Any person who monitors the state of their body and tries to adhere to a healthy lifestyle knows that they must regularly take a biochemical blood test. When performing this study, a nurse takes blood from a vein, after which the material is examined under special equipment.
The amount of cholesterol is one of the most important indicators in a biochemical blood test. Often the patient is perplexed when he sees as a result of the analysis that the indicator of cholesterol is 7. What should I do in this case? Is a special treatment necessary or will the rate even out by itself? The article gives advice on how to bring the cholesterol indicator to normal, and also presents the norms of cholesterol in the blood.
What it is?
People without a medical education often do not fully understand what cholesterol is and what its role in the life of the body is. Cholesterol is an organic compound, an important element of the cell membranes of the human body. The absence of this substance makes normal cell activity impossible. So the statement that the lower the cholesterol, the better, is fundamentally wrong. Perhaps there is not one so underestimated in terms of the benefits of the compound than cholesterol.
The limits of the norm of cholesterol depending on age were compiled by scientists after prolonged observation of the behavior of the molecules of a substance in a living organism, as well as after collecting statistical data on patients whose analyzes showed an increase.
Without enough cholesterol, the following processes are not possible:
- the production of a sufficient amount of bile acids;
- the production of vitamin D 3 , without which some processes occurring in the nervous system are disrupted, calcium absorption is also disrupted;
- normal permeability of cell membranes;
- the production of a sufficient amount of sex hormones;
- metabolism of fats, their normal absorption and subsequent transportation.
Causes of high blood cholesterol
If the blood cholesterol is 7 or higher, this is an occasion to think about why the analysis showed such a result. The most common reasons a biochemical blood test can show an increase in cholesterol:
- unhealthy diet is the most common factor that causes cholesterol to rise (the following are the foods that should be limited or at least partially excluded from the diet so that the cholesterol indicator reaches a relative norm);
- lecithin deficiency in the diet (can be purchased at a pharmacy supplement with lecithin in the composition and take it on a regular basis);
- deficiency in the diet of vitamin C, which plays an important role not only in the formation of general immunity, but also participates in hematopoiesis;
- the presence in the diet of saturated fatty acids;
- plentiful meals at night on a regular basis;
- chronic stress, depressive and anxiety disorders, overwork, lack of healthy sleep;
- smoking and alcohol abuse;
- chronic diseases associated with impaired outflow of bile or its stagnation;
- chronic diseases of endocrine nature.
Why you need to know the indicator
In recent years, myths about cholesterol and its role in the vital functions of the body have been circulating more and more. The Internet is especially conducive to the spread of these myths, offering people dietary supplements of dubious production, which can supposedly contribute to the return of indicators to normal. Cholesterol is the household name for a substance that is called cholesterol in chemistry and pharmacology.
Cholesterol is partially produced by the body itself in the liver cells (about 75%), partially enters the bloodstream as a result of processing saturated fats that come with food (about 25%). If you completely restrict the flow of cholesterol from the outside, then the patient will experience weakness, failures of many body systems will begin. What to do if cholesterol is 7? What does this excess in the biochemical analysis of blood mean?
Experts say this is a rather dangerous signal. The risk of developing blood clots and cholesterol plaques increases. Blood clots can tear off and move with blood flow over time, which leads to clogging of the lumen of the vessel, resulting in death. This is the most dangerous consequence of high cholesterol. Doctors also conclude about the state of the gallbladder and the functioning of the liver. Especially in combination with total bilirubin, the cholesterol indicator can tell a lot to an experienced gastroenterologist or hepatologist.
The norm of cholesterol in women by age
Depending on the age of the patient, cholesterol levels vary. As a rule, for women they are slightly lower than for men. The framework for the norm of cholesterol by age in women is as follows:
- from 10 to 20 years - 3.08-5.18 mmol;
- from 20 to 30 years - 3.32-5.75 mmol;
- from 30 to 40 years - 3.63-6.27 mmol;
- older than 40 years - 3.81-6.86 mmol.
There is a more accurate chart for professional physicians, which offers more accurate calculations. However, physicians themselves are rather skeptical of such accuracy: after all, depending on weight, lifestyle, diet, cholesterol in the blood can change. Deviations up to 1 mmol, as a rule, do not pose a direct threat to life and are considered by doctors simply as a factor in the presence of bad habits or malnutrition.
What does the indicator of cholesterol 7.7 in women say? This is a fairly high result, which requires not only nutrition adjustment and rejection of bad habits, but also the use of special choleretic drugs. An important role is also played by the level of other indicators in the biochemical analysis of blood.
Cholesterol levels in women during pregnancy
Many pregnant women are very worried when they see a cholesterol indicator of 7. In the analysis, what should the patient do? Any doctor who has sufficient experience and qualifications will confirm that you do not need to do anything - much less cut yourself in your diet or start taking choleretic drugs.
