Find Out What The Proper Cholesterol Levels Are

A person ‘s cholesterol level is an essential factor in identifying their risk of cardiovascular disease, which affects the blood vessels and heart.

The cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of death worldwide. In Europe alone, they cause up to 4 million deaths a year. Therefore, it is very important to know the proper levels of cholesterol to adopt proper habits and avoid health problems.

Then we’ll explain everything you need to know about proper blood cholesterol levels for your age.

What are the proper cholesterol levels?

Adequate Cholesterol Levels

Cholesterol is a fat-like substance found in the blood. It is used by our body to perform various activities, such as to produce hormones or digest food, among other functions. Our body is capable of producing cholesterol ; in fact, it generates all the necessary cholesterol naturally, through biosynthetic processes.

In addition, our organism also obtains this substance exogenously, through the ingestion of food, especially those of animal origin (eggs, meat, viscera, such as liver, dairy products, among others).

A high presence of cholesterol obtained from food intake leads to a decrease in endogenous cholesterol (produced by biosynthesis). This ends up causing an imbalance between the cholesterol ingested and the cholesterol used by the body.

It can be said that the characteristic that harms us most is that cholesterol is not a water-soluble substance. Therefore, when it is found in large quantities, there is an inevitable accumulation in the walls of the arteries, clogging them and causing deadly problems, such as a heart attack.

How can we measure cholesterol level?

There are two types of cholesterol in the blood: good (HDL) and bad (LDL). Bad cholesterol (LDL) is low-density cholesterol, which tends to stay in artery walls.

Good cholesterol (HDL) is a high-density lipid produced by the body. It has the ability to carry bad cholesterol to the liver for further elimination.

Nowadays, depending on the need, there are tests that can identify the levels of each one of the cholesterol levels. The most advisable way to measure them is through a blood test called “Lipid profile”.

In this exam, we get a broad picture of blood lipid levels, which provides the following information:

• Triglycerides
• Total cholesterol (LDL and HDL)
• Good cholesterol (HDL)
• Non-HDL (a level that includes several low-density lipids such as LDL-cholesterol)
• LDL (Bad Cholesterol)

Adequate Cholesterol Levels in Women and Men

In relation to the total cholesterol level, for women and men under 19 years of age and children, an adequate cholesterol level should be less than 170 mg/dl, while for men and women over 20 years, the levels should be between 125 and 200 mg/dl.

In the case of pregnant women, we need to take into account that cholesterol levels during pregnancy may increase a little. Therefore, if these are close to 240 mg/dl, this is no reason to be alarmed. Still, proper medical follow-up is recommended.

As for the level of LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) for women and men, it should be below 100 mg/dl (regardless of whether they are over 20 years old).

For women and men under the age of 19, the level of good cholesterol (HDL) should be greater than 45 mg/dl. For women over 20 years, it should be above 50 mg/dl and for men, above 40 mg/dl.

In addition to taking the exams at least every five years, it is recommended to maintain a low-fat diet. We must also remember that, once diagnosed with high cholesterol levels, it is difficult to normalize the values. So keep your cholesterol levels under control at all times and avoid scares.