Cholesterol and Triglyceride Tests
Cholesterol and triglyceride tests are blood tests that measure the total amount of fatty substances (cholesterol and triglycerides) in the blood. Cholesterol travels through the blood attached to a protein. This cholesterol-protein package is called a lipoprotein. Lipoprotein analysis (lipoprotein profile or lipid profile) measures blood levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides.
- Cholesterol: The body uses cholesterol to help build cells and produce hormones. Too much cholesterol in the blood can build up inside arteries, forming what is known as plaque. Large amounts of plaque increase your chances of having a heart attack or stroke.
- HDL (high-density lipoprotein) helps remove fat from the body by binding with it in the bloodstream and carrying it back to the liver for disposal. It is sometimes called "good" cholesterol. A high level of HDL cholesterol may lower your chances of developing heart disease or stroke.
- LDL (low-density lipoprotein) carries mostly fat and only a small amount of protein from the liver to other parts of the body. It is sometimes called "bad cholesterol." A high LDL cholesterol level may increase your chances of developing heart disease.
- Triglycerides are a type of fat the body uses to store energy and give energy to muscles. Only small amounts are found in the blood. Having a high triglyceride level along with a high LDL cholesterol may increase your chances of having heart disease more than having only a high LDL cholesterol level.
When Are These Tests Done?
Cholesterol testing is normally recommended as a screening test to be done on all adults at least once every five years. It is frequently done in conjunction with a routine physical exam.
Cholesterol is tested at more frequent intervals (often several times per year) in patients who have been prescribed diet and/or drugs to lower their cholesterol. The test is used to track how well these measures are succeeding in lowering cholesterol to desired levels and in turn lowering the risk of developing heart disease.
Cholesterol testing may be ordered more frequently for those who have one or more risk factors for heart disease. Major risk factors include:
- Cigarette smoking
- Age (men 45 years or older or women 55 years or older)
- Hypertension (blood pressure of 140/90 or higher or taking high blood pressure medications)
- Family history of premature heart disease (heart disease in an immediate family member—male relative under age 55 or female relative under age 65)
- Pre-existing heart disease or already having had a heart attack
- Diabetes mellitus
For individuals under 20 years of age and at low risk, cholesterol testing is usually not ordered routinely. However, screening for high cholesterol as part of a lipid profile is recommended for young adults who are at an increased risk of developing heart disease as adults. Some of the risk factors are similar to those in adults and include: - Family history—history of high cholesterol or heart disease in close relatives, particularly if occurring before age 55 in women or 65 in men. If the family history is not known, a cholesterol test is recommended, especially if other risk factors are present.
- Being overweight or obese—when the young adult’s body mass index (BMI) is at or above the 85th percentile, cholesterol testing is recommended. The BMI should be calculated at least once a year by the young adult’s health care provider. For an obese young adult (one whose BMI is at or above the 95th percentile), laboratory tests to measure cholesterol levels may be recommended every 2 years.
- Consuming excessive amounts of cholesterol, saturated fats, and trans fats
- Diabetes mellitus
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- Smoking cigarettes
New Guidelines From the Government:
Every child should be tested for high cholesterol as early as age 9, new guidelines state from an expert panel appointed by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics. This idea will come as a shock to most parents. And it's certain to stir debate.
The rational behind these new guidelines: fat deposits form in the heart arteries in childhood but don't usually harden them and cause symptoms until later in life. The panel urges cholesterol screening between ages 9 and 11 (before puberty) when cholesterol temporarily dips, and again between ages 17 and 21.
Some scary facts that back up this logic:
- By the fourth grade, 10 to 13 percent of U.S. children have high cholesterol, defined as a score of 200 or more.
- Half of children with high cholesterol will also have it as adults, raising their risk of heart disease.
- One third of U.S. children and teens are obese or overweight, which makes high cholesterol and diabetes more likely.
These new guidelines would mean mandatory universal cholesterol testing for all children aged 9 and up. Would finding out a child has high cholesterol really prevent them from suffering from heart disease as an adult? Another government advisory panel says no. They state that not enough is known about the possible benefits and risks to recommend for or against cholesterol screening for children and teens. There must be evidence that treatment improves health, such as preventing heart attacks, rather than just nudging down a number - the cholesterol score. The guidelines say that cholesterol drugs would be recommended for less than 1% of children tested, and they shouldn't be used in children younger than 10 years of age unless they have severe problems.
What happened to encouraging positive lifestyle choices for children these days? Are we really so lazy that we are going to pump our kids full of drugs instead of - God forbid - make them play outside for an hour or two each day? How difficult is it to introduce more fruits and vegetables into childrens diets? What do I think about this? I think this never would have been an issue if we took our children's health a little more seriously.
So this a little off topic, but say my LDL and HDL are both low. What are some good ways to raise my HDL?
ReplyDeleteGreat question!
ReplyDeleteThere are a few ways to raise the levels of those HDLs (the "good" cholesterol), both with diet and exercise.
HDL's are commonly found in wild grasses or seaweed. Any sort of meat that you eat from an animal that has been grass-fed or wild, will be high in HDL's. This includes grass-fed beef or wild salmon. Looking for those key words are indicators of a high HDL content.
Additionally, any sort of polyunsaturated fat, those fats that are liquid at room temperature, are going to be high in HDL content. This includes olive oil, canola oil, safflower oil, etc. Also, any derivative of flaxseeds that you can add to your meals will be bursting with great HDL levels. Flaxseeds, flaxseed meal, flaxseed flour, etc. Adding a bit of flaxseeds to oatmeal in the morning, or flaxseed flour while baking is a great way to boost those HDL levels.
Lastly, any sort of cardiovascular activity you can do will help to raise those HDL levels, and will decrease your LDL levels.
When and if you do get your cholesterol checked and you see you have a high HDL and LDL level, I encourage you ask what your TC/HDL number is. This number is your total cholesterol over HDL ratio, and will break down how much of your total cholesterol is actually that good HDL cholesterol. A number of 3.5 or less is usually desirable and what we look for as a solid HDL number. Just because your total cholesterol number is over 200, does not mean much to us anymore, because that could be due to the fact that your HDL level is very high as well. And this is a good thing!
I hope this helps!
Jackie