High Chol/HDL Ratio: What It Means for Your Health

Cholesterol is a fatty substance that occurs automatically in human blood. Usually, cholesterol is formed in the liver or comes from the foods you consume. It performs vital functions in your body. Cholesterol helps tissues and hormone formation. Also, it protects your nerves and helps with digestion. Overall, cholesterol helps to form the structure of every cell in your body.

Many times you may have heard your doctor talk about good and bad cholesterol. There you will find mainly two types of cholesterol; HDL or good cholesterol and LDL or bad cholesterol. An excessive amount of LDL, or bad cholesterol, is harmful to health as it causes the possibility of stroke and heart disease. To maintain the proper ratio of HDL or good cholesterol in your blood, you need to maintain the proper ratio between good and total cholesterol.

But do you know what the proper cholesterol ratio is? Once you know your accurate cholesterol numbers, you can consult your doctor to find the ideal cholesterol ratio for you. By making some simple lifestyle changes like regular exercising, a heart-healthy diet, and taking cholesterol medications, you can work your way toward your ideal cholesterol ratio. By increasing the HDL cholesterol level, you can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Your cholesterol ratio is the comparison of how much HDL or good cholesterol you have in your body compared to the total cholesterol level. Your total cholesterol measures all of the cholesterol in your blood, including the HDL and LDL cholesterol.

HDL, or high-density lipoprotein, collects cholesterol and brings it to the liver to get it removed. LDL, or the low-density lipoprotein, increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Knowing your total cholesterol levels is important, as it helps you to know any possibility of heart disease. Cholesterol is important for its vital functions. But too much cholesterol is harmful. It can enter your arterial wall, damage its integrity, and cause atherosclerotic plaque to form.

Atherosclerosis can cause severe problems like carotid artery disease, coronary artery disease, and peripheral artery disease. To avoid the possibility of severe heart disease and stroke, you must maintain a proper cholesterol ratio. You must check your cholesterol levels regularly to maintain a healthy life.

When you check your cholesterol level, one of the numbers will be the HDL cholesterol ratio and the other will be the LDL ratio. According to health experts, the normal cholesterol ratio should be below 5:1. The perfect LDL HDL ratio would be 3:5:1 or lower than this.

The normal HDL cholesterol amount should be between 35 and 65 mg dl in adult males and 35 to 80 mg dl in females. When your total cholesterol level is more than 200 mg/dl, there is a higher chance of heart disease.

In such a condition, you must consult with your healthcare provider to get the best suggestions regarding controlling your total cholesterol levels.

Your cholesterol ratio determines if you are at risk for any heart disease. If your cholesterol ratio is high, you have the possibility of getting serious heart problems. The ideal HDL cholesterol level should be;

Below 3.5 to 1: This is the optimal HDL cholesterol ratio that puts you at a very low risk for heart disease. Health experts suggest you maintain this cholesterol ratio.

Between 3.5 and 5 to 1: This cholesterol ratio is considered normal. This HDL cholesterol ratio means that your cholesterol levels put you at a lower risk for heart disease.

Above 5 to 1: This ratio is considered high and can put you at elevated risk.

A high cholesterol ratio usually happens due to LDL or VLDL cholesterol. Several factors, such as lack of activity, consumption of saturated fat, and genetics, are responsible for this condition.

It is not easy to distinguish the HDL cholesterol levels. Low HDL cholesterol levels can be responsible for several conditions, including;

Premature coronary artery disease: This condition is diagnosed before 55 years in males or 65 years in females. Without a proper HDL cholesterol level, there is a higher risk of plaques forming to block arteries.

Peripheral polyneuropathy: This is a common condition of uncontrolled high blood sugar levels in diabetes. Low HDL levels can increase the risk of peripheral polyneuropathy developing in people without diabetes.

Heart attack or stroke: Plaques forming in the blood increase the risk of damaging the artery function. It causes the risk of heart disease.

Metabolic syndrome: This particular condition increases your risk for heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Abnormal cholesterol levels can enhance the effects of metabolic syndrome.

Diabetes: People with low HDL levels tend to have diabetes. They usually have the risk of getting type 2 diabetes. Also, type 2 diabetes can be a reason for obesity.

If your cholesterol levels are too high, there are several things that you can do to improve your cholesterol and overall health.

Lifestyle changes: To improve your HDL ratio, one of the best things is to make a lifestyle change. You can make changes in your diet and start exercising.

• You can follow a heart-healthy diet as it limits the amount of saturated and trans fats. You must have plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean protein.

• You must maintain a healthy weight, as excess body weight causes several risk factors. If you are overweight, you need to lose a modest amount of weight to improve your cholesterol levels.

• Adults should engage in moderate-to-intense physical activities for a minimum of 150 minutes per week.
• Make sure to manage your stress level, as chronic stress can lower your HDL cholesterol and increase your LDL cholesterol.
• Quit smoking as soon as possible to increase your good cholesterol levels.

Medication: Lifestyle changes are not sufficient to lower your cholesterol. You need to take prescribed cholesterol medications. Statins are the most common medications used to lower your cholesterol levels.

However, several other cholesterol-lowering medications help to lower LDL cholesterol. Do not stop taking your cholesterol medicines. Always consult with your healthcare professional if you want to change or stop your cholesterol medicines.

Low HDL or good cholesterol levels cause risk factors like various heart diseases. There may be some other symptoms as well. People over 40 years old should check their cholesterol levels frequently to prevent the risks. Lifestyle and dietary changes also make a big difference to the HDL and LDL levels. Also, make sure to consult a health expert to get the best suggestion regarding cholesterol control.

A good LDL to HDL ratio is below 5:1. The perfect ratio is below 3:5:1.

A low ratio of LDL to HDL cholesterol usually increases the risk of heart disease.

Milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl) is the unit of measuring cholesterol levels in your blood.

* * Medical Disclaimer - The following information is for educational purposes only. No information provided on this website, including text, graphic, and images, are intended as substitutes for professional medical advice. Please consult with your doctor about specific medical advice pertaining to your condition(s).