During pregnancy, the body undergoes many changes. For pregnant women, the norm of cholesterol is from 8 to 9 mmol. Of course, you should make sure that other indicators of biochemical analysis (total bilirubin, ALT, AST, creatinine and others) are normal. The combination of the excess of certain groups of indicators can make up a not very favorable clinical picture.
Cholesterol norms for men
Men, as a rule, have more weight due to muscle mass than women. However, it is not the norm for them if cholesterol is 7. What does this excess of the indicator indicate? First of all, this is a clear reflection of malnutrition and the presence of bad habits. If the liver indices are also exceeded, then this indicates the presence of pathologies of the liver and gall bladder, in particular, problems with the outflow of bile.
The standards for cholesterol for men are as follows:
- from 10 to 20 years - 3.12-5.25 mmol;
- from 20 to 30 years - 2.93-5.60 mmol;
- from 30 to 40 years - 3.57-6.93 mmol;
- over 40 years old - 4.09-7.15 mmol.
Limit for cholesterol
Which level is critical? After what value of cholesterol should be regularly examined? And after what boundary does the state become life threatening? The opinion of doctors varies on this issue. Someone claims that while the indicator does not grow to 10, then do not sound the alarm. And some doctors believe that it is already dangerous to exceed cholesterol up to 7 mmol / l.
It is very important to see the whole clinical picture in full. An experienced doctor always evaluates not just one single indicator, but their combination. Even by using only a biochemical blood test, conclusions can be drawn about the presence of a particular chronic disease.
The consequences of high cholesterol
As noted above, the most dangerous consequence is when a cholesterol plaque comes off, which leads to death. However, regularly elevated cholesterol leads to other unpleasant consequences:
- problems with the outflow of bile, which leads to disruption of the functioning of digestion and further to the development of diseases of the liver, pancreas, stomach;
- problems with excess weight (in this matter, everything is closely interconnected with regular overeating, which leads to increased cholesterol and weight gain - the process forms a vicious circle);
- the development of cardiovascular disease;
- hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis).
In the analysis of cholesterol - 7. What to do?
For starters, no need to panic. This is a relatively low value. As a rule, it can be corrected by simply changing the lifestyle. In many people over 40, as a result of the analysis, it turns out that cholesterol is 7.
What to do in this case, what measures to take? Here are the steps that each patient can afford and which will be enough to lower the rate:
- complete cessation of smoking and drinking alcohol;
- include foods rich in pectin and lecithin in the diet;
- visit the sun more often;
- move more - even a simple walk will do;
- refuse to eat certain foods.
Diet Correction to Lower Cholesterol
If cholesterol is 7, how to lower this indicator with food? Simple rules to remember:
- minimize or completely abandon the use of foods that contain a large amount of saturated animal fats;
- focus on the use of fruits, vegetables, easily digestible protein;
- eat either fiber-rich foods or pure fiber daily;
- increase the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the diet (nuts, some varieties of fish, natural cold pressed oils);
- take vitamins and minerals, as well as dietary supplements with lecithin and pectin.
What foods increase cholesterol
If an increase in cholesterol was found in the analysis, then the patient should significantly limit (or temporarily completely abandon) the use of the following foods and dishes from them:
- egg yolk;
- heart, brain, liver and other offal of animal origin;
- smoked meat and lard;
- all fatty meats (pork, venison, lamb, as well as duck and goose meat);
- fatty fish (sturgeon, salmon, trout, chum salmon, stellate sturgeon);
- mutton fat, beef, pork;
- fatty sausages, both factory-made and self-made, including ham;
- cream, sour cream, whole milk, cottage cheese with a high percentage of fat content (it is permissible to eat low-fat sour-milk products in a small amount).
Alcohol and Cholesterol
If a biochemical blood test showed an excess of cholesterol above 7, the patient should seriously think about a complete rejection of alcohol. Nutritionists call the calories that are ingested with alcohol “empty,” and alcoholic beverages “food junk.” Alcohol inflicts a severe blow to the liver, which undoubtedly leads to an increase in cholesterol.
If you take a biochemical blood test and drink even a small amount of alcohol on the eve, then almost all the indicators in decoding the analysis will be extremely disappointing.
Pharmacological drugs to lower cholesterol
Today, one of the most popular drugs for lowering cholesterol and normalizing the outflow of bile is Ursosan. This drug should be taken for several months. If the patient has cholelithiasis, then the duration of admission can be several years. But taking the drug promotes resorption and painless release of gallstones, which will help to avoid surgical intervention.
Hofitol and Holosas preparations are also good. They are cheaper than Ursosan, but their effect is not so pronounced. In order to achieve a change in indicators, it is not enough to take pills. You should also change your lifestyle.