Today , cardiovascular diseases occupy a leading place in mortality in the world and such bitter statistics are 80% due to high cholesterol, which, as you know, is the cause of atherosclerosis. Not for nothing that cholesterol in the twenty-first century is called a “silent killer”, most often the disease develops asymptomatically and is detected only when it is quite difficult to cope with it.
Why is cholesterol needed in the body?
Cholesterol is necessary for the production of vitamin D, some hormones and for the creation of new cells, it also plays an important role in the complex immune system of the body. Therefore, on the one hand, it is important for the body, and on the other, its excess in the blood leads to a number of serious diseases. Despite the fact that the body can have beneficial and harmful cholesterol, the norm in women can vary greatly. Such figures can also vary depending on age, and therefore it is impossible to say unequivocally that cholesterol is harmful.
What is the difference between “bad” and “good” cholesterol?
Cholesterol is synthesized in the liver and enters the human body with food. However, this does not mean at all that it is possible to lower cholesterol by stopping eating “harmful” foods. In this case, it begins to be synthesized in the liver, which can lead to rather sad consequences. In order not to fall into the risk group, it is enough to lower the units of “bad” cholesterol, but at the same time maintain “good” cholesterol at the normal level.
The norm of cholesterol for men and women
- Total cholesterol is considered normal if it is 5 mmol / L or less.
- Low density lipoproteins are considered normal if they are 3 mmol / L or less.
- High density lipoproteins are considered normal if they are 1.2 mmol / L or more.
High and low cholesterol
A significant increase in cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia) can be physiological, for example, during pregnancy, or pathological - with diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis, lipoid nephrosis, very often with gallstone disease, with malignant neoplasms, with cirrhosis of the liver and occasionally with acute nephritis. The higher the level of cholesterol in a person in the blood, the greater the risk he poses to health. Some people may have genetically programmed high cholesterol. The norm in women of this kind often exceeds the permissible figures, this disease is called "familial hypercholesterolemia."
It is believed that the risk of diseases of the cardiovascular system is higher, the higher the blood cholesterol. The norm in women can be slightly higher than for men, however, it does not exceed 1-2 units. Decreased cholesterol (hypocholesterolemia) occurs with anemia, with anemia, with some infectious diseases, with fever, with elementary dystrophy and starvation.
What increases cholesterol?
The norm in adults is much higher than in children, and cholesterol is often a mirror of human nutrition. The amount of animal fat consumed inevitably affects cholesterol, it will be prohibitive. That is why people who eat animal food have a several times higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
Despite the fact that cholesterol causes serious illnesses, you should not be afraid of it. The body can hardly do without it, since cholesterol is a component of cell membranes. Vision decreases, internal organs and the brain suffer if the body has low cholesterol. The norm in women and men once again proves that you do not need to exert too much effort in order to lower cholesterol. It is enough to normalize your lifestyle, put in order your diet and all diseases will recede, and a good mood will remain with you forever.