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Cholesterol
I’m Young and Fit Why Do I Need To Check My Cholesterol
WHAT IS CHOLESTEROL?
Cholesterol is a waxy, yellowish-white substance in our blood. It is an essential building block of our cells, vitamins, bile acids and hormones. However, too much bad cholesterol can form artery-clogging plaque, putting us at higher risk of heart disease and stroke. 1
TRIGLYCERIDE
Triglyceride (TG) is a fat storage molecule converted from excess calories and burned to serve as a source of energy for our body. Both triglyceride and cholesterol are insoluble in water, they need protein molecules called lipoproteins to transport them around the body in blood.2
THE BAD CHOLESTEROL 😈
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is known as bad cholesterol. LDL delivers cholesterol from blood circulation to tissues that need it; however, elevated levels of LDL cholesterol are strongly associated with the buildup of artery-clogging plaque.3
THE GOOD CHOLESTEROL 👼
High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is known as good cholesterol. HDL carries cholesterol from arteries and plaque back to the liver, reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke.4
WHERE DOES CHOLESTEROL COMES FROM?
Cholesterol comes from two different places. Our liver and intestines produce about 80% of the cholesterol in our body, while another 20% is obtained from foods we eat, primarily animal products such as meat, eggs, cheese and milk.5
WHY DO WE NEED TO CHECK CHOLESTEROL AT YOUNG AGE?
Evidence shows that the atherosclerosis process (buildup of plaque in arteries) begins early in childhood without symptoms and progresses slowly into adulthood. Early identification of high cholesterol allows early intervention to slow down the progress.6
CAN SLIM PEOPLE HAVE HIGH CHOLESTEROL?
Overweight individuals are more likely to have high cholesterol, but slim people can be affected as well. There are a few risk factors for developing high cholesterol besides body weight, including genetics, unhealthy diet, lack of physical exercise, heavy alcohol consumption and smoking.7
Genetic :
Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a genetic disorder, inherited from parents. The gene carriers are more likely to have high levels of LDL cholesterol.8
Unhealthy Diet :
Diets high in saturated fat or trans fat raise LDL bad cholesterol and lower protective HDL good cholesterol. These fats are commonly found in
•Animal meat including beef, poultry and pork
•Dairy products such as butter, ice cream and cheese
•Processed meats including sausages and bacon
•Snacks such as crackers, chips, fried foods and cookies9
Lack of Physical Exercise :
Researchers discovered a stronger correlation between body composition and cholesterol levels when compared with body weight. Individuals with low body weight can have high body fat percentages due to a lack of aerobic exercise.10
Alcohol Consumption :
Light to moderate alcohol intake (30g of pure alcohol/day = 3 standard drinks) may increase levels of good HDL-cholesterol, associated with reduced risk of heart issues. On the other hand, heavy alcohol intake (>3 standard drinks) is consistently tied to negative health outcomes, including elevating bad LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides.11
Smoking:
Chemicals in cigarettes are found not only to increase bad LDL-cholesterol accumulation but also to impair HDL’s ability to transport cholesterol from arteries to the liver.19
High cholesterol is a significant risk factor for heart disease and everyone can be affected! American Heart Association recommends to start checking cholesterol levels from the age of 20 and assess risk factors regularly. You can get tips on how to control your cholesterol level through diet and lifestyle changes from our CARiNG pharmacists and start your journey to a healthier heart today.
Bacteria are commonly associated with harmful germs that cause infections and disease. However, some of them are beneficial to our health! These helpful microorganisms are known as probiotics. Varied strains of probiotics play distinct roles in our bodies, contributing to functions such as aiding in food digestion, reducing bowel inflammation, improving bowel movement, combating disease-causing bacteria, producing essential vitamins, maintaining immunity balanced and even reducing cholesterol levels! Probiotics can be found naturally in yogurt and fermented foods, incorporated into dietary supplements, and utilized in beauty products. The most prevalent probiotics belong to groups known as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium.1
Prebiotics are equally important for human health! They are specialized carbohydrates (sugar or fibre) that human cannot digest. Instead, prebiotics act as nourishment, fueling the growth and activity of probiotics. Natural sources of prebiotics included fruits, vegetables and whole grain. Additionally, they are often incorporated into food and dietary supplements. Common prebiotics listed on food labels included Galactooligosaccharides (GOS), Fructoolligosaccharides (FOS), Oligofructose (OF) and Inulin.2
How to choose the right probiotics product?
The combination of pre and probiotics are known as synbiotics. Synbiotics utilize the synergy between pre- and probiotics to provide better health outcome in various aspects. Different combination of synbiotics can provide different health benefits, so it is advisable to consult our healthcare professionals before choosing the right product based on our specific health needs.3
References
- What is Cholesterol. American Heart Association. (Web accessed November 2023). Web link :https://www.heart.org/-/media/Files/Health-Topics/Cholesterol/What-is-Cholesterol.pdf
- Triglycerides: Why do they matter? Mayo Clinic. (Web accessed November 2023). Web link :https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-cholesterol/in-depth/triglycerides/art-20048186
- The Role of Lipids and Lipoproteins in Atherosclerosis. MacRae F, Patricia G, Sean S, Gray J, Edward F, Wenliang L, Amanda C and Kasey C. (Web accessed November 2023). Web link : https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK343489/
- Biochemistry, High Density Lipoprotein. Adrian B and Shamim S. (Web accessed November 2023). Web link :https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK549802/
- Where does cholesterol come from? A guide. Avi Varma. (Web accessed November 2023). Web link : https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/where-does-cholesterol-come-from#what-happens-in-the-body
- Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Beginning in Childhood. Young Mi Hong. (Web accessed November 2023). Web link : https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2812791/
- High Cholesterol. Mayo Clinic. (Web accessed November 2023). Web link : https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-cholesterol/symptoms-causes/syc-20350800
- Atherosclerosis and Lipid Genomics. Iftikhar J. (Web accessed November 2023). Web link :https://www.mayo.edu/research/labs/atherosclerosis-lipid-genomics/research/familial-hypercholesterolemia
- Saturated vs. Unsaturated Fats. Jeniffer M. (Web accessed November 2023). Web link : https://www.verywellhealth.com/difference-between-saturated-fats-and-unsaturated-fats-697517#citation-14
- Body Adiposity Index and Cardiovascular Health Risk Factors In Caucasians: A Comparison with the Body Mass Index and Others. Miquel B, Angel A, Pedro T, Mey L, Teofila V, Aina Y, Matias T and Antoni A. (Web accessed November 2023). Web link :https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0063999
- Can Drinking Alcohol Affect Your Cholesterol Levels? Sade M. (Web accessed November 2023). Web link :https://www.healthline.com/health/high-cholesterol/effects-of-alcohol#effects
- Can Smoking Affect Your Cholesterol? Alana B. (Web accessed November 2023). Web link : https://www.healthline.com/health/smoking-and-cholesterol#heart-attack-risk
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