Im 18 years old and my cholesterol?

4 comments

• Isa

  6:12 pm

  Your Total Blood (or Serum) Cholesterol Level

  Less than 200 mg/dL: Desirable
  If your LDL, HDL and triglyceride levels are also at desirable levels and you

  200–239 mg/dL: Borderline-High Risk
  If your total cholesterol falls between 200 and 239 mg/dL, your doctor will evaluate your levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol, HDL (good) cholesterol and triglycerides. It’s possible to have borderline-high total cholesterol numbers with normal levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol balanced by high HDL (good) cholesterol.

  240 mg/dL and over: High Risk
  People who have a total cholesterol level of 240 mg/dL or more typically have twice the risk of coronary heart disease as people whose cholesterol level is desirable (200 mg/dL)

  Your HDL (Good) Cholesterol Level

  With HDL (good) cholesterol, higher levels are better. Low HDL cholesterol (less than 40 mg/dL for men, less than 50 mg/dL for women) puts you at higher risk for heart disease. In the average man, HDL cholesterol levels range from 40 to 50 mg/dL. In the average woman, they range from 50 to 60 mg/dL. An HDL cholesterol of 60 mg/dL or higher gives some protection against heart disease.

  Your LDL (Bad) Cholesterol Level

  The lower your LDL cholesterol, the lower your risk of heart attack and stroke. In fact, it’s a better gauge of risk than total blood cholesterol. In general, LDL levels fall into these categories:

  LDL Cholesterol Levels

  Less than 100 mg/dL Optimal

  100 to 129 mg/dL Near Optimal/ Above Optimal

  130 to 159 mg/dL Borderline High

  160 to 189 mg/dL High

  190 mg/dL and above Very High

  Your Triglyceride Level

  Triglyceride is a form of fat. People with high triglycerides often have a high total cholesterol level, including high LDL (bad) cholesterol and low HDL (good) cholesterol levels. A triglyceride level of 150 mg/dL or higher is one of the risk factors of metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome increases the risk for heart disease and other disorders, including diabetes.

  One causative factor that stands out continuously above and beyond all others is fat in the diet. And it is this factor that we can control.
• notyou311

  6:12 pm

  That is high. Ask your Dr. if you should take a statin like Lipitor.
• tn_blu1

  6:12 pm

  Your cholesterol is considered high, so you should take steps to lower it. It’s better to start now when you’re young than to wait until your arteries are half-clogged.

  You need to adopt a low cholesterol diet, which basically means to eat a lot of vegetables and fruits, and not much meat and other animal products. Exercise and weight control will help, too. HDL, the "good" cholesterol, will be helped by exercise. Lastly, the statin drugs are very effective in lowering cholesterol. Whether your doctor will want you to start taking a statin at 18, I don’t know.
• Joanna S

  6:12 pm

  It is high, and yes, taking drugs so young isn’t good. It’s perfectly possible to reduce your number by eating well (and well does not mean boring or disgusting 😉

  This is what I did, I hope it helps you:
  http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1366468/lower_your_cholesterol_by_up_to_20.html?cat=5