise and cholesterol is proven, but research into why this link exists is more recent. Exercise can boost an individual's metabolism, which helps them maintain or lose weight. Having excess stores of fat in the body makes individuals more likely to have high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in the blood. These levels have been linked to heart disease. As individuals exercise, their body begins producing enzymes that move LDL cholesterol from the blood to the liver, which then converts the cholesterol into bile. As individuals exercise more, their body expels more low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Exercise also increases the general size of the proteins that move LDL cholesterol through the blood. The smaller particles are more dangerous because they can get into smaller places in the cardiovascular walls.

Smoking

Smoking has a serious, measured effect on an individual's cholesterol and overall cardiovascular health. Smokers are much more likely to develop cardiovascular disease than non-smokers. One of the biggest reasons for this is the acrolein in cigarettes. This substance affects low-density lipoprotein cholesterol because it inhibits the body from creating protective enzymes that can keep LDL cholesterol intact. This makes low-density lipoprotein cholesterol more vulnerable to an oxidation process. If LDL cholesterol becomes oxidized, its chemical structure changes until the body's immune system no longer recognizes it. This causes the immune system to release inflammatory substances and white blood cells at the site of the oxidized LDL cholesterol. In turn, this leads to more buildup of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and clogging at the oxidized site. Research studies have shown if individuals have high levels of oxidized LDL cholesterol in their blood, they have a much higher likelihood of experiencing a stroke or heart attack. Smoking has an even greater effect if individuals have a genetic predisposition toward heart disease and cardiovascular illness.