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

Cholesterol, including low density lipoprotein ldl, 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, particularly in relation to high cholesterol levels . Cholesterol, including high density lipoprotein hdl, 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 ldl bad cholesterol, is harmful to health as indicated by test results, especially when there is too much ldl cholesterol, causing the possibility of stroke and heart disease. To maintain the proper ratio of HDL or good cholesterol in your blood, including ldl cholesterol levels 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 rich in cholesterol and triglycerides, 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, especially if you have high ldl cholesterol.

Your cholesterol hdl 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, ideally keeping it within the normal total cholesterol range.

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 when there are high levels present.

Knowing your total blood 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, which is often referred to as high 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 increased risk of severe heart disease, coronary heart disease, and associated risk factors, you must maintain a proper cholesterol ratio. You must have your cholesterol checked 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 based on your test results. 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, it indicates high total cholesterol and there is a higher chance of heart disease due to high cholesterol.

In such a condition, you must consult with your healthcare providers after your lipid panel blood test, where they may draw blood, to get the best suggestions regarding controlling your total cholesterol levels.

Your cholesterol ratio determines if you are at risk for heart disease based on the levels of cholesterol in your body. If your cholesterol ratio is high, you have the possibility of getting serious heart problems, including a heart attack. 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 within the normal range.

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, especially if you limit your intake of saturated fat.

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

A high cholesterol ratio usually happens due to LDL or VLDL cholesterol. Several factors, such as lack of activity, consumption of saturated fat, and non hdl cholesterol 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 insufficient physical activity ;

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, which can lead to coronary heart disease, 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 heart attack and peripheral polyneuropathy developing in people without diabetes.

Heart attack or stroke: Plaques forming in the blood vessels 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. To avoid this, it is crucial to get your cholesterol checked regularly as abnormal cholesterol levels, particularly high levels, can enhance the cardiovascular risk 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, based on your blood test results, you should ensure that lipoproteins carry cholesterol effectively and consider several things to improve your cholesterol and overall health.

Lifestyle changes: To improve your HDL ratio and manage cholesterol and triglycerides, one of the best things is make a lifestyle change. You can make changes in your diet to lower your LDL cholesterol levels and start exercising regularly, or ensure you get enough exercise.

• 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 to ensure that lipoproteins carry cholesterol effectively. 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 that help control your LDL cholesterol.

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, helping to prevent plaque buildup. Also, make sure to consult your healthcare providers or a health expert to get the best suggestions regarding cholesterol control.

**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).