High cholesterol levels can lead to heart disease. What is a good cholesterol level for adults and how can you maintain it?
The American Heart Association recommends that adults check their cholesterol every 4 to 6 years because levels can start to rise at age 20.
In addition to age, lack of exercise and an unhealthy diet can contribute to high cholesterol. A study on dietary cholesterol found that saturated fatty acids and trans fats increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Cholesterol Levels
If you want to know your current levels, ask your doctor for a blood test called a lipoprotein panel. This test measures your cholesterol levels overall, as well as LDL, HDL, non-HDL, and triglycerides levels.
Healthy levels are based on age and sex. For men age 20 and older, the following are healthy cholesterol levels:
- Total Cholesterol: 125 to 200mg/dL
- LDL: less than 100mg/dL
- HDL: 40mg/dL or higher
- Non-HDL: less than 130mg/dL
- Triglycerides: less than 150 mg/dL
For women age 20 and older, the following are healthy cholesterol levels:
- Total Cholesterol: 125 to 200mg/dL
- LDL: less than 100mg/dL
- HDL: 50mg/dL or higher
- Non-HDL: less than 130mg/dL
- Triglycerides: less than 150 mg/dL
Talk with your doctor about family history and possible risk factors that can affect your cholesterol. It is recommended you get your first test around age 10 and afterward every 4 to 6 years. Once you reach 45 years old for men, and 55 years old for women, check it every 1 to 2 years.
What Affects Cholesterol?
Age, sex, family history, and race can all contribute to high cholesterol. Talk with your doctor about what medicines, such as statins, can help control your cholesterol.
As you age, your cholesterol levels can rise. This increases for women once they go through menopause.
Family history can also affect your likeliness of having high cholesterol. African Americans tend to have higher levels of HDL and LDL cholesterol and are, therefore, at higher risk.
Other things that affect cholesterol levels:
- A diet high in saturated fats. Foods with high levels of saturated fats include some meats, dairy products, chocolate, baked goods, and processed foods.
- Being overweight. It increases your risk of heart disease and can also increase cholesterol levels. By losing weight, your LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, and triglyceride levels can decrease.
- A lack of physical activity. Regularly exercising helps lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL, or good, cholesterol. Try moving for 30 minutes a day.
- Smoking, which increases your risk of heart disease and affects your arteries. This can contribute to higher levels of LDL cholesterol.
A Lifelong Commitment
If you suffer from high cholesterol, your doctor can help guide you with lifestyle changes and medications needed.
By limiting saturated and trans fats, staying physically active, quitting smoking, managing your stress, and taking medications if necessary, you might see lower cholesterol levels over time.
To help with your healthy diet, vitamins and supplements that support healthy blood vessels and circulation can make a difference. Try L-arginine Plus, which improves blood flow, stamina, and cholesterol levels by adding nitric oxide to expand your blood vessels